The occurrence of non-permanent or temporary outmigratlon during 

 the population abundance survey was examined using a series of 2 X 2 

 tables and the chi-square statistic (NusCo 1980; Balser 1981). The 

 log-likelihood ratio test (G-test of Sokal and Rohlf 1969) was used to 

 examine the proportions of winter flounder marked and recaptured by sex, 

 length interval, and station. The probability level chosen to reject 

 the null hypothesis in these and all other statistical tests was p< 

 0.05. 



Length, age, reproduction, and survival 



Each week of the population abundance survey in the Niantic River 

 all winter flounder larger than 20 cm and at least 200 smaller fish were 

 measured to the nearest mm in total length. The sex and reproductive 

 condition of all mature winter flounder were determined either by 

 observing eggs or milt or by the presence (males) or absence (females) 

 of ctenii on the caudal peduncle scales of the left side. Based on 

 previous data, stratified sampling was used for aging (Ketchen 1950; 

 Ricker 1975) . From five to ten scale samples were allocated to each 

 1-cm size interval of both sexes starting with 20 cm. Within each 

 length interval, scales from random individuals were removed from the 

 right side between in the dorsal fin and the lateral line. Scales from 

 some fish less than 20 cm were also taken for the growth calculations. 

 After processing in the field, all fish were returned to the general 

 area of capture. Information on reproductive condition was recorded for 

 a subsample of winter flounder impinged at MNPS from December through 

 April and for those taken in the trawl monitoring program from February 

 through April. 



Five or more scales from specimens selected for aging were cleaned 

 and mounted in plastic resin on a slide and examined by at least two 

 people using a Bausch and Lomb trisimplex projector or a compound 

 microscope. Except for the first year, winter flounder have a zone of 

 widely spaced circuli (fast spring and summer growth) followed by a zone 

 of closely spaced circuli (slow fall and winter growth) . The outer edge 

 of the zone of closely spaced circuli was considered the annulus (Lux 

 and Nichy 1969; Lux 1973). Fish age 7 and older were assigned age 7+ 



