PROGRESS IN BIOLOGICAL INQUIRIES, 1939 23 
ermen, thus providing a means of sampling the poundage yield 
per trap unit. 
MIDDLE AND SOUTH ATLANTIC FISHERY INVESTIGATIONS 
Ropert A, NESBIT, in charge 
A few years ago it would have been correct to state that the prin- 
cipal objectives of conservation administration in the Middle and 
South Atlantic region are: To protect the interests of the consuming 
public in an abundant production of food fish and to promote 
the welfare of the commercial fishermen. Today, however, it is nec- 
essary to add a third objective—to protect the interests of salt-water 
anglers. The number of anglers has increased greatly in recent 
years and many active organizations which are very influential in 
matters of conservation jegislation and administration have been 
formed. 
It. has often been pointed out that the interests of the consuming 
public, the commercial fishermen, and the anglers are identical in 
that they are best served by the maintenance of high levels of abun- 
dance. Also it has frequently been indicated that the only control- 
lable influence on abundance is the fishery itself, and that the only 
effective means of exercising control 1s by management of the inten- 
sity of the fishery. 
That it makes a great deal of difference how the intensity of an 
excessive fishery is reduced is a point that is repeatedly overlooked. 
Complete elimination of commercial fishing would protect the inter- 
ests of anglers, but obviously would be contrary to the interests of 
the consuming public and the commercial fishermen. Measures de- 
signed to reduce excessive fishing by requiring commercial fishermen 
to use inefficient methods, that 1s, by making it unprofitable to fish 
excessively, protect the interests of the public and the anglers but 
are unsatisfactory to commercial fishermen. 
It is apparent, therefore, that if effective cooperation of all inter- 
ested groups is to be obtained it will be necessary not merely to 
eliminate overfishing but also to eliminate it by some means which 
will not only protect the fish but will also protect the profits of 
commercial fishermen. 
Since the cost of fishing is almost directly proportional to the 
amount of gear operated, the most economical method of decreasing 
fishing intensity is to reduce the amount of gear employed to a 
minimum. Recent recommendations by the Middle Atlantic staff, 
based on this principle, have been received favorably by commercial 
fishermen in Chesapeake Bay. It is possible, therefore, that such 
proposals will provide a basis for better cooperation between anglers 
and commercial fishermen. 
As in previous years, office and laboratory space was provided by 
the University of Maryland. In the conduct of these studies much 
voluntary cooperation has been received from the conservation depart- 
ments of several States and from organizations of commercial fisher- 
men, sports fishermen, and dealers. Special thanks are extended to 
the conservation departments of Rhode Island, Connecticut, New 
York, New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, and South 
Carolina. The staff also profited greatly by the cooperation of the 
