An annotated bibliography of the cunner 

 Tautogolabrus adspersus (Walbaum) 



By 



FREDRIC M. SERCHUK, Fishery Biologist^'^. 

 Massachusetts Cooperative Fishery Unit 

 University of Massachusetts 

 Amherst, Massachusetts 01002 



DAVID W. FRAME, Fishery Biologist 



National Marine Fisheries Service 



Atlantic Estuarine Fisheries Center 



Beaufort, North Carolina 28516 



ABSTRACT 



This annotated, indexed bibliography of the cunner contains 347 entries including 

 references on taxonomy, distribution, life history, physiology, behavior, commercial and 

 sport fisheries, and related fields. It may be considered current through June 1972. 



INTRODUCTION 



The cunner, Tautogolabrus adspersus 

 (Walbaum), also known as the chogset or bergall, 

 is commonly found around wharves and docks 

 and on rocky bottoms along the northeastern 

 coast of North America. It is distributed from 

 Newfoundland southward to the mouth of the 

 Chesapeake Bay, with a major center of 

 abundance in the Massachusetts Bay area. In 

 these northern waters, cunners are most 

 numerous in shallow inshore areas, although 



Contribution No. 35 of the Massachusetts Cooperative 

 Fishery Unit jointly supported by the U.S. Bureau of 

 Sport Fisheries and Wildlife, the Massachusetts Division 

 of Marine Fisheries, the Massachusetts Division of 

 Fisheries and Game, and the University of 

 Massachusetts. 

 2 



Present address: Dept. Fish, and Wildl., Michigan State 

 University, East Lansing, Michigan, 48823. 



they are frequently taken near wrecks and shoals 

 up to 30 miles at sea. There is little evidence in 

 support of seasonal migration patterns and 

 individuals remain near their natal areas during 

 their formative years. 



At one time, the cunner was a favorite fish of 

 New England anglers. During the 1880's 

 between 200,000 and 300,000 pounds of cunner 

 were taken in the New England commercial 

 harvest. However, since the turn of the century, 

 commercial catches have been negligible because 

 of poor demand. 



Though not regarded as a sport fish, the 

 cunner supplies a fishery to thousands of 

 youngsters and tourists who frequent the 

 Northeast coast. Until the 1960's (Clark, 1960; 

 Deuel and Clark, 1965), no record of the 

 number of cunners caught by anglers had been 

 kept. Its importance to anglers, however, was 

 recognized by Bigelow and Schroeder (1953) 



