table 13). In volume, Massachusetts landings 

 are comparable to those of New York but are 

 less than those of Rhode Island or New Jersey. 

 In the earlier years (1879-1908), pound nets 

 caught most of the scup; but in recent years 

 (1929-33), otter trawls and handlines have 

 become increasingly important and have 

 been largely responsible for the remark- 

 able increase in total yield. Most of the 

 catch by otter trawls was in the winter, off 

 the Virginia Capes (fig. 2), and provided no 

 information on the changes in the local sum- 

 mer scup fishery. 



Although the accuracy and completeness of 

 records of the pound net catch are subject to 

 the same influencing factors as in other States, 

 the fluctuations in the yield of this gear appear 

 to reflect changes in the total scup catch in 



Massachusetts, In 

 canvass records, 

 chusetts catch of 



addition to the Bureau's 

 statistics on the Massa- 

 pound nets are available 



from annual reports of the State's Commis- 



sion of Fisheries and Game. These have been 

 presented by Bigelow and Welsh (1925). They 

 show a tremendous and rapid decline In the 

 catch from 3.6 million pounds in 1896 to 

 200,000 pounds in 1902 followed by continued 

 low levels until 1921. This decline may not be 

 quite as drastic as these data indicate, because 

 the records are subject to much inaccuracy. 

 In 1901 when low catches were reported, it is 

 a matter of record that it was difficult to 

 impress operators with the importance of sub- 

 mitting accounts accurately and regularly, in 

 spite of a newly introduced system of collect- 

 ing statistics. Since this system was an 

 improvement over the one previously in use, 

 there is considerable doubt as to the validity 

 of the catch statistics from 1896 to 1902 

 depicted by Massachusetts State records. From 

 other records, particularly the private logs of 

 certain operators, it appears that the total 

 yield of pound nets in Massachusetts waters 

 has decreased considerably during the past 

 20 years. This decrease resulted mainly 



Table 13. --Catch of scup landed in Massachusetts by difl'erent types of gear 



from 1879 to 1933^ 



(In pounds] 



^ U. S. Bureau of Fisheries (U. S. Commission of Fish and Fisheries) 

 statistical canvasses with the exception of 1908 when canvass was made by the 

 U. S. Bureau of the Census. 



Includes catch by floating traps, weirs. 



Catch by gear not available. 



Catch by gear other than pound nets not available. 



Includes otter trawls. 



Includes catch by Massachusetts vessels engaged in winter trawl fishing 

 off the Virginia Capes. 



26 



