This fishery continued to expand particularly 

 along the New Jersey shore, where, at the 

 present time, the majority of the scup catch 

 by pound nets is made (table I). 



The general construction of the pound net 

 has not changed much since its introduction, 

 the improvements being concerned more with 

 the convenience of operation such as the use 

 of power in raising nets and brailing of fish, 

 and in the "run" boats used to transport the 

 crew, gear, and catch. 



The pound net is a stationary gear, and 

 hence its catch is limited to fish that enter 

 the net. It can be operated only in relatively 

 close inshore waters out to a depth of about 

 60 feet. Operation is limited from April to 

 December, when migratory fish are avail- 

 able in inshore waters. In 1933, the pound 

 net catch was about 47 percent of the total 

 catch of scup by all gear (table 2). 



FLOATING TRAPS 



The floating trap fishery for scup is con- 

 fined principally to the inshore waters of the 

 coast of Rhode Island, although a few traps 

 are set off Amagansett, Long Island, N.Y., 

 and on Five Fathom Bank, off New Jersey 

 (fig. 2). The principal difference between 

 the pound net and floating trap is that the 

 latter, as the name implies, is buoyed by 

 large floats (drums or hogsheads) and is 

 anchored; whereas, the former is held in 

 position by means of stakes or poles. The 

 floating trap is especially adapted to regions 

 of deep water, hard bottom, and strong tides; 

 and since these conditions prevail along the 

 shore of Rhode Island, traps have become 

 the principal gear of that State's shore 

 fishery. For a detailed description of 

 floating traps and methods of fishing, see 

 the account by Southwick (Baird, 1873). 



The floating trap was first used off Rhode 

 Island about 1850 (Lyman, 1872) and was in 



Table 1. — Catch of scup landed in New Jersey by different types of gear^, 1889-1933 



(not consecutive) 



[In pounds] 



^ U. S. Bureau of Fisheries (U. S. Cammlssion of Fish and Fisheries) statistical canvasses 

 with the exception of 1908 when canvass was made by the U. S. Bureau of the Census. 



^ Catch by gear not available. 



■^ Possibly includes some catch by purse seines. 



* Catch by gear other than pound nets not available. 



' Includes catch by New Jersey vessels engaged in winter trawl fishing off the Virginia 

 Capes. 



