36 COMMISSIONERS OF INLAND FISHERIES. 



bait, were scarce, and as late as April 24, halibut heads were shipped 

 in for lobster bait. The big scup traps were set about April 28 and 

 many were taken up near June 14. Many large blue fish were caught 

 this season and sword fish were quite plentiful. 



Scup. — The first reported catch of scup on the Atlantic Coast in 

 1911, consisted of about half a dozen taken off the coast of New Jersey, 

 April 20. About a week later (April 26) two were caught in the 

 traps off Point Judith. April 28th, four were taken at Sakonnet 

 Point. A few were caught from this time on, but it was not until 

 May 7 that any single catch equalled a barrel. The fish making up 

 these early catches were mixed in size and averaged somewhat 

 smaller than is usually the case. The run of large fish commenced 

 near May 12 and ended June 20. The period of greatest abundance 

 was between May 14th and June 1st. A calendar of the run of scup 

 since 1905 is given at the end of this section. Table VII. 



Mackerel. — The mackerel arrived on the Atlantic Coast later this 

 year than usual. They were first located on April 12 off Chinco- 

 teague, Va., on which date about fifty were caught. As the catches 

 continued light, only a few to a boat, the mackerel fleet at Newport 

 did not set out for the Virginia grounds until April 22d. The first 

 shipment of mackerel was received at New York on May 1st and con- 

 sisted of 450 shipped from Lewis, Delaware. This is said to be the 

 latest date that first shipment of mackerel was ever landed in New 

 York. The first catch of mackerel in the traps off Newport was 

 about May 6. The record shipment from Newport in 1911 was on 

 May 27th and consisted of 25,000 fish. These fish were caught 

 near No Mans Land, and were very large, averaging about fifty 

 to a barrel. The mackerel season off these waters was generally 

 considered poor and waned about August 1st. 



The ^'tinker'' mackerel made their appearance about July 15. 



The first butterfish of the season was caught off Easton's Beach on 

 May 2d. Good catches were not made, however, until May 7th. 



The first squiteague, or weak fish, taken in the offshore traps this 

 season was caught off Second Beach, Newport, on May 15th. On 



