BUREAU OF FISHERIES 99 



year and the preparation of a report is nearing completion. The 

 outstanding feature is the fact that the squeteague spawn in inshore 

 waters from Massachusetts to North Carolina in late spring and early 

 summer. There is, however, uncertain survival of those spawned in 

 northern waters. Those produced south of Delaware Bay spend their 

 first year in the South and migrate northward as 2-year-old or older 

 fish. 



The fishery in southern waters, particularly in North Carolina, 

 is unusually destructive to considerable numbers of young squeteague ; 

 but, because of the relatively slower rate of growth in southern than 

 in northern waters, it is uncertain whether the restriction of fishing 

 in the South would greatly augment the supply. It is apparent, 

 therefore, that the problem of conservation presents quite different 

 aspects according to the point of view from which it is exarnined. 

 From the national rather than from the sectional point of view it 

 is desirable to determine whether sufficient benefit would result from 

 curtailment of the southern catch of yearlings to compensate for 

 the resulting losses. 



Similar destruction of immature scup, particularly in the newly 

 developed winter trawl fishery off the Chesapeake capes, has been 

 noted. This fishery, which developed rapidly into a major branch of 

 the industry, has been subjected to study each winter since its origin 

 and the effects of increasing exploitation of the scup have been 

 observed. 



Shrimp investigations on the South Atlantic and Gulf coasts. — 

 The most important fishery of the region from North Carolina to 

 Texas depends upon the common shrimp, which yields on the average 

 100 million pounds annually. Investigations of this fishery in co- 

 operation with the various States has proceeded during the past 

 year. Experience has shown that the shrimp supply fluctuates 

 considerably from year to year in the different localities. These 

 fluctuations indicate that definite changes in the population of shrimp 

 occur, and that for a complete understanding of the fishery the 

 nature of these causes must be determined. Consequently, the Bu- 

 reau's investigations have been directed toward the discovery of the 

 life history of the species. 



During the year studies of sexual maturity and spawning indicate 

 that, contrary to former beliefs, the shrimp in some localities may 

 survive through two winters and spawn a second time. The char- 

 acter of food, which explains the concentration of shrimp generally 

 about the mouths of rivers, has been ascertained, and studies of 

 growth and larval development have been completed. Studies of 

 migration during the year have shown that extensive and well- 

 defined movements northerly and southerly occurred, particularly 

 along the Georgia-Florida and the Texas coasts. 



To test the intensity of the fishery, methods of tagging shrimp 

 have been developed and applied. A total of 3,800 shrimp were 

 tagged along the Georgia and Florida coast during the fall of last 

 year, and the intensity of the fishery is evidenced by the fact that 

 almost one-fourth of the tagged shrimp had been retaken by the 

 fishermen and returned to investigators by December. During the 

 coming year tagging operations will be extended throughout the en- 

 tire area of the South Atlantic shrimp fishery. 



