16 U. 8. BUREAU OF FISHERIES 
(4) dab (Hippoglossoides platessoides Fabricius) ; and (5) yellow- 
tail (Limanda ferruginea Storer.) In addition, the fluke (Para- 
lichthys dentatus Linnaeus), the four-spotted flounder (Paralichthys 
oblongus Mitchill), and the smooth flounder (Liopsetta putnami 
Gill) are landed in some quantities. Because of variations in life 
history and habitat, each of these species represents a different 
problem. 
Studies of winter flounders previous to 1938 were confined largely 
to tagging experiments. In 1931, R. A. Nesbit tagged a number of 
flounders at Woods Hole and devised the present methods of flounder 
tagging. Returns indicated that the winter spawning population 
dispersed in various directions during the spring and summer, and 
that long migrations were undertaken by some individuals. In the 
following winters many of these tagged flounders were recaptured 
at the original tagging area. During 1937, a number of fish were 
tagged in Rhode Island and in Great South Bay, Long Island. The 
recoveries from these experiments indicated a high intensity of 
recreational fishing. As before, returns indicated a dispersion from 
the tagging ‘point. Little migration from Rhode Island waters 
occurred, a few fish being recovered in the Nantucket region. Sig- 
nificant numbers of fish tagged in Great South Bay were recovered 
at considerable distances from the tagging area, some individuals 
being taken as far away as Nantucket Shoals. 
In January 1938, Milton J. Lobell began’an intensive study of 
the flounder fisheries of the North Atlantic area. The most pressing 
problem facing this investigation is to determine whether a decline 
mm abundance is in progress. If the decline is serious, the reasons 
for it must be found and methods developed for a more efficient 
utilization of the stock. Determination of the total catch and catch 
per unit of effort must be made to cover as long a period as possible 
in order to determine the condition of the stock and the fluctuations 
in the fishery. To find the reasons for fluctuations in abundance 
or availability, various biological factors must be studied. These 
include the racial composition of the stock, age and growth, migra- 
tions, and many other problems that affect the abundance and avail- 
ability of the species. 
Statistics—The first available figures for the North Atlantic 
flounder fisheries are for the year 1887. During this year a total 
catch of about 2,500,000 pounds was recorded. The peak year for 
flounder landings occurred in 1928, when approximately 51,000,000 
pounds were reported. The years 1929 and 1930 were also important, 
since landings of about 49,000,000 pounds were made in each of these 
years. Although the value of the fishery cannot be accurately deter- 
mined for the earlier years, in more recent times a basis of esti- 
mation is furnished by the value of flounders landed at the three 
principal New England ports, Boston and Gloucester, Mass., and 
Portland, Maine. In 1928, a 10,500,000 pound catch landed at these 
ports was valued at $511,296. Since the total reported catch in 
1928 for the whole region was about 51,000,000 pounds, or approxi- 
mately 5 times as much, it can be conservatively stated that the value 
of the fishery was well over $2,000,000. 
The catch by species was given for the first time in 1937 in the 
statistical reports of the Bureau for the three principal New Eng- 
land ports. Gray sole landings were almost 8,000,000 pounds; 
