312 
Fishery Bulletin 96(2), 1 998 
tenuis), cusk ( Brosme brosme), scup ( Stenotomus 
chrysops), and ocean pout ( Macrozoarces americanus) 
(U.S. Dep. Commerce, 1993). In contrast, population 
declines have been characteristic of traditional 
groundfish and flounder species, and aggregate bio- 
mass of principal pelagic species, skates, and spiny 
dogfish have increased in the western North Atlan- 
tic (U.S. Dep. Commerce, 1993). 
Fishery landings, value, and catch rates for mid- 
Atlantic states have all declined over the past sev- 
eral decades (McHugh and Conover, 1986), and 
underused species such as searobins have limited 
potential to counter these trends. Our survey results, 
for New Jersey in particular, show that searobins 
are seasonally abundant in areas amenable to in- 
shore commercial and recreational fisheries during 
summer and autumn. Trawlers can also find large 
aggregations offshore during winter and spring. 
Searobins are also a large proportion of pound-net 
landings during summer, although this fishing 
method is now reduced in comparison with histori- 
cal levels (McHugh and Conover, 1986). Striped 
searobins may be a more marketable species because 
they are larger on average. Efforts to expand the 
marketability of searobins, such as has occurred re- 
cently by selling them live in restaurants (Lynch 1 ), 
may lead to increased total landings and a more di- 
verse fishery resource for the mid-Atlantic region. 
Acknowledgments 
We thank the crew and scientists aboard the RV’s 
Albatross IV, ARGO Maine, Delaware II, Gloria 
Michelle, and the FV Amy-Oiane as well as T. 
Azarovitz (NEFSC, NMFS), P. D. Byrne (NJBMF), 
and A. Howe (MDMF) who provided data for analy- 
sis. R. Cowen, M. Fahay, J. P. Grassle, R. Loveland, 
and C. L. Smith made helpful comments in discussions 
and on earlier drafts. J. Bexley produced Figure 1. This 
study, part of a doctoral dissertation (R.S.M. ), was sup- 
ported by the Institute of Marine and Coastal Sci- 
ences (IMCS-Rutgers), Rutgers University Marine 
Field Station, Manasquan Marlin and Tuna Club, 
NOAA National Undersea Research Program for the 
New York Bight, NOAA Sea Grant Program, and the 
Fisheries and Aquaculture TEX Center (Rutgers). 
Final revisions were made while the senior author 
was at the Florida Marine Research Institute, Florida 
Department of Environmental Protection. 
1 Lynch, T. R. 1993. Rhode Island Department of Environmen- 
tal Management, 150 Fowler Street, Wickford, Rhode Island 
02852. Personal commun. 
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