18 



COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 



Vol. 28, No. 8 



arated locations, and (2) obtain pathological 

 specimens, especially tumors, from marine 

 species. The area of operation was in the 

 waters of the southern California Channel Is- 

 lands and offshore along the coast of Baja 

 California. 



Eye lenses, taken from 36 species caught 

 at 15 locations, were analyzed electropho- 

 retically to determine the characteristics of 

 their protein composition. The information 

 was to be used in identifying genetically-dis- 

 tinct populations and in studying phylogenetic 

 relationships. 



A series of 4 blood smears was taken from 

 20 species of fish. They were to be used in 

 hematological studies of different taxonomic 

 groups. During the cruise, a suspect melan- 

 istic sarcoma was collected from a bocaccio 

 ( Sebastodes paucispinus). 



Note: See Commercial Fisheries Review , January 1966 p. 17. 

 ***** 



SURVEY OF SHRIMP RESOURCES 

 IN COASTAL WATERS CONTINUED: 



M/V "N. B. Scofield " Cruise 6g^^?^2 (March 

 18 -April 27, 1966): The objectives of this 

 cruise by the research vessel N. B. Scofield 

 in the coastal waters from the "Oregon border 

 to Eureka, Calif., were to: (1) randomly sam- 

 ple concentrations of pink shrimp (Pandalus 

 jordani) for determining population estimates 

 and natural mortality rates; (2) determine 

 size, sex, and weight of shrimp; (3) examine 

 Pacific hake (Merluccius productus ) stomachs 

 for relative abundance studies of pink shrimp; 

 (4) sample surface and intermediate waters 

 for juvenile shrinnp; (5) sample the bottom 

 fauna of the shrimp bed; and (6) save all rare 

 or unusual invertebrates and fishes for the 

 State Fisheries Laboratory, Terminal Island, 

 and various collections. 



The 153 tows made during the cruise were 

 distributed at random over the 270 square - 

 mile survey area between the mouth of Mad 

 River and the Oregon border. Fishing depths 

 ranged from 38 to 110 fathoms. A semi-bal- 

 loon Gulf of Mexico shrimp trawl with a 41- 

 foot head rope and a one -inch stretch mesh 

 net was used. A 2-inch stretch-mesh liner 

 was used in the cod end of the net to prevent 

 escapement of small one-year-old shrimp. 



One unchartered snag was encountered west 

 of Redding Rock in 36 fathoms. This resulted 

 in the loss of a net and otter boards. 



Approximately 102 square miles of the sur- 

 vey area contained sufficient concentrations 

 to provide about 50 pounds of shrimp an hour 

 using commercial size nets. About 36 square 

 miles of that area yielded catches equivalent 

 to 300 pounds or more an hour if commercial 

 size nets were used. 



Excluding catches under 34 pounds an hour, 

 the average catch was 355 pounds and ranged 

 from 35 to 3,549 pounds. The 270-square 

 mile survey area contained an estimated 5.1 

 million pounds of shrimp. Counts per pound 

 ranged from 70 to 299 with a mean of 147. A- 

 bout 72 percent of the shrimp population was 

 located 12 nailes or less from shore. 



A total of 263 Pacific hake stomachs were 

 examined for pink shrimp; the stomachs con- 

 tained 135 identifiable shrimp. 



Unusual fish species collected during the 

 survey included: 2 bearded eelpouts ( Lye one - 

 ma barbatum ); 1 rough ronquil ( Rathbunella 

 alleni ); 1 smooth tongue ( Leuroglossus stil- 

 bius) ; 1 short -fin eelpout ( Lycodes brevipes), 

 1 red brotula ( Brosmophycis marginata ); 1 

 blue spotted poacher (Xeneretmus triacan- 

 thus) ; and 1 tadpole snailfish ( Nectoliparis 

 pelagicus ). 



Note: See Commercial Fisheries Review . March 1966 p. 21. 

 ***** 



OCEANOGRAPHIC STUDIES IN 

 CALIFORNIA COASTAL WATERS: 



M/V ''N. B. Scofield '' Cruise 66-S-3 (April 

 30-May 1, 1966): To determine the salinity 

 and temperature of waters adjacent to pro- 

 posed marine laboratory sites which may be 

 used in conjunction with the temperature and 

 salinity profiles of Monterey Bay reported by 

 Hopkins Marine Station, was the purpose of 

 this cruise by the research vessel N. B.. Sco - 

 field . The vessel operated in California coaSit- 

 al waters from Santa Cruz to Davenport Land- 

 ing. 



Sea surface temperatures were continuous- 

 ly recorded by thermograph. Water samples 

 and bathythermograph (BT) casts were made ev- 

 ery 2 miles along the 10-, 20-, and 40 -fathom 

 contours from Santa Cruz Point to El Jarro 

 Point. 



The lowest surface temperature (53^ F.) 

 was recorded at one of the stations worked. 

 The highest temperature (58.8° F.) was re- 



