adaptability for scientific study, the eccn:>mic importance of the weakfish 

 is not the least of its advantaf^es. Quantitative studies of widespread 

 populations in nature are for the most part limited to species for which 

 the quantities taken are recorded, and are large enough to permit adequate 

 sampling. Of all groups of animals the fishes are the most favorable from 

 this point of view; and of the fishes the weakfish is more favorable than 

 most. However, although all ages and all sizes except the smallest (less 

 than l5 centimeters) are iijell represented in the catches, it is doubtful 

 whether the samples always furnish a good cross-section of those contin- 

 gents of the population present in each locality. The principal clues that 

 have led to understanding the rather complex movements of weakfish have be- 

 come evident on comparing the stocks of fish at several localities as to 

 abundance, size, and age composition, and rate of growth. These clues have 

 led me to erect a hypothesis which I have tested with tagging experiments 

 and with scale studies. 



C omparison of Abundance, Age and Size Composition 

 of the Catch in Various Localities 



Catch records . — Although weakfish are taken by several forms of gear 

 (Table 1), the catches from pound nets have been chosen for this study 

 because, (1) pound nets account for most of the catch (for the period 1929- 

 33, inclusive, 78.2 percent) j (2) they are operated over the whole range of 

 the weakfish, from Massachusetts to North Carolina providing records from 

 many and widely-separated localities: (3) with minor exceptions they are 

 operated through the entire season in which weakfish are present on the 

 coast, so that they presumably sample all classes of weakfish, (sizes, ages, 

 races, etc.) while other forms of gear, especially mobile gear like gill 

 nets, otter trawls, and purse seines, are selective because of their 

 sporadic operations; and (h) more detailed records are available of the 

 catch from pound nets than of the catches by other forms of gear. 



For this study records of pound-net catches have been taken from four 

 sources; (1) Statistical canvasses conducted by the United States Govern- 

 ment since I898 (Bureau of Fisheries, Fish and Wildlife Service, Table 2). 

 For most years these records include the quantities and value of the catch 

 and the amount of gear operated. The most serious defects of these records 

 are lack of continuity, and inadquate information concerning fishing effort. 

 For example, under the term "pound nets" there have been grouped large nets 

 set in the ocean, small nets set in bays, small nets set for eels in late 

 autunn after the departure of weakfish and other shore fishes, and for some 

 years nets set primarily for the taking of horseshoe crabs. These several 

 tjT^es of nets differ geratly in their capacity for taking weakfish, and 

 since the relative numbers of them have varied consiaerably during the 

 period covered by the records, it is not possible to estimate reliably the 

 catch-per-unit of fishing effort from the records of total catch and the 

 records of the numbers of nets operated. A further fault of the records 

 is that they do not permit locality grouping smaller than by counties. 



