6 U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES 



Throughout the past year the investigations of the spawning 

 grounds and early development and distribution of young cod, pol- 

 lock, and haddock in New England waters were continued by Dr. 

 Charles J. Fish and Marie P. Fish assisted by Robert A. Goffin. 

 Particular attention was given to Massachusetts Bay in order to 

 determine its value as a production area for cod. Fourteen cruises 

 were made on the Fish Hawk, covering the area between Ipswich 

 Bay and Provincetown. At 41 stations, physical observations were 

 made and fish eggs, young fish, and plankton were collected, counted, 

 and identified. Drift bottles were used to determine current move- 

 ments. The results so far indicate that a very definite and constant 

 counterclockwise drift carries out all cod eggs spawned in Massa- 

 chusetts Bay before they hatch. Throughout the breeding season 

 eggs were found in abundance, particularly about the Plymouth 

 grounds, but the collections of 14 cruises failed to yield a single 

 young cod. Charts based on the distribution of eggs in various 

 stages of development show clearly the spawning centers and the 

 drift of the eggs, the greater proportion of late stages having been 

 taken about the Provincetown region as they were leaving the bay. 



The records of drift-bottle discoveries also substantiate the above 

 conclusions. Of 141 set out during the year, 43, or 30.5 per cent, were 

 returned. On February 6 and 7,90 were set out and 19, or 27.7 per 

 cent, were recovered within a few days along the inner arm of the 

 cape, having followed the circulatory drift until they grounded. 

 Most of them entered Provincetown Harbor. Three escaped the 

 cape and appeared on the Nova Scotian coast between July 2 and 

 August 27. Two circled the cape and were found on the south shore 

 of Nantucket. No record has been received of 11 placed north of 

 Massachusetts Bay between Cape Ann and the Isles of Shoals on 

 April 7. On May 20 to 22,40 were again set out in the area covered 

 in February. A line also was added along the north shore from 

 Cape Ann to Boston and one from Cape Ann to a point off Province- 

 town. Of the 10 placed along the northern shore, 5 were recov- 

 ered, all having soon reached the beach after drifting in a south- 

 erly direction. Of the 10 placed along the outer entrance to the 

 bay, 2 were recovered. Apparently they had circled into the 

 bay and grounded on their way out. One reached shore near 

 Race Point on the outer tip of Cape Cod, and the other was 

 taken drifting 2 miles from land, having successfully passed the 

 cape. 



Of the 20 placed in the bay, 11 were recovered. One had traveled 

 from the inner edge of Stellwagen Bank to a point 75 miles S.E. by 

 S. of Highland Light, Provincetown; while another, starting far 

 within the bay, reached Edgartown on Marthas Vineyard. All of the 

 bottles clearly indicated the circular drift into the bay from the 

 north and out to the east. There, apparently, a division takes place, 

 part moving north toward Nova Scotia and part south around Cape 

 Cod. 



As the lack of a suitable ship prevented an extension of the sur- 

 vey to the outer waters to determine the fate of the cod eggs after 

 leaving the bay (the next logical step in the program), a continu- 

 ation of the work of the past year was decided upon to serve as a 

 check on the previous observations. Monthly cruises are being 

 made, covering much the same area as last year, except that stations 



