PROGRESS IN BIOLOGICAL INQUIRIES, 19 3? 85 



As in previous years, the staff, under the direction of O. E. Sette, 

 was headquartered in Cambrido;e, Mass., where the biological labo- 

 ratories and the Museum of Comparative Zoology of Harvard Univer- 

 sity have kindly provided laboratory and hbrary facilities to the 

 Bureau. This arrangement has had the advantage of not only pro- 

 viding for the physical needs of this group, but facilitated consulta- 

 tion with members of the various departments when special advice 

 was needed for particular phases of the work. Especially profitable 

 has been the ever available counsel of Dr. Henry B. Bigelow, professor 

 of oceanography at Harvard University and Director of the Woods 

 Hole Oceanographic Institution. The latter institution also provided 

 valuable aid in detailing its research vessel Atlantis to two cruises in 

 the interests of the mackerel investigations. The cooperation of 

 Prof. A. E. Parr, curator of the Bingham Oceanographic Foundation 

 at Yale University, in continuing his studies of the early life histories 

 of fishes along the coast of New Jersey has provided results vital to 

 the understanding of the natural economy of the commercial species 

 of the Middle Atlantic region. The Montauk Yacht Club in provid- 

 ing dock facilities for live cars contributed to the success of a sque- 

 teague tagging project. The kindness of fishermen in providing the 

 Bureau with records of their fishing operations; of fishing companies 

 in putting their business records of fish receipts at the disposal of our 

 staff; and of fishing captains in accomodating field observers aboard 

 their vessels for the purpose of tagging fish and collecting biological 

 data, have also greatly facilitated the work. 



HADDOCK 



The New England haddock fishery has, during the past few years, 

 experienced decided changes in productivity, the total landings at the 

 principal ports in this region having increased from about 70,000,000 

 pounds in 1921 to more than 240,000,000 pounds in 1929. From 

 that peak the landings dechned to about 137,000,000 pounds in 1932. 

 These changes have been due to a multiplicity of causes the under- 

 standing of which is essential to any intelligent consideration of the 

 fishery and its future. The attainment of this understanding is one 

 of the primary objectives of the Bureau investigations begun in the 

 fall of 1930. 



The program of investigation briefly outlined in the annual report 

 for 1930 has been continued during 1932 under the direction of William 

 C. Herrington. Although the work was considerably curtailed owing 

 to reduced funds, it was possible to continue the most fundamental 

 observations during the past year. 



Haddock population studies; biology and statistics. — Statistics from 

 the fishing fleet have been collected by F. L. Widerstrom and A. A. 

 Dallas throughout the year at the Boston Fish Pier and at sea. The 

 Fish Pier collections included the records of the position and amount 

 of fishing done for each trip landed, data on the size, age, and growth 

 of the fish caught on each bank, etc. In addition, 20 field trips were 

 made on commercial trawlers primarily to secure information on the 

 abundance of the smaller size classes not landed. By using this mate- 

 rial combined with the detailed information from the fleet operating 

 re; ords furnished by several of the major fishing companies, there 

 has been assembled a practically complete record for all the offshore 

 fishing activities of the New England ground-fish fleet. 



