FISHES OF THE GULF OF MAINE 



437 



Fundy haddock of different ages, estimated from scale studies combined with 

 measurements of the different length groups represented among 460 specimens. 

 European measurements are added for comparison. 



I Damas (Rapports Proces-Verbaui, Con.seU Permanent International pour I'Eiploration de la mer, Vol. X, 1909) has tabulated 

 the measurements and ages of large numbers of haddoclc from various North European localities. 



It appears from these data that Bay of Fundy, North Sea, and Norwegian had- 

 dock all grow rapidly and at about the same rate until they are 5 or 6 years old, 

 but that the European haddock outstrips the American fish thereafter, though all 

 continue to grow in length to a considerable age. The oldest haddock recorded by 

 Damas were two of 123^2 years, judged by their scales, and, respectively, 30.4 and 

 31.1 inches long. This, with the fact that his largest specimen was a lOH-year-old 

 of 32.2 inches, suggests that the largest Gulf of Maine fish are 12 to 15 years old. 

 The lengths given in the preceding table are averages, and there is so much individual 

 variation that a fish of a given age may be smaller than one a couple of years younger 

 or larger than one 2 or 3 years older, probably due to the food supply. For example. 

 North Sea fish of 2 years varied from 7.6 to 15.6 inches in length; 3-year fish from 

 10.4 to 16.4 inches; 4-year-olds from 12.8 to 21.2 inches; 5-year fish from 14.4 to 

 24 inches; 6-year fish from 16 to 27 inches; and those 7 years old from 17.6 to 28 

 inches. Most of the haddock of the younger year classes are grouped near the 

 average sizes for their age, fish of 6 years and older being more evenly distributed 

 among different sizes. 



Age at maturity. — The smallest sexually active specimens found by Welsh 

 among 1,300 haddock were two females of about 20 inches each (that is, 4 or 5 years 

 old), which supports Miss Duff's argument that the slackening of the rate of growth 

 at 4 or 5 years, which she observed, reflects the first ripening of the sexual organs. 



Migrations. — Broadly speaking, the haddock is a year-round resident in the 

 Gulf of Maine, where its only extensive and regular migrations after its fry are large 

 enough to seek bottom are in the form of annual concentrations on and dispersals 

 from its spawning grounds. During its first few months of life (p. 438), however, 

 while it is floating near the surface and drifting with the current, it undoubtedly 

 carries out involuntary journeys which may be of considerable extent. Unfor- 

 tunately we have very few records for these larval haddock — ^probably because we 

 have made very few tow-net hauls at appropriate localities and at the critical season, 

 that is, late May and June. They are suggestive as far as they go. however, for 

 they are concentrated in its southwest part, on Georges Bank and Nantucket 



