These data, are presented primarily to serve as a basis for ocxn- 

 parison in subsequent years, but it is possible to make limited 

 comparisons with earlier work, fhe oatoh of tuna in 1948 of 7,5 

 fish-per-trip is not greatly different than the 7,2 fish-per-trip 

 recorded in 1941 by Westman and Neville (1942) and the 9,8 fish- 

 per-trip recorded in 1938 by Moore, et al, (1938), 



B. THE PARTY BOAT FISHERY 



a. DESCRIPTION 



1* The boats 



The boats engaged in the party boat fishery (sometimes called 

 "open* boats) are open to all fishermen for a flat fee of $3,00 to 

 $S»50 per day# Patrons of this type of fishing must furnish their 

 own gear— the boat usually furnishes the bait— and do their fishing 

 from the rail* "Hie average capacity of the vessels is 30 fisher- 

 men. The boats are usually of the 40-to-50-foot and over class and 

 "open," l»e», relatively little shelter is afforded for the anglers, 

 and the boats are fitted with a high pilot house slightly aft of 

 amidship. Like charter boats, nearly all are equipped with radio 

 telephones. 



The total investment in these party boats is considerablee 

 Like the charter boats, the average vessel engaged in the New York 

 and New Jersey party boat fishery represents an imres'tment of about 

 |15,000, This figure is perhaps too low, based on the present 

 cost of constructing a party boat because many of the vessels in 

 the party boat fleet are over 15 years old, and several have been 

 converted from commercial otter trawlers and pleasure craft. There 

 were in 1948 about 400 party boats engaged in the sports fishery 

 of the Middle Atlantic Bight, so that the total investment in party 

 boats amounts to approximately 6 million dollars. 



2, Numbers and locations of party boats 



The New York center of party boats that regularly fish the Middle 

 Atlantic Bight is located in Sheepshead Bay, Approximately 50 or 

 more vessels operated from this Long Island City, But 10 or less 

 regularly sailed from Freeport during the sports fishing season. 



The New Jersey party boat industry, like the charter boat 

 business, is widespread. Well developed harbors along the New Jersey 

 coast line afford excellent docking space for the party boat in- 

 dustry. The centers, in approximate order of importance and numbers 

 of boats weret Brielle (which includes Paint Pleasant), 250 j Cape 



9 



