supplied- by skipp9rs to the pert inter-«lewer at Boston for trips on which 

 we had observers were similar to thoss reported by our sea samplerso 



Average weight 



The average weights of individual fish taken on the observed trips 

 are shown in table U, The average weight of haddock caught on these trips 

 was 1,61 poundso This conpares with 1,80 pounds^, the average weight of fish 

 caught in 195J.. This difference is due to a difference in year class 

 dominance in the two years? twD-3''8ar-olds (19^0 year class) dominated in 

 1952 while three-year-olds (19ii8 year class) dominated in 195l<. 



The average weight of fish discarded was greater than in 195l 

 while the average weight of fish landed was less. This is related to the 

 difference in age composition in the two years and a difference in culling 

 (see p, 23), 



Considerable variation in average weight is evident on the Individual 

 trips, but seasonal averages are fairly consistant. Very little seasonal 

 variation was noted in the average weight of landed fish, whereas discarded 

 fish ranged from a high of about 1.2 pounds in average weight during Season B 

 to a low of about 3A pounds during Season Do The reason for this lower 

 average weight during the winter is due largely to the recruitment of l^year- 

 old fish which begins at thj.s season, 



Si ae c omposition 



The size composition of haddock on the average Georges Bank trip 

 observed during 19^2 is presented in table 5 and figure 5o 



The size of the haddock caught on the observed trips ranged from 

 0,2 to 9 poiinds (6 to 31 inches), with about 90 percent from Oo7 to 2,9 

 pounds, (12-1/2 to 20-1/2 inches). 



The sizes of discarded haddock ranged from 0,2 to 1,6 pounds 

 (8 to l6"l/2 inches), with over 90 percent from 0.6 to 1,1 pounds (12 to 



3-14-1/2 inches). 



The sizes in the landed portion of the catch ranged from 0.6 to 

 9, J pounds (11-1/2 to 31 inches), with over 90 percent from 0,9 to 2,9 

 pounds (13-1/2 to 20-1/2 inches). 



In comparing these data with size compositions obtained in 1951* 

 we note that during 19^1 more of the smaller sizes were present in the 

 sample than in 19^2. This was due to the presence of a large year class of 

 1-year -olds (19^0 year class) coming into the fishery in 1951. During 1952, 



12 



