PROGRESS IN BIOLOGICAL INQUIRIES, 1936 15 
needed for the Middle Atlantic region. They recognize further that 
because of the migratory habits of the fish, the division of jurisdic- 
tion among many States, and the interstate traffic in the products 
of the fishery, the problem is far beyond the scope of the conserva- 
tion organizations of the several States. Commercial fishermen and 
sportsmen have, therefore, united in urging that the Bureau under- 
take at once the scientific and economic studies necessary for formu- 
lation of a conservation policy designed to correct the evident and 
increasing depletion of several important species. 
The increase in fishing activity in response to improved general 
economic conditions, and the continued growth of the winter fishery 
with its attendant additional strain on the stocks of several species, 
make the situation even more critical. Since several years will be 
required to complete the necessary investigations, it is urgent that 
facilities be provided promptly. 
Squeteague-R. A. Nesbit, assisted by W. C. Neville, continued 
analysis of data collected from 1927 to 1935, inclusive, and brought 
a comprehensive manuscript on the problems of squeteague conserva- 
tion nearly to completion. The principal results of the investigation 
were summarized in Progress in Biological Inquiries for 1935. 
Scup.—In 1936 investigation of this species was confined to observa- 
tions and analysis of landings of the southern winter trawl] fishery 
to determine the yield, the size and age composition of the catch, and 
the extent of destruction by discarding at sea of small-sized fish. 
These field observations were made by Frank E. Firth, and the 
compilation and analysis was, as in former years, continued by Wil- 
liam C. Neville. In addition, Mr. Neville made considerable progress 
on a detailed report on the lite history of the species, with special 
reference to the causes of fluctuations in yield. 
The yield of scup of the offshore winter trawl] fishery in 1936 rose 
to a record high level (4,979,000 pounds), and again constituted an 
important part of the total yield of this fishery, accounting for ap- 
proximately 26 percent of the total landings of important food fishes 
(scup, sea bass, croakers, fluke, squeteague). The*causes of this in- 
crease cannot be definitely stated, for the yield is influenced not only 
by abundance but by variations from year to year in availability due 
to changes in hydrography, and by market conditions affecting the 
amount of fishing effort. In spite of the intensity of the fishery, there 
is no reason to suspect any decrease in abundance as compared with 
other recent years. As in the preceding four winters, the landed 
catch consisted principally of small- and medium-sized scup (44- to 
34-pound) representing fish 2 to 4 years of age. 
Discarding of smaller sizes of scup (7 inches and less) was continued 
during the winter of 1936. Although accurate information is not 
available as to the exact quantity, it is believed that considerably fewer 
of these fish were thrown overboard than in 1934, when the amount 
of discarding constituted approximately 20 percent by weight and 
40 percent by number of the total catch of scup. The discarded scup 
usually include all of the yearlings and approximately half of the 
9-year-olds. Since no observations have been made in the past 4 
years in the summer pound-net fishery, where better estimates of the 
abundance of these sizes can be obtained, it is not known whether the 
33695—38——3 
