900 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 
The very active shore cod fishing carried on with boats and vessels 
between Cape Cod and the Bay of Fundy would almost inevitably have 
disclosed the presence of tagged fish had any been in those waters. 
There is but one report of anything like a definite character regarding 
the taking of a tagged cod in this region. This was communicated 
by Mr. F. G. Conley, mate of the Grampus, and related to a fish said 
to have been caught off Jonesport, Me., in the winter of 1897-98, but 
repeated efforts failed to verify the capture. 
(8) The conclusion seems legitimate that the cod which resort to 
the shores of New York and New Jersey in winter do not represent 
an independent body of fish which have come from some offshore 
grounds at this season, but are a part of the great schools of shore 
cod which also frequent the southern New England coast. 
(9) The month when the fish were released (that is, whether in 
December, January, or February) seemed to have no relation to the 
direction in which they moved, although it may be noted that none of 
the fish released as late as February was taken as far west and south 
as New Jersey, and that of the captured fish released in December a 
large percentage were from the shores of New Jersey and New York. 
(10) The particular place where the fish were released—whether at 
the northern end, southern end, or the intermediate part of Vineyard 
Sound, or in Buzzards Bay—had no determining influence on their 
movements as evidenced by the localities in which caught. 
(11) Some fish released side by side became widely separated in a 
short time, while other lots appeared to keep together for several 
months. Some were moved by individual instincts, others seemed to 
act en masse. The following references will illustrate the different 
behavior of particular lots of cod: 
Of 55 cod released in Vineyard Sound 2 miles northwest of Gay Head 
light on January 22, 1898, 5 were recaptured, as follows: February 4, 
off Westhampton Beach, Long Island; March 14, off Point Pleasant, 
N. J.; March 22, off Greenhill, R. I.; April 18, off Brenton Reef 
lightship, Rhode Island; July 23, off Chatham, Mass. 
Of 79 fish liberated in Vineyard Sound 1 mile south of Nobska light 
on January 17, 1900, 4 were recaptured, as follows: April 16, 2 miles 
southeast eet light, Nantucket; April 27, off east end of Nan- 
tucket; April 28, 2 lee southeast Sankaty Light, Nantucket; April 
29, 2 miles southeast Sankaty light, Nantucket. 
(12) Of some lots of released fish, a comparatively large percentage 
was recaptured, while of others none was taken. This is illustrated 
by the following references: (1) Of 54 fish released January 31, 1898, 
in Vineyard Sound 24 miles northeast of Robinsons Hole, 9, or nearly 
17 per cent, were recaptured; (2) of 71 fish released February 10, 1898, 
at the mouth of Woods Hole Harbor, 7, or nearly 10 per cent, were 
recaptured; (3) of 50 fish released December 30, 1898, in Buzzards Bay 
near Robinsons Hole, 6, or 12 per cent, were recaptured. 
