and did remain in this more inshore shoal 

 area. However, they did not scatter over as 

 extensive an area as did the scup and were 

 more readily available. Because of this, the 

 catch per day's fishing of sea bass increased 

 approximately threefold between the winter of 

 1931 and 1932 and exceeded that of scup, which 

 declined about 42 percent between the two 

 winters (fig. 12). The combined total catch 

 of all three species increased in 1932, partly 

 as a result of the greater availability of sea 

 bass and partly from a greater number of 

 trips by a greater number of boats, the fleet 

 increasing from about 50 vessels in 1931 to 

 about 80 in 1932. Of total landings of approxi- 

 mately 9,327,000 pounds in Virginia in 1932, 

 about 24 percent was scup, 48 percent sea 

 bass, and 28 percent fluke. 



In the next winter (1933), hydrographic con- 

 ditions were similar to 1932; the zone of water 

 45° F. or warmer was widespread, scup did 

 not concentrate, and the catch per day's fishing 

 dropped even below 1932 (50 percent). Much 

 of the effort was directed toward sea bass, 

 which were again present in about the same 

 area as in the previous winter, but in even 

 greater numbers either because of increased 

 availability or actually increased abundance, 

 with the result that the catch per day's fishing 

 increased 25 percent over 1932 and again 

 exceeded the average catch per day's fishing 

 for scup. 



The total yield of scup, sea bass, and fluke 

 landed at Virginia ports showed a decline, 

 however, in 1933 as compared to the pre- 

 ceding winter. Although the number of boats 

 increased slightly in 1933, fewer trips were 

 made because of unusually frequent storms 

 which interfered with or prevented fishing 

 for extended periods throughout the season. 

 Hence, although the catch per day increased, 

 the total yield decreased. As in 1932, sea bass 

 continued to dominate the fishery. Of a total 

 catch of approximately 6,940,000 pounds landed 

 in 1933, 49 percent was sea bass, 26 percent 

 scup, and 25 percent fluke. 



In winter of 1934 the marked changes in 

 hydrographic conditions within the season 

 were accompanied by equally important 

 changes in fishing location and amount and 



kinds of fish caught. In January, when rela- 

 tively warm bottom water was present over 

 a rather wide expanse of inshore coastal 

 area, most of the fishing was done in about 

 the same inshore shoal region as in 1933. 

 Scup were again caught over a wide area, 

 but were either more abundant or more 

 readily available than in 1933, as indicated 

 by the greater catch per day's fishing in 

 January 1934 than in the previous January. 

 Sea bass and fluke were caught in about the 

 same area as in 1933. 



In February with sudden, sharp cooling of the 

 inshore water, scup, sea bass, and fluke were 

 driven to offshore, warmer regions and be- 

 came more concentrated. Consequently, the 

 fishing shifted to the more offshore grounds 

 in depths of 40 fathoms or more, and the catch 

 per day's fishing of all these species increased. 

 The catch of scup exceeded that of either 

 sea bass or fluke, indicating that scup were 

 probably more inshore and more available 

 than sea bass and fluke, the majority of which 

 were perhaps in deeper water than that gen- 

 erally frequented by the scup. 



By March, as a result of the inshore waters 

 being cooled to such a degree by continued low 

 air temperatures throughout February, the 

 zone of water 45° F. or warmer was forced 

 well offshore to the position it was in the 

 winter of 1931 (fig. 11). Scup, sea bass, and 

 fluke were confined to even more offshore, 

 deeper sea bottom within this zone of relatively 

 warm water than in the preceding month. 

 Moreover, the fishery moved to the same area 

 in the southern part of the grounds as that 

 fished in 1931, and good catches consisting 

 mainly of scup were made in depths of 30 

 fathoms or more. In addition, in March the 

 average catch per day's fishing computed on 

 landed catches was larger in the southern part 

 of the ground. 



Sea bass and fluke, on the other hand, con- 

 tinued to be sought in March in the offshore 

 central and northern parts of the ground in 

 depths of 50 fathoms or more, and some good 

 catches were made. It is probable, however, 

 that the majority of sea bass at least were 

 far offshore and in depths beyond reach of 

 the gear, as was probably also the case in 

 the cold winter of 1931. 



44 



