About one-half pint of shrimp^ Kynenopenaeus tropicalis 

 (Bouvier)j, -were taken in this depth zone. This shrajnp, a non- 

 commercial species, was formerly unknown north of the West Indies. 



Large limestone rocks^ in the vicinity of Diamond Shoals 

 Lightship, ivere responsible for the only tear-up in this depth 

 zone . 



Over 100 FATHOMS ; — Ti'relve tov/s vrere made in this depth zone 

 mth an estimated average catch of 58 pounds of fish per half- 

 hour tovT. Commorcial species, principally red groupers and 

 butterfishj accounted for 60 percent of the catch in this area. 

 Tvielve red grouper, iveighing a total of 34-6 pounds^, were caught 

 at latitude 33°11.5' N. and longitude 77°07' V/. in 152 fathoms 

 (Station 7, Figure 4.). Small numbers of 30 non-commercial species 

 — chiefly boar-fish, spotted hake, lantern fish. Steam's sea 

 robin, cardinal fish, and snake-fish — ^were caught in this depth 

 zone. Three non-com:"ercial species of shrimp — Hymenopenaeus 

 tropicalis (Bouvier), Parapenaeus longirostris (Lucas), and 

 Panaeopsis megalops (Smith) — vrcre also taken in the trawl catches. 



The possiblities of expanding the otter trawl fishery in 

 depths over 100 fathoms off the coast of North Carolina seem more 

 encouraging than in the other depth zones surveyed. The relative 

 abundance of commercial species as compared mth non- commercial 

 species (as indicated by the trawl catches) is much greater in 

 this depth zone than in the others. It is encouraging that no 

 tear-ups were encountered in these depths, an important consider- 

 ation in profitable comn:ercial fishing. 



TOPOGPiAPHY" OF THE SHELF 



It is apparent, from the small number of tear-ups — 3 in 4-2 

 tows — that traveling; operations may be carried on outside the 20- 

 f a thorn contour in southern coastal waters vdth the type of gear 

 used in the survey without undue loss of gear» The recording 

 deptlifinder was in constant use during the four-week period the 

 Albatross III operated,, except for a 24.-hour period iihen electr- 

 ical difficulties Yrere experienced. An analysis of these traces 

 made on courses which were parallel to the outer edge of the 

 shelf (100-200 fathoms) shows no gullies, such as are common 

 north of Cape Katteras, Yfhich would endanger commercial trawling 

 operations. Likevri-se, fathometer traces made on courses across 

 the shelf shovi places Yfhere the slope declines gradually out to, 

 and often beyond, the 200-fathom line. Near Cape Hatteras, how- 

 ever, the slope of the shelf beyond 100 fathoms is very steep. 



