PROGRESS IN BIOLOGICAL INQUIRIES, 1930 565 



To the southward of Cape Cod the fall migration of cod from the 

 Nantucket Shoals region into the coastal waters between Rhode 

 Island and North Carolina and the return spring migration north- 

 ward and eastAvard has been commented upon from time to time 

 during the past few years. A report dealing with this was published 

 by the bureau during the year. 



More information is needed about the cod living on the extensive 

 offshore grounds in the Gulf of Maine before their habits can be 

 determined with any degree of certainty. Results so far have in- 

 dicated that the Browns Bank cod tend to migrate northward and 

 eastward more than to the southward, that few of them go westward, 

 and that many of the fish may remain on the bank from one year to 

 the next. Some Georges Bank cod migrate to Browns Bank and 

 beyond, across the deep intervening channel, while some move to 

 Nantucket Shoals and the wintering grounds to the westward; but 

 it is probable that the greater part of the vast stock of cod on Georges 

 does not leave the bank. 



The capture of large numbers of juvenile cod, about 1 to 2 inches 

 long, on the cod's southern wintering ground to the westward of 

 Rhode Island is noteworthy, as there are no previous records of this 

 sort. These fish were taken between the offing of New York City 

 and the offing of Chesapeake Bay on hydrographic cruises made by 

 the Albatross II April 3-12 and April 28-May 1, 1930. Of particular 

 interest was the catch of 360 young, 1 to 2 inches in length, off Little 

 Egg Inlet on April 10, in 12 fathoms, with a 35-foot shrimp trawl 

 having a cod-end lined with bobbinet. Whether these young survive 

 and later migrate eastward, thus replenishing the stock of cod in 

 New England waters, is an important problem for future study. 

 Thus far the indications are either that there is a heavy mortality 

 among these juveniles or that they leave the New York- Virginia 

 waters before summer, for none has been reported there at that 

 season. 



Data on the haddock, collected incidentally during the cod inves- 

 tigations from 1923 to 1928, were turned over to Dr. A. W. H. 

 Needier, of the Biological Board of Canada, who made extensive use 

 of them in a report dealing with haddock migrations and populations 

 published during the year. 



HADDOCK 



The haddock fishery of the western North Atlantic has undergone 

 a tremendous expansion in recent years, with an increase in the land- 

 dings from approximately 60,000,000 pounds in 1915 to about 190,- 

 000,000 pounds in 1930. This expansion largely has been due to 

 the development of the trade in filleted haddock and has been made 

 possible through the growth of the otter-trawl fleet. In 1915 this 

 fleet consisted of 11 steam trawlers; in 1930 it had increased to ap- 

 proximately 130 large and medium sized trawlers, with many smaller 

 vessels. 



In 1930 the appropriations for scientific inquiry were increased to 

 provide for a comprehensive investigation of the haddock fishery for 

 the purpose of obtaining an understanding of the biology of the 

 species in relation to the fishery and of ascertaining the effect of 

 the present extensive exploitation on the haddock population. Work 



