312 
Fishery Bulletin 95(2), 1997 
species have been identified (Wisner and McMillan, 
1995). 
Only one myxinid, Myxine glutinosa L., is found 
on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean, and this is the 
only hagfish reported within the Gulf of Maine. There 
are several reasons why Myxine glutinosa is an im- 
portant species for the Gulf of Maine: 
1 The substantial numbers present and their ongo- 
ing energetic requirements suggest that they play 
a significant role in the benthic ecosystem through- 
out the Gulf of Maine (Lesser et al., in press). 
2 This species has both direct and indirect effects 
on commercial fisheries in the Gulf of Maine. In 
areas of abundance their opportunistic feeding 
habits can reduce the value of the catches made 
by longline or fixed gillnet fisheries. Hagfish have 
been known to feed on restrained or moribund cod, 
herring, haddock, hake, mackerel, spiny dogfish, 
and mackerel sharks caught in fisheries gear 
(Gustafson, 1934; Bigelow and Schroeder, 1953; 
Strahan, 1963). Equally important, feeding stud- 
ies by Shelton (1978) suggest that hagfish preda- 
tion could have a significant impact on Pandalus 
borealis populations within the Gulf of Maine. 
3 Myxine glutinosa populations are now targeted by 
American and Canadian fishermen in the Gulf of 
Maine to meet the South Korean demand for 
“eelskin” used to manufacture expensive leather 
goods. In 1990, the sale of eelskin leather goods, 
all produced from hagfish skin, brought South 
Korea revenues of approximately US$100 million 
(Gorbman et al., 1990). The value of eelskin prod- 
ucts imported into the U.S. alone in 1992 was 
US$70 million (Melvin and Osborn 2 ). So large is 
this market that Korean processors, unable to 
supply the demand from overexploited eastern 
Asian fisheries, have begun sampling and purchas- 
ing hagfish from several other regions, including 
North and South America (Gorbman et al., 1990). 
During 1993 and 1994, Gulf of Maine fishermen 
harvested roughly 1600 metric tons (3.6 million 
pounds) of hagfish, and there were unknown ef- 
fects on the ecology of the region (Kuenstner, 1996). 
Part 1 of this report presents morphological data 
and a population profile generated in a study of a 
hagfish population in the Gulf of Maine. Part 2 of 
this report, published separately, will relate these 
and other data to the proposal made by Wisner and 
McMillan ( 1995) to reserve M. glutinosa for the east- 
2 Melvin, E. F., and S. A. Osborn. 1992. Development of the 
west coast fishery for Pacific hagfish. Seattle, WA. Natl. Mar. 
Fish. Serv., NOAA. Final Rep. NA90AA-H-SK142. 
ern Atlantic, and to give western Atlantic popula- 
tions, including those of the Gulf of Maine, separate 
status as Myxine limosa. 
Materials and methods 
The primary study site was adjacent to a small rock 
ledge known locally as “the Nipper” (near 42°57'N, 
70°17'W). This site is within the Bigelow Bight, ap- 
proximately 25 km west of Jeffrey’s Ledge and 50 
km east of the New Hampshire coast. The Bigelow 
Bight and Jeffrey’s Ledge are both important 
groundfishing areas. Hagfish in the study area in- 
habit a superficial zone of fine, organic sediment cov- 
ering a layer of grainy clay that overlies a thick layer 
of silty clay. Individual hagfish are usually found in 
shallow, sinusoidal, temporary burrows, with nose 
and barbels exposed to passing currents. The bot- 
tom temperature year-round is 4-6°C, and the sa- 
linity is 32 ppt or higher at all times. The superficial 
biotic community includes representatives from sev- 
eral families of tube worms, Cerianthid anemones, 
tunicates, sponges, and shrimp (Pandalus borealis). 
Comparable habitats that could support hagfish 
populations cover 60-70% of the floor of the Gulf of 
Maine (National Ocean Service 3 ). 
Hagfish were collected with baited traps set on the 
bottom in depths of 130-150 m. The traps consisted 
of garbage cans with holes punched in the side and 
with an internal screen that tunneled hagfish toward 
the enclosed bait. The baited traps were left on the 
bottom for periods of 30 minutes to 1 hour and then 
retrieved. The animals were then placed in seawa- 
ter chilled to approximately 4°C for transport to the 
Shoals Marine Laboratory on Appledore Island, 
Maine. After being held in refrigerated aquaria for a 
period of hours to days, animals were sacrificed and 
measurements were taken. The aquarium complex 
was monitored daily, and animals dying in captivity 
were measured immediately, prior to disposal. Mor- 
phometric data were collected from fresh specimens 
from the primary site between June 1989 and Au- 
gust 1992. 
Methods of measuring and counting followed those 
of Fernholm and Hubbs (1981) and McMillan and 
Wisner (1984). All measurements were recorded in 
millimeters. For descriptive purposes, after total 
length (TL) was recorded, the body axis was divided 
into 3 regions (snout-pcd, trunk, and tail regions; 
n=143) or 4 regions (prebranehial, branchial, trunk, 
3 National Ocean Service, Coast and Geodetic Survey. 
1995. Gulf of Maine and George’s Bank, Chart No. 13009. Na- 
tional Ocean Service, Silver Springs, MD. 
