lO-yr total, ranked first), typical high variability along with relatively low effort makes analyses of these 

 data problematical. In addition, the mixture of stocks present at most stations during many months of 

 the year (see Stock Identification below) makes data from the trawl monitoring program difficult to 

 interpret and of limited use in assessing the impact of MNPS operations. 



Regional trends in abundance 



Data from other sources were examined for comparisons in abundance as historically the abundance 

 of winter flounder has been known to fluctuate, showing various periods of increases and decreases 

 (Perlmutter 1947; Howe 1975; Ketschke 1977; Jeffries and Terceiro 1985). This feature of winter flounder 

 population dynamics, demonstrated above for the Niantic River population, also was found to have 

 occurred in other areas of Southern New England. Jeffries and Terceiro (1985) reported that winter 

 flounder abundance at a station in Narragansett Bay decreased 86% from 1968 to 1976, but increased 

 rapidly to reach another peak in 1979. This was followed by a steady decline through 1982. Flounder 

 abundance at another station in Rhode Island Sound showed similar fluctuations, indicating that the 

 changes in abundance were not due to a shift in population from inside to outside of the bay. However, 

 these fmding were based on only one tow per week at each station. 



Commercial landings throughout Southern New England have decreased steadily from 11,100 mt in 

 1981 to 7,000 mt in 1985, although they have remained higher than any year prior to 1980 (NMFS 1986). 

 Commercial vessel CPUE fell to a historical low in 1985 from a peak in 1981. The National Marine 

 Fisheries Service (NMFS) offshore trawl surveys found that survey vessel CPUE decreased rapidly from 

 a maximum in 1981 (3.6 kg/tow) to levels below the long-term average in 1984 (0.8) and 1985 (1.0). 

 Based on these declines, NMFS considers the winter flounder to be fully exploited and that current catch 

 levels will probably not be sustained (NMFS 1986). 



The Massachusetts coastwide fishery assessment fall survey found an 84% reduction in winter flounder 

 biomass from 1983 to 1984 (Howe et al. 1985). Commercial landings also have declined 52% in Massa- 

 chusetts since 1981. Some evidence suggests that overfishing of winter flounder has occurred in Massa- 

 chusetts (MDMF 1985). Besides decreases in landings, percentages of market-sized "small" and "pee-wee" 

 fish have increased; relatively high landings were maintained by landing more and more smaller fish. The 



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