432 
BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES 
The winter fishery for croakers (and other species) although pursued intermit- 
tently for years may be said to be of rather recent origin, as it was not carried on 
regularly prior to the World War. It is subject to considerable fluctuation. The 
past winter (1929-30), for example, the fishery was not very remunerative off Beau- 
fort Inlet, and the fishermen transferred their activities chiefly to Ocracoke and 
Hatteras Inlets, where the fish were more plentiful this season. 
It is shown in the foregoing paragraphs that the croaker makes fall and spring 
migrations, similar to those of the spot, as explained in that section of this paper 
which contains a discussion of the last-mentioned species. However, the croaker, 
unlike the spot, is not known to school locally. Its abundance in the spring seems 
merely to result from extensive migrations from the winter home to the shallow- 
water feeding grounds for the summer. Another season of abundance occurs in 
the autumn, which apparently marks the exodus from the summer feeding grounds. 
It has been stated that large croakers, like large spots, either are entirely absent 
or very scarce during the winter in the shallower shore waters where fishing opera- 
tions are carried on. The same situation as in the spot prevails; that is, the very 
young (the fry) are present in the harbor and its arms throughout the winter. Be- 
tween cold snaps larger fish, ranging from a few to 6 or 7 inches in length, may be 
present also. The last-mentioned sizes and somewhat larger ones, apparently, are 
present nearly always off Beaufort Inlet in water ranging from a few to several 
fathoms in depth, but are especially numerous during the winter. The very small 
fry, ranging from about 2 to 10 or 15 millimeters in length, are common along the 
banks during the winter (the spawning season) and may be taken at least as far 
offshore as 12 to 15 miles. (How much farther offshore they occur is not known, 
as collecting was not extended beyond the distance stated.) The somewhat larger 
young, ranging from 10 to 25 millimeters in length, seem to be much more numer- 
ous within the harbor than off Beaufort Inlet and have been taken at various 
times in almost countless numbers with an otter trawl, the cod end of which was 
covered with bobbinet. 
The winter home of the large or adult croakers remains unknown. However, 
there is reason to believe that they do not go far away and that they probably are 
only a comparatively short distance farther offshore than the smaller ones, which 
inhabit the shore waters to a depth of 6 to 9 fathoms, beyond which fishing opera- 
tions are not easily extended with the equipment in use. The chief reason for believ- 
ing that the larger croakers are not far away is the presence of very small fry — only 
a few to several millimeters in length — throughout the winter. Such small fry, 
many of them less than 5 millimeters long, are comparatively helpless and could 
not have swum far. The larger fish taken along the shores during the winter, with 
few exceptions, obviously are too small to be mature. It seems reasonable to believe, 
therefore, that the larger, mature fish, producing the eggs from which the young 
result, are occupying water not a great distance offshore. 
The indications are that young croakers, like the young spot, are less sensitive 
to low temperature than the larger ones, although other factors not understood 
may be involved. However, in January, 1927, when the water temperature at the 
laboratory pier dropped as low as 5° C., as described on page 417, many croakers, 
ranging from 7 to 10 inches in length (also spot, pigfish, and white perch), became 
numb and drifted ashore within the harbor. No mortality was noticed among the 
smaller fish at that time. Furthermore, the fry have been taken repeatedly within 
the harbor in large numbers and in a very active condition during cold snaps when 
