282 
Fishery Bulletin 111(3) 
0.25, a value equivalent to a total annual mortality (Z) 
of 1.4. Abundance-weighted F-values for age 6+ Yel- 
lowtail Flounder from an age-based stock assessment 
were 0.49, 1.49, 1.01, and 0.85, for the years from 2003 
to 2006, respectively. The tag-based estimate of Z is 
within the range of these stock-assessment F-values, 
assuming a natural mortality of 0.2 for these years 
(Fig. 3). Estimates indicate that recovery rates ranged 
from 0.001 to 0.078 for males and 0.001 to 0.037 for 
females. Noticeable peaks in the recovery rate for fe- 
males were observed in the period of May-August of 
each year (Fig. 4). These peaks were present but less 
evident in the trend for male recovery rate. Confidence 
intervals of recovery rate estimates indicate that re- 
covery rates were greater in summer for females, but 
not for males, presumably because the estimates for 
females were more precise. 
Movement 
Results indicate frequent movements within the Cape 
Cod-Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank stock areas with 
less frequent movement among stock areas. Recapture 
data with known recapture locations indicate 96% resi- 
dence in the Cape Cod-Gulf of Maine stock area (with 
3% movement to the Georges Bank stock area and 1% 
Table 2 
Annual data of release and recapture of tagged Yellowtail Flounder (Limanda ferruginea) 
used to estimate survival in this study of the mortality and movement of this species off New 
England. 
Year 
marked 
Number 
marked 
2003 
Number recaptured/year 
2004 2005 2006 
2007 
Total 
recaptured 
Percentage 
recaptured 
2003 
10,122 
526 
403 
72 
18 
3 
1022 
10.1 
2004 
17,783 
628 
492 
96 
18 
1234 
6.9 
2005 
6084 
440 
96 
23 
559 
9.2 
2006 
9918 
490 
152 
642 
6.5 
Totals 
43,907 
526 
1049 
1004 
700 
196 
3457 
7.9 
