PROGRESS IN BIOLOGICAL INQUIRIES, 1929 1079 



same report comprises a consideration of the salt water and fresh 

 water smelts of the east coast of North America. This was begun 

 long before the section just referred to was found necessary for a 

 proper consideration of itlu' snichs of this region. The latter study 

 and the facts revealed by more recently acquired information, ne- 

 cessitated a revisicju of the entire manuscript. This has been done, 

 but while the problems concerning these smelts can not be regarded 

 as wholly solved, it is believed that the situation is nuule clearer by 

 the numner of treatment. However, the highly interesting and very 

 important question of the relationship of the " large " and " small " 

 forms of smelts of some lakes has been complicated by the receipt from 

 John W. Titcomb, superintendent of the board of fisheries and game 

 of Connecticut, of two similar size classes of marine smelts from 

 Connecticut taken during the breeding runs. The larger form ap- 

 pears to be of about the same sizes as observed in Maine, but those of 

 the smaller class are suuiller than any adult marine smelt that have 

 come under observation. 



This year the two brooks near Freeport, Me., which have been 

 under observation by Doctor Kendall during the breeding season of 

 smelts since 1924, were watched as in previous years, but not quite as. 

 constantly. Quite sui'ely. however, not many smelts were caught 

 during the season, as judged by report and observation. From 

 April 4 to May 4. both inclusive, 109 fish constitute the positive 

 records. Xo fish were observed after Ma}' 4. The fact that the 

 (xeather was generally bad may have afl'ected the runs, but usually ii^ 

 the past not even a snowstorm would prevent a run. It would 

 appear on the whole that the prediction that the runs would be poor 

 this year was fulfilled. This prediction was based on the facts that 

 tlie runs of breeding smelts to a great extent are composed of 2-year 

 old fish, as a rule, and that scarcely any smelts appeared in the brooks 

 in 1927. Furtiiei'uiore. the majority of the fish examined this spring 

 were more than 2 years old. 



There is evidently a pronounced decline of the smelt fishery, 

 particularly nuinifested in the Casco Bay region, as evinced by 

 reports from commercial fishermen, landings in the wholesale market 

 of Portland, and observations in the breeding season of smelts. 



There are several factors which contribute to this decline, two of 

 O'hich are particularly effective — one is the destruction of smelts 

 while ascending Ijrooks to spawn and the other is the tremendous 

 destruction of immature smelts by seining operations during the 

 open season. 



SHORE FISHERY OF THE MIDDLE ATLANTIC STATES 



An investigation of the more important species, including sque- 

 teague, bluefish, sea bass, scup, butterfish, summer flounders, whiting, 

 and croakers, has been conducted since July, 1927, under the direc- 

 ti(m of R. A. Ne.sbit. 



The most serious handicap to accifuiring a knowledge of the status 

 of this fishery is the lack of adequate statistical records. In 1928 

 the bureau provided pound-net fishermen with forms for keeping 

 detailed daily records of their catches. These were continued in 

 1929, and the mnuber of fishermen voluntarily cooperating increased 

 to a gratifying extent. 



