After determining the number of stations to be allotted to each subarea and 

 to each depth zone within each subarea, the stations to be occupied were determined 

 by numbering the possible stations and selecting the ones to be occupied from a table 

 of random numbers (Fisher and Yates, 1943). This random selection was restricted 

 so that not more than three stations could be adjoining. To provide a measure of 

 variability between tows, 2 tows were made at random stations in 1948 and at every 

 third station in 1949 and 1950. 



The area and subarea boundaries and distribution of stations are shown in 

 figure 1 . 



Georges Bank was sampled in this manner in the following months and years: 



Year Months 



1948 July - October 



1949 July - August 



1950 April 



1950 July - August 



The catch per tow was adopted as an index of abundance. In the age classifica- 

 tion of haddock, it is assumed that haddock spawn in February and hence a haddock- 

 year extends from February of one year to February of the following year . Haddock 

 which were spawned the preceding February and hence in their first year of life are 

 referred to here as zero-ring haddock, and are fish~with.no anwilus on their scales. 

 Fish in their second year of life, having scales with one annulus are called one -year- 

 olds (I -ring), fish m their third year, two-year-olds (II -ring), and so on. The category, 

 nine -year-olds, includes the nine-year-old and all older fish. Age readings were 

 determined from scales obtained from fish caught during census cruise&and by the 

 commercial fleet in corresponding periods . 



The gear used was a slightly modified No. 1-1/2 Iceland Trawl with dimensions 

 as follows: 78 ft. head rope; 114 ft. foot rope; 6 -inch mesh in the wings and square; 

 5-inch, tapering to 4 -inch, mesh in the belly; and 4 -inch mesh in the cod end. The 

 cod end and upper belly were lined with 1-1/2 -inch mesh cotton twine, as earlier ex- 

 perimentsiiad shown that these were the places where most of the small fish pass 

 througji the mesh. The entire net was approximately 100 feet long and was attached 

 to the doors by rope pennants 30 feet long. The doors were fastened directly to the 

 towing warps. Three 20-foot sections of wooden rollers were used, the largest of 

 which were about 18 inches in diameter and 4 to 6 inches in width. 



