Table l.--Mean annual catch, mean number of purse seine sets, and mean catch 

 per set, 1955-60; and the catch, number of sets, and catch per set, 1961, 



Atlantic menhaden purse seine fishery 



Slight discrepancies in numbers as given in previous reports and in sub- 

 totals and totals are due to rounding off of figures. 



^ Source: Fishery statistics of the United States, 1961, by Edward A. Power, 

 U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Statistical Digest No. 54. 



^ The North Carolina fall fishery normally extends into January; therefore, 

 catch total includes January 1962, but not January 1961. Seasonal breakdown 

 of the catch was obtained from U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, C.F.S. Nos. 

 2521 and 2835. 



between Jacksonville Beach and Fernandina 

 Beach, with only occasional catches being 

 made as far north as St. Catherines Sound. 



Four vessels from Southport, N.C., conn- 

 menced fishing on May 17. Three more joined 

 the fleet on May 24, and another on May 29. 

 Fishing was good through the first week in 

 July. From then until August 9, landings were 

 made only during the week of July 24. Fishing 

 was poor through August, improved in Sep- 

 tember, but declined again in October. The 

 last Icuiding was made on October 24. 



Six vessels from Beaufort, N.C., began 

 fishing in Core Sound on May 10. One vessel 

 began fishing in the ocean on May 16, and two 

 others on May 24. Good fishing continued in 

 outside waters until June 7, but few catches 

 were made through the rest of the season. 

 Fishing in inside waters, mostly in Core 



Sound, continued good through the middle of 

 August. Catches in late August and September 

 were poor, and only sporadic landings were 

 made in October, Fishing terminated on 

 November 2. 



The catch in the South Atlantic Area was 

 49,000 tons. June ranked first in production 

 (23 percent), followed by September (22 per- 

 cent). May (17 percent), July (15 percent), 

 August (13 percent), April (5 percent), and 

 October (5 percent). 



Chesapeake Bay Area 



Fishing began on May 29, when 20 vessels 

 made fair catches in the vicinity of North 

 Channel. Two more vessels joined the fleet 

 on June 1 . Although schools were found through- 

 out the bay during most of the sumnner, they 



