320 U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES 
BIOLOGICAL ASPECT 
In 1988 the fishing fleet landing fares at Boston, Gloucester, and 
Portland, and operating on the fishing banks of the North Atlantic, 
numbered 389 steam, motor, and sail vessels of 5 net tons capacity or 
greater, as measured by the United States Customs Service. The 
catch of edible fish landed at the three ports amounted to 402,710,099 
pounds when the salted fish had been converted to the basis of fresh 
gutted or round weight as usually landed. This, however, does not 
represent the entire catch of edible fish of these vessels, for landings 
were also made at ports in New England other than these three; at 
New York City, and at more southern ports in connection with the 
southern winter trawl and mackerel fisheries. 
Otter trawls on all sizes of vessels accounted for 319,195,082 pounds, 
or 79 percent of the total landings. Line trawls were next in impor- 
tance, accounting for 42,026,955 pounds, or 10 percent of the total. 
The catch taken off New England and landed at the three ports 
amounted to 249,185,412 pounds, or 62 percent of the total; that off 
Nova Scotia, 145,241,037 pounds, or 36 percent of the total; that off 
the east coast of Newfoundland, 5,028,681 pounds; and that off the 
Middle Atlantic States, 3,254,969 pounds; each representing about 1 
percent of the total. 
