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Fishery Bulletin 95(3), 1997 
gal-size females with immature eggs (103 mm CL), 
and 5.8 km/day for females with mature eggs (118 
mm CL). 
Time at large for recaptured lobsters ranged from 
0 to 897 days (Table 4). Approximately 78% of recap- 
tured lobsters were at large less than 60 days. The 
number of tags returned and the percentage recov- 
ery of tagged lobsters at large decreased sharply in 
the fourth month after release (October) coincident 
with the start of the fall season. Only three tags were 
returned from lobsters recaptured in the colder 
months from December through April ( all years com- 
bined). All three tagged lobsters were recovered in 
deep water. Two were recaptured on 7 and 22 March 
1972, at depths of 54 m and 59 m, respectively, off 
Provincetown, MA, and the third was recaptured off- 
shore on 22 December 1972, at a depth of 95 m, NE 
of Veatch Canyon. 
Depth of recapture data were log-transformed and 
analyzed with equality of means test and found to 
be related to season (Welch: F=4.41, P=0.0411; 
Brown-Forsythe: F=4.41, P=0.0411). Depth of recap- 
ture for the combined months of June through Sep- 
tember (63 m) was significantly different from Octo- 
ber through May (93 m). 
Distance traveled was also significantly different 
by season (£=-3.50, P=0.001). Distance from release 
site was greatest during the October-May period of 
recapture (41.3 km), in comparison with June-Sep- 
tember period of recapture (22.5 km). 
Distance of travel northeastward of the Cape Cod 
landmass was apparently limited compared with dis- 
tance of travel in other directions; recapture points 
tend to be distributed in a northwest-southeast plane 
(Fig. 2). 
To test inshore versus offshore migrational tenden- 
cies, tag- re turn locations were grouped with consid- 
eration for the curvature of the “arm” of the Cape. 
Exclusive of lobster recaptured within Cape Cod Bay, 
recapture points east to south of all landmass be- 
tween 90° and 225° true north (for lobsters liberated 
at stations 2 and 3), and 1° and 225° (for lobsters 
Table 4 
Tags returned by month of recapture and days at large for tagged lobsters liberated at Cape Cod, Massachusetts (recapture years 
combined). 
Recapture 
Mean days 
Number of 
Tags returned 
Percent of Cumulative 
Mean 
distance 
Mean 
depth 
month 
at large 
returns 
total 
percent 
(km) 
(meters) 
1st season 
June 
4.0 
2 
0.6 
3.2 
70.0 
July 
10.1 
70 
21.1 
21.7 
10.1 
62.5 
August 
33.2 
112 
33.7 
55.4 
20.0 
53.0 
September 
50.6 
76 
22.9 
78.3 
26.2 
78.5 
October 
89.9 
9 
2.7 
81.0 
21.1 
81.2 
November 
111.0 
5 
1.5 
82.5 
19.5 
128.2 
2nd season 
March 
258.0 
1 
0.3 
82.8 
4.6 
176.0 
May 
302.1 
10 
3.0 
85.8 
69.7 
91.3 
June 
338.8 
9 
2.7 
88.5 
22.5 
54.3 
July 
359.8 
5 
1.5 
90.0 
37.0 
33.8 
August 
381.6 
8 
2.4 
92.4 
33.1 
51.9 
September 
434.5 
2 
0.6 
93.0 
7.6 
92.5 
October 
449.8 
4 
1.2 
94.2 
39.8 
48.3 
November 
486.0 
1 
0.3 
94.5 
33.8 
50.0 
3rd season 
March 
582.0 
1 
0.3 
94.8 
38.5 
192.0 
May 
670.0 
2 
0.6 
95.4 
19.9 
30.5 
June 
703.5 
2 
0.6 
96.0 
35.7 
60.5 
July 
726.3 
6 
1.8 
97.8 
23.2 
81.5 
August 
742.5 
2 
0.6 
98.4 
33.9 
93.0 
October 
807.5 
2 
0.6 
99.0 
30.2 
70.0 
November 
843.5 
2 
0.6 
99.6 
11.5 
61.0 
December 
897.0 
1 
0.3 
99.9 
223.5 
312.0 
