fluctuated between 900,000 lb. in 1949 and 

 472,000 in 1960. The 1960 production was about 

 21 percent of the 1896 catch. 



Many factors have been suggested as causes 

 for the decline in production at the turn of the 

 century, for its subsequent sudden recovery 

 beginning in 1936, and for the decline in the 

 last decade. Talbot (1954, 1956) examined a 

 number of factors that might affect fluctuations 

 in Hudson River shad runs. Nocorrelation was 

 found between the size of the shad population 

 and stream flows, water temperatures, chan- 

 nel improvements, ship traffic, or hatchery 

 operations. Available information gave no evi- 

 dence that runs fluctuated in natural cycles of 

 abundance. Pollution was a serious problem, 



but there are no records to show changes in 

 pollution on the spawning and rearing grounds. 

 Limited tagging experiments indicated that 

 Hudson River shad were caught outside the 

 river from Maine to North Carolina but were 

 taken in large numbers only along the New 

 Jersey coast and off Staten and Long Islands. ? 

 Although pollution and catches outside the 

 river may have had some effect on the fishery, 

 the largest single factor affecting abundance 

 of shad in the river was the number of fish 

 escaping the fishery to spawn (Talbot, 1954). 

 By control of fishing effort, the desired num- 

 ber of shad could be allowed to escape the 

 fishery and spawn, and the fishery managed 

 to produce optimum yields. 



SHAD FISHERIES OF CONNECTICUT 



The 1896 shad fisheries of Connecticut were 

 in Long Island Sound, Connecticut River, Hou- 

 satonic River, Bridgeport Harbor, and Pine 

 Creek. Major production was from the Con- 

 necticut and Housatonic Rivers and Long Island 

 Sound, though the catch in the Sound was in- 

 cidental to that of other species. The total 

 catch was 261,190 lb. About 79 percent by 

 20,193 yd. of drift gill net, 11 percent by 

 2,048 yd. of seine, and the remainder by pound 

 net (tables 46 and 47). 



The Connecticut River was the only major 

 shad producing area in Connecticut waters in 



Includes both Connecticut and Kasaachui 



Table 47, --Shad catch, by water area and gear, Connecticut, 1896 and 1960 



1960 (fig. 25). Small catches were taken in 

 Long Island Sound, but other formerly pro- 

 ductive waters had ceased to yield more than 

 an occasional fish. The commercial yield was 

 420,611 lb., of which about 99 percent was 

 taken by 19,497 yd. of drift gill net and the 

 remainder by 392 yd. of seine and by mis- 

 cellaneous gear (tables 46 and 47). In addition 

 to the commercial yield, 77,200 lb. were taken 

 by sport fishermen. 



FISHERIES BY WATER AREA 



Regulations on shad fishing in Connecticut 

 are established by the State Board of Fisheries 

 and Game. During 1960 the legal commercial 

 fishing season was from April 1 to June 15; 

 fishing was prohibited from sunset Friday 

 until sunset Sunday. The legal sport fishing 

 season was from April 16 to June 2 6, and the 

 daily creel limit was six. Sport fishing was 

 permitted 7 days per week. 



Long Island Sound 



Long Island Sound, occupying the coastal 

 depression between Long Island and the shore 

 of Connecticut, is 115 miles long and 15 to 2 5 

 miles wide. At its eastern end a chain of is- 

 lands extends northeasterly from Long Island 

 to Rhode Island, through which the waters of 

 the Sound mix with the ocean. At its western 

 end the Sound connects with New York Bay 

 through the East River. Throughout its length, 

 except near the mouths of large rivers, the 

 salinity approaches that of the ocean. The 

 principal tributaries of the Sound are the 

 Thames, Connecticut, and Housatonic Rivers. 



Includes both ConnecClcut uid tUsaachusetts waters. 



Nichols (1958) reported that the New Jersey-New York 

 pound net catch in 1956 was composed of 76 percent Hudson 

 River shad. 



77 



