234 
BULLETIN OF THE BUBEAU OF FISHEKIES 
have taken, to date, only two to five fish to a naan. The size is generally below 2 pounds. October 
26, 1921: A few large bluefish were taken in pound nets during September, and occasionally a small 
one was taken during October. No large run of these fish occurs here now, and not enough are 
caught at any time during the year to be of much commercial importance. 
Annapolis, Md., August 19, 1921: Bluefish have been scarce for five or six years. They were 
once very plentiful and were caught near by with purse nets along with other species of fish. At the 
present time a fish is taken only occasionally in a pound net or with hook and line. 
Love Point, Md., September 5, 1921: Some years ago bluefish were plentiful in the Chester 
River and about Love Point. Now they are scarce and are taken only occasionally with hook and 
line, haul seines, and pound nets. To-day one pound net caught two small ones. 
Baltimore, Md.: Bluefish are not taken in commercial quantities in this vicinity. It seems 
probable that the species rarely strays north of this locality in Chesapeake Bay. 
The majority of the bluefish are caught in the bay with pound nets and gill nets. From Annap- 
olis to Ocean View quite a few are caught by sport fishermen with hook and line, but the total yearly 
catch by this method is notjknown. 
Most of the annual catch is marketed in Norfolk and Baltimore, but when a good run of fish 
strikes in shipments are made to other points. The catch fluctuates so widely from week to week 
in the bay, and especially along the Atlantic coast, that wholesale prices are variable. The usual 
range during 1922 was from 10 to 20 cents a pound. 
In the Chesapeake region small fish that weigh 2 pounds and less are known as “tailors,” while 
the larger sizes are called “bluefish.” The names “snapping mackerel” and “greenfish” are heard 
occasionally. The usual size of the fish taken in the bay ranges from ^ to 4 pounds. Fish weighing 
more than 6 pounds were comparatively rare in 1921 and 1922. Along the Atlantic coast a size of 
5 to 10 pounds is common and the maximum authentic weight is given as 27 pounds. 
Habitat. — Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, Indian Ocean, straying northward on the coast 
of the United States to Maine. 
k Chesapeake localities. — (a) Previous records: Various localities from Havre de Grace, Md., 
southward. (6) Specimens in collection: Many localities from Love Point (Chester River), Md., 
southward to the "mouth of the bay. 
Comparison of lengths and weights of small bluefish 
Number of fish weighed and measured 
Length 
Weight 
Number of fish weighed and measured 
Length 
Weight 
1_ . 
Inches 
4H 
6 54 
6M 
7 
Ounces 
0.5 
2 
Inches 
8 M 
m 
9 
Ounces 
3.2 
3 
1.5 
3 
3.6 
3 
1.9 
3.. 
4.3 
7 
2.0 
1 
9 14 
10 
5.0 
5 
7M 
712 
1% 
8 
2. 1 
1 
5.3 
9 
2.3 
2 
WH 
12M 
6.8 
3 
2.7 
1 
11.7 
5 
3.0 
Family LV.— RACHYCENTRiD/E. The crab-eaters 
Body elongate, somewhat fusiform; head broad, strongly depressed; mouth wide, nearly hori- 
zontal; lower jaw projecting; premaxillaries not protractile; maxillaries reaching about to eye; 
teeth small, pointed, in bands on jaws, vomer, palatines, and tongue; opercle and preopercle un- 
armed; branchiostegals 7; gill rakers strong; first dorsal composed of eight or nine short, stiff, free 
spines; second dorsal and anal similar, somewhat elevated anteriorly but not falcate; caudal 
strongly rounded in very young, forked in adult; ventrals thoracic, with I, 5 rays; pectorals moder- 
ate, placed below level of lower margin of eye. 
