fish chosen for aging also became part of the measured winter flounder 

 data base. Each winter flounder was aged by at least two individuals 

 and if agreement could not be reached, an age was not assigned to that 

 fish. 



Two independent estimates of winter flounder fecundity were made in 

 1977, one using 52 specimens from the Niantic River and one using 48 

 specimens from the entire Millstone area. An log length-log fecundity 

 relationship was calculated for each study using a simple regression. 



Similar to that above, two independent length-weight relationships 

 were determined, using data collected in 1977 and 1978. A log length- 

 log weight relationship using a simple regression was calculated for 695 

 winter flounder taken in impingement samples during 1977. The data for 

 winter flounder taken in the Niantic River during 1977 and 1978 was not 

 log transformed and separate curvilinear relationships were determined 

 during each year for ages 1 and 2, and for all older fish. 



Beginning in 1979, estimates of annual survival were calculated by 

 comparing the estimated number of winter flounder of a specific year- 

 class found in the Niantic River during one spring with the number 

 estimated for the following year. 



In 1980, a disc tagging program was initiated which has continued 

 to the present. The methods were described in NUSCo (1982). In 1980 

 and 1981, 2,154 mostly adult winter flounder were tagged and released 

 primarily in the Niantic River and Bay with fewer at the other remaining 

 trawl monitoring program stations. During 1982, an additional 1,481 

 were tagged, including 835 in the Niantic River during March and April. 

 The remainder were tagged from April through July at all trawl monitoring 

 program stations, including the River. No tagging was done in late July 



45 



