Table 15. --Species composition, hand and troll line fisheries, 



1946-1953 



Hand line 



Figure 35. --Hand and troll line landings, in 

 monthly percentages, 1946-1953 



SPORT FISHERY 

 Vessels, Fishing Gear, and Methods 



Vessels of the party and charter fleet 

 typically are cabin cruisers ranging from 25 to 

 45 feet in length and powered with gasoline or 

 diesel engines. All have radio telephones and 

 some are equipped with recording depth-indica- 

 tors. Trolling outriggers are standard equip- 

 ment on most charter boats. No clearcut 

 distinction can be made between charter and 

 party boats. In general, charter boats are con- 

 tracted for a day's fishing by a small group of 

 fishermen. A party boat, on the other hand, 

 charges a set fee per person. 



In general, the gear and methods em - 

 ployed in sport fishing are similar to those of 



the commercial hand and troll line fisheries . 

 Descriptions of vessels, gear, and methods of 

 fishing may be found in Buller and Spear (1948) 

 and Earle (1940). 



No critical analysis of data regarding the 

 sport fisheries will be attempted. Summarized 

 information will be presented concerning yield, 

 catch per unit effort, catch composition, fleet 

 size, and other pertinent features. Measures 

 and trends in abundance of the various fish 

 stocks concerned have been discussed in fore- 

 going sections. 



Ocean City, Maryland 



A charter and party boat fishery became 

 established at Ocean City in 1934. The following 

 summer the first white marlin was taken in that 

 area and development of a charter boat fishery 

 for this species thereafter was rapid. The fleet 

 increased from 12 vessels in 1936 to 39 in 1939 

 and remained approximately this size until the 

 1942 season. The fishery was inactive from 

 1942 through 1944. In 1945 wartime restrictions 

 were relaxed and a moderate- sized fleet was 

 assembled. The fleet varied from 25 to 40 boats 

 during the period 1946 through 1953. 



The charter boat fishery may be considered 

 as constituting three separate fisheries, each 

 seeking a different fish or group of fishes and 

 employing different methods and grounds. Dur- 

 ing May and early June many of the charters 

 consist of large parties of 6 to 12 persons who 

 fish for porgy, sea bass, and other bottom species 

 on the inshore grounds. The remainder of the 

 charters during this period are parties of 4 to 6 



45 



