a mature female (249F) recaptured just off the north 

 shore of Long Island, N.Y. (see Fig. 20). 



Mean distance traveled by those lobsters with specific 

 capture locations was 46.9 miles (86.9 km). Eleven in- 

 dividuals, fully half of the located returns, surpassed the 

 50-mile (92.7-km) range with a disproportionate number 

 (9) being females. Four of the eleven, all females, were 

 taken by a single fisherman in the seasonal trap fishery 

 off southern Long Island; unfortunately, only the tag 

 letter code and sex were reported and we are unable to 

 correlate beyond date and original release station. 



Among the 22 located recaptures, only one (33M) is a 

 defined migrant; this individual moved southwesterly 

 some 12 miles (22.2 km) and was recaptured at the same 

 depth as at release. 



Return 269M, and the four females mentioned above 

 (347F, 348F, 349F, 350F) were taken approximately 1 yr 

 after release in the southern Long Island trap fishery in 

 11-12 fathoms (20.1-21.9 m) of water; while not migrants 

 in the strictly defined sense, these recaptures are special 

 cases which probably represent directed migrations of 

 the year (1969) in which captured. 



Composite Station 15 (See Figure 17 and 

 Appendix Table 15) 



Ten recaptures have been reported from a single point 

 release of 46 lobsters on the so-called Leg area of Georges 

 Bank on 21 September 1968. Mean depth at first capture 

 was 35 fathoms (64.0 m); release depth was 28 fathoms 

 (51.2 m). Six of the recaptures were reported by specific 

 location. Sex ratio at release was 23 females (50%) to 23 

 males; the ratio at recapture was 6 females (60%) to 4 

 males. 



Mean time at large for all recoveries was 434 days (1.2 

 yr); greatest time at large for a located individual, a 

 mature female at release, was 759 days (2.1 yr); this 

 lobster apparently traveled only 12 miles (22.2 km), but 

 it is evident from monthly distribution patterns 

 developed later in this report that lobsters would not re- 

 main localized in this general area; time at large closely 

 approximates an anniversary of the initial tagging event 

 in this area and supports an hypothesis of seasonal 

 revisitation to shoaler, warmer water. 



Mean distance traveled by those lobsters with specific 

 capture locations was only 16 miles (29.7 km); reference 

 to Appendix Table 15 shows that five of the six account- 

 able recoveries were taken 1 or 2 calendar years later 

 during the warmest half of the year either at the shelf 

 edge (548F), or relatively near the release area. The sixth 

 (51F), taken in November, 44 days after release, was con- 

 ceivably engaged in retreat from oncoming winter con- 

 ditions to the warmer sanctuary of the shelf edge and 

 slope. The high percentage (21.7) of recaptured lobsters 

 from this release is second only to the slightly higher rate 

 of recapture from Composite Station 2. 



Composite Station 16 (See Figure 18 and 

 Appendix Table 16) 



Fifty-nine recaptures have been reported from a 



composite total of 479 releases near the southwest corner 

 of Georges Bank on 24, 25, and 26 September 1968. Mean 

 depth at first capture was 50 fathoms (91.4 m); mean 

 depth at release was 40 fathoms (73.2 m). Thirty-nine of 

 the recaptures were reported by specific location and 

 eight by approximate location. Sex ratio at release was 

 196 females (41%) to 283 males; the ratio at return was 20 

 females (34%) to 39 males. 



Mean time at large for all accountable (58) recoveries 

 was 435 days (1.2 yr); greatest time at large for a located 

 individual (932M), a mature male at release, was 1,407 

 days (3.8 yr). 



Mean distance traveled by those lobsters with specific 

 capture locations (39) was 34.8 miles (64.5 km). Nine in- 

 dividuals, the majority being mature, surpassed the 50- 

 mile (92.7-km) range. Additionally, four others, two 

 males and two females, were reported from the Veatch 

 Canyon area, some 50 miles (92.7 km) from point of 

 release. Maximum dispersion (107 miles = 198 km) from 

 release point was achieved by an immature male (362M) 

 while at large 411 days (1.1 yr). 



Six of the 59 recaptures were migrants. Two of these 

 (45F, 46M) were recaptured in October in slightly shoaler 

 water; three (52F, 55F, 54M) were taken in November in 

 slightly deeper (50 fathoms = 91.4 m) water, and one 

 (75M) was taken the following January at a depth of 155 

 fathoms (284 m). Considering the respective dates of 

 recapture, the tracks show a net tendency toward return 

 to deeper water with the onset of winter season. 



Composite Station 17 (See Figure 19 and 

 Appendix Table 17) 



Twenty-seven recaptures have been reported from a 

 composite total of 223 releases near the head of Lydonia 

 Canyon on 15 and 16 October 1968. Mean depth at first 

 capture was 45 fathoms (82.3 m); mean depth at release 

 was 71 fathoms (130 m). Fourteen lobsters were reported 

 by specific location and seven by approximate location. 

 Sex ratio at release was 138 females (62%) to 85 males; 

 the ratio at return was 14 females (52%) to 13 males. 



Mean time at large for all accountable (20) recoveries 

 was 652 days (1.8 yr); greatest time at large for a located 

 individual, a mature male at release, was 1,372 days (3.8 



yr). 



Mean distance traveled by those individuals with 

 specific capture locations (14) was 37.4 miles (69.3 km); 

 four individuals, three mature females and one mature 

 male, surpassed the 50-mile (92.7-km) range as did six 

 others which were reported from approximated canyon 

 localities. Among this latter group, five of the six were 

 larger, sexually mature individuals at release, thus con- 

 firming the apparent tendency of larger lobsters to 

 migrate or disperse more so than smaller individuals. 

 Maximum dispersion (132 miles = 245 km) was achieved 

 by a mature male (937M) which had been at large 973 

 days (2.7 yr); this individual was recaptured in a coastal 

 trap fishery on outer Cape Cod. 



The single migrant of this group, a mature male (56M), 

 moved easterly some 29 miles (53.7 km) over a period of 



13 



