Table 8. — Summary data, surf clam fishery 



1000 

 900 

 800 

 700 

 600 

 500 

 400 

 300 , 

 0^ 



1400 

 1300 

 1200 

 1100 

 1000 

 900 

 800 

 700 

 600 

 500 - 

 400 - ,*' 

 300 t 



_1_ 



-J_ 



_i_ 



1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 

 YEARS 



Figure 7,--Total catch, catch per boat-month, and fishing effort, 

 surf-clam fishery, 1950-57. 



Logbook records which furnished data 

 for the above compilations were obtained 

 from about 25 percent of the vessels in 

 the fleet. Estimates were derived from 

 the ratio of landings with recorded locality 

 of capture to total landings. 



ANALYSIS OF DATA 



Methods of analyzing the surf-clam 

 catch data are similar to those given for 

 the otter-trawl fishery. Vessels were 

 included in the "select fleet" only if 

 landings were made during the same 5 

 months in 2 successive years. A method 

 of "linkage" was established using 1950 

 as the base year (June and Reintjes, 1957). 



Total catch, catch per unit effort, 

 and total fishing effort are shown in figure 

 7. Comparable data for 1950-53 are shown 

 by a dashed line. Except for 1957, catch 

 per unit effort has declined steadily since 

 the beginning of the fishery, while fishing 

 effort has increased steadily. To some 

 extent, the decline in catch per unit in 

 recent years may be due to the daily 

 boat-limit imposed by the canneries. In 

 1957, for example, when the quota was 

 relaxed or resolved, individual vessel 

 landings increased. However, despite any 

 artificial effects resulting from the impo- 

 sition of a limit, the calculated index 

 furnishes a reasonable measure of clam 

 abundance on the grounds. 



POT FISHERY 



The 30-year-old pot fishery for sea 

 bass expanded in 1954 when over 12,000 

 pots were fished. Annual production which 

 in the previous 2 years exceeded 2 million 

 pounds, however, did not increase propor- 

 tionately with increased effort. Total catch, 

 catch per unit effort, and total fishing 

 effort are shown in figure 8. Date for 

 1946-53 are shown by dashed lines, for 

 1954-57 by solid lines. Increased yields 

 in 1952, 1953, and 1956 appear to be the 



