^Q U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES 



The spring run fell under expectations, but not to an alarming 

 degree. During summer, the decrease was more pronounced. Purse 

 seiners found schools unusually scarce and close to shore, their opera- 

 tions being hampered at times by shallow water. At the same time, 

 shore-trap" operators enjoyed their best mackerel catches in many 

 years. The mackerel populations were not wholly ceiitered along the 

 shore, however, since otter trawlers on Georges Bank caught unusual 

 numbers of them incidentally throughout the summer, evidence of a 

 relatively large offshore dispersal. Furthermore, many observers 

 noticed a scarcity of Calanus^ the favorite "red feed'' of mackerel, on 

 the usual mackerel feeding grounds. This may explain the scarcity of 

 mackerel in these areas. Reasons for the scarcity of Calanus are not 

 known but unusually warm ocean temperatures offer a possible ex- 

 planation. 



The fall mackerel season showed evidence of improvement in 

 October, and in November the landings, though small, were greater 

 than in the previous year. This improvement preceded an event 

 which made fishing history, a continuation of mackerel seining into 

 January 1938. 



Mackerel work during 1937 was continued under the direction of 

 O. E. Sette. Field data were collected principally by F. E. Firth. 

 These comprised 531 interviews to obtain information on individual 

 trips, measurement of 36,139 mackerel for length frequency analyses, 

 and collection of 1,135 scale samples. In October, O. E, Sette, who 

 had directed the North Atlantic investigations and conducted the 

 mackerel work since 1926, was transferred to the Pacific coast. It is 

 expected that a comprehensive report covering the results of his 

 investigation will be ready for publication during the coming year. 

 J. R. Webster has been assigned to continue the mackei-el work in 

 1938. 



MIDDLE AND SOUTH ATLANTIC FISHERY INVESTIGATIONS 



R. A. Nesbit. /;? choryc 



The fisheries of the Middle and South Atlantic States offer an 

 opportunity to realize substantial benefits from scientifically con- 

 trolled management. It is difficult to escape the conclusion that 

 these fisheries have been exploited inefficiently for many years. 

 In spite of developments which might be expected to increase pro- 

 duction, such as the expansion of markets through population in- 

 crease in the Seaboard States, technical improvements in fishing 

 methods and distribution facilities, extension of intensive fishing 

 activities to areas not previously fished, more intensive fishing on 

 the older grounds, and development of markets for species not pre- 

 viously utilized, the production of food and game fishes has not 

 merely failed to increase but has actually declined during the present 

 century. 



This situation is undoubtedly an illustration of the modern theory 

 of fishing exploitation which states that in the long run a fishery 

 of moderate intensity will, by maintaining a high level of abundance, 

 produce an annual crop at least as great and usually greater than 

 an excessive fishery, and at a much lower cost. Statistical records 

 show that the less intensive fishery of 40 years ago actually did pro- 



