2) the development of new stocks which are less sensitive to environmental 

 change would be one long-term project that could be considered; 3) open sea 

 mariculture procedures are poorly known and at present would appear to be a 

 low priority alternative; and 4) environmental deterioration does not seem to 

 be a factor at present, but a monitoring program, especially following the 

 spawning season v/ould be indicated. 



Yello\>rtail Flounder and Blackback ( Winter ) Flounder 



Limanda ferruginea and Pseudopleuronectes americanus are both found in 

 coastal waters and on offshore banks extending from Newfoundland to Cape 

 Hatteras, North Carolina. The yellov/tail flounder is listed as a depleted 

 species as of August 1975 by NMFS (4) . This species spawns in the spring in 

 offshore waters. The eggs and larvae are pelagic. In contrast the winter 

 flounder are quite different. They spawn in the winter and early spring, the 

 eggs and larvae are demersal, and spawning occurs in estuaries. 



Stock enhancement would best be accomplished by restricting the catch 

 and also by a reevaluation of the mesh size of the nets used in the otter 

 trawls, especially for the yellowtail flounder. In the case of the winter 

 flounder, early attempts by the United States Bureau of Commercial Fisheries 

 to hatch winter flounder eggs and release them to coastal waters appeared to 

 have little effect on the size of the stock and the procedure was discontinued. 

 Using newer technologies and by rearing both yellov;tail and blackback flounders 

 to later stages before release, stock enhancement could result. Coupled with a 

 hatchery program, investigations are needed to develop new stocks using 

 genetic techniques. 



