the average annual discard of the previous 5-year period, 19U7-1951. 



The Boston fleet discarded over 6 percr.nt by weight of the 

 haddock caught by that fleet during 1952 » This was equj.valent to discard- 

 ing about 1 out of every 10 haddock caught. The New Bedford fleet dis- 

 carded over 5 percent by weight of the total quantity of haddock caught; 

 or, 1 out of very 12 fish caught. 



Season of Discard 



The quantity of baby haddock destroyed on Gsorge-j Bank, 

 varied with the season of the jear, as can te seen by a comparison of 

 monthly records in table 2 and figure 3, The greatest destruction, was 

 reported during the summer months, as in pre^^ious years, with June the 

 month of most discardo In this particular month, discards of more than 

 l5 percent by weight of the fish caught were reportedo This was 

 equivalent to mors than 1 out of avery 5 fish caught. 



Area of Discard 



Discard by area was summarized by plotting the amo'jnts of 

 discard reported by the Boston and New Bedford fishing fleets by units 

 of 10' latitude by 10' longitude. The localities where haddock were 

 discarded during the 1952 haddock year are shown in figure iio 



The areas of greatest destruction were the Northern Edge and 

 Southeast part of Georges, Quantities of discard were also reported on 

 the Southwest part of Georges, Lesser amounts were discarded in the 

 South Channel area and in the vicinity of Cultivator Buoy. 



As in previous years, areas of greatest discard reflect areas 

 of greatest concentration of fishing effort, and not necessarily the 

 areas of greatest abundance of lanmarketable sir,e3. It is kncvjn that in 

 shoal water portions of the Southeast part of Georges small fish pre- 

 dominate during most of the year. These areas are avoided, wherever 

 possible, by the fleet becaizse of the difficulty encountered in culling 

 out unmarketable fish. 



^?UI' SEA SAI'IPLING 



ANALYSIS OF DISCARD-3, 1 9^2 



The quantities disr'.ai'ded on each of the commercial sea sampling 

 trips during 1952 are presented in ''"able ?, 



