Middle Atlantic Area 



On June 6 a fleet of 53 vessels began purse 

 seine fishing. Initially, good catches were 

 made in Raritan Bay and in the vicinity of 

 Ambrose Lightship, but fish soon became 

 scarce. Weather was bad during most of the 

 month, and catches were small. On July 5, 

 numerous schools were located off Atlantic 

 Highlands, N.J. Fishing in this locality was 

 good throughout July. Excellent catches were 

 made off the southern shore of western Long 

 Island in August. At the same time, schools 

 of small fish were abundant between 

 Chincoteague, Va., and Ocean City, Md, In 

 mid-September, these smaller fish dis- 

 appeared from the vicinity of Ocean City dur- 

 ing a period of bad weather, and catches for 

 the rest of the month were sporadic through- 

 out the area. In early October, the migratory 

 schools of older fish appeared off the southern 

 shore of Long Island, and smaller fish re- 

 appeared off Ocean City. Fishing in these 

 localities continued until October 21, when 

 the season ended. 



The purse seine catch was 286,000 tons, 

 5,000 tons more than in 1959. Landings in 

 July accounted for 28 percent of the season's 

 total, while landings in August, June, Septem- 

 ber, and October accounted for 27, 16, 16, and 

 13 percent, respectively. 



North Atlantic Area 



Fewer vessels participated in the fishery 

 than in previous years. None fished out of 

 Portland, Maine, and the Gloucester, Mass., 

 fleet was reduced to seven vessels. The num- 

 bers in the Amagansett, N.Y., and Point Judith, 

 R.I., fleets were the same as in previous 

 years — 10 at Amagansett and 4 at Point Judith. 



The first catch of the season was taken from 

 Narragansett Bay on June 2 by a Point Judith 

 vessel. Three more vessels from Point Judith 

 began fishing in the bay a few days later. 

 Throughout the season, fishing by the Point 

 Judith fleet was confined almost entirely to 

 Narragansett Bay. Fishing by this fleet ended 

 on October 10, 



The Gloucester fleet began fishing on June 

 16 in Massachusetts Bay. Over 4,600 tons, 

 representing approximately 51 percent of the 

 season's catch, was taken from this area in 

 July, In August, schools were reported as 

 numerous, but they usually occurred where 

 fishing was prohibited (e.g., Boston Bay), and 

 catches were poor. Sporadic fishing continued 

 until September 20, 



The Amagansett fleet began fishing on June 

 6 off Marthas Vineyard. Excellent catches 

 were made in that locality until mid-June, 

 when bad weather occurred and the fish dis- 

 appeared. Fish appeared during the last week 

 of June in Nantucket Sound and in the waters 

 off Cape Cod, and fishing was concentrated 

 in these areas through July. In August, large 

 schools appeared in western Long Island Sound 

 and off the southern shore of Long Island. 

 Fishing in these localities and in Nantucket 

 Sound continued through August. In September 

 and October, fishing was concentrated in 

 Nantucket Sound and off the southern shore 

 of Long Island. Fishing terminated on October 

 22, 



The purse seine catch in the North Atlantic 

 Area was 63,000 tons, 1,000 tons less than in 

 1959. The largest percentage of the catch was 

 made in August (30 percent), followed by July 

 (29 percent), June (18 percent), September (12 

 percent), and October (11 percent). 



North Carolina Fall Fishery 



There were 32 vessels in the fishery, 30 

 less than in 1959. Fishing began on November 

 9, when schools were spotted in the vicinity 

 of Rodanthe, N.C, Strong winds and heavy 

 seas prevented fishing from November 10 to 

 13, but on November 14 catches were made off 

 Cape Hatteras, Ocracoke Inlet, and Beaufort, 

 N.C. Good catches were made the following 

 day, but bad weather restricted fishing from 

 November 16 to 20, Fishing on a single, large 

 school of fish resumed on November 21 and 

 terminated on November 26 when the school 

 disappeared off New River Inlet, N.C. On 

 November 27, another large school of fish was 

 spotted off Ocracoke Inlet. The entire fleet 



