192 
Fishery Bulletin 113(2) 
BRT 3 '- As with many other species, abundance and 
biomass of Atlantic wolffish have declined since the 
1980s (Sosebee and Cadrin 4 ). In the U.S. GOM-GB re- 
gion, biomass estimates for this species, according to 
2007 models, range from 89,000 to 384,000 adult fish 
(AWBRT 3 ) and have not significantly changed in the 
subsequent 3 years (Keith and Nitschke 5 ). Depending 
on the model parameters, current spawning stock bio- 
mass is low (371-505 metric tons in 2010; Sosebee and 
Cadrin 4 '. 
Little is known of the spawning behavior and 
spawning habitat of Atlantic wolffish; most informa- 
tion is derived from dive surveys or hatchery stud- 
ies. An estimated 4-5 months before spawning, these 
typically solitary fish begin courting and form bonded 
pairs (Johannessen et al., 1993); inshore migrations 
into shallower water may occur at this time (Nelson 
and Ross, 1992). Spawning is believed to occur from 
September through October in the GOM, but there is 
no conclusive proof of this spawning period (Pavlov and 
Moksness, 1994; Rountree, 2002). Spawning events of 
captive fish have been documented by Johannessen 
et al. (1993) and Rountree (2002). A few days before 
spawning, eggs are fertilized internally and extruded 
within 1 day after copulation and before cell cleavage. 
Atlantic wolffish are determinate spawners (Johannes- 
sen et al., 1993); the female deposits all eggs in one 
batch and then curls around the sticky, demersal eggs, 
shaping them into a cluster. The eggs are hidden under 
rocks and boulders in nests and guarded exclusively by 
the male for 9-10 months until the eggs hatch (Keats 
et al., 1985; Moksness and Pavlov, 1996). During this 
time, the male ceases feeding (Keats et al., 1985). Tag- 
ging studies indicate that Atlantic wolffish movements 
are short (AWBRT 3 '- 
Although not often targeted by fishermen, Atlantic 
wolffish from U.S. waters were landed in both recre- 
ational and commercial fisheries and marketed as 
ocean catfish. In May 2010, a moratorium on Atlantic 
wolffish went into effect in U.S. waters for both com- 
mercial and recreational fisheries to protect stock bio- 
mass (Amendment 16 to the New England multispecies 
Fisheries Management Plan; NEFMC, 2009). Contrary 
to what is documented in the scientific literature (Scott 
and Scott, 1988; Le Francois et al., 2010), commercial 
3 AWBRT (Atlantic Wolffish Biological Review Team). 2009. 
Status review of Atlantic wolffish ( Anarhichas lupus). Re- 
port to Natl. Mar. Fish. Serv., Northeast Reg. Off., 149 p. 
[Available from http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/species/Sta- 
tus%20Reviews/atlantic_wolffish_sr_2009.pdf.] 
4 Sosebee, K. A., and S. X. Cadrin. 2006. A historical per- 
spective on the abundance and biomass of Northeast demer- 
sal complex stocks from NMFS and Massachusetts inshore 
bottom trawl surveys, 1963-2002. Northeast Fish. Sci. 
Cent. Ref. Doc. 06-05, 200 p. [Available from http://www. 
nefsc.noaa.gov/publications/crd/J 
5 Keith, C., and R Nitschke. 2012. Atlantic wolffish — 2012 
groundfish update. In Assessment or data updates of 13 
northeast groundfish stocks through 2010. Northeast Fish. 
Sci. Cent. Ref. Doc. 12-06, p. 650-721. [Available from http:// 
www.nefsc.noaa.gov/publications/crd/.] 
fishermen have reported that Atlantic wolffish are not 
always dispersed in U.S. waters but are seasonally ag- 
gregated in shallow areas at the edge of the Stellwagen 
Bank National Marine Sanctuary (SBNMS) in Massa- 
chusetts Bay (statistical area 514). At this location, 
catch rates of tows targeted toward Atlantic wolffish 
habitat were higher than those from scientific surveys. 
In early June, during 2007-2009, average catch rates 
were 91-136 kg/h (200-300 Ib/h; Ford 6 ), correspond- 
ing to commercial landings reported by Keith and 
Nitschke 5 . One fisherman reported 6350 kg (14,000 lb) 
of Atlantic wolffish was landed in June 2009 (Ford 6 ). 
By the end of June, these fishermen turned their ef- 
forts elsewhere. 
To characterize the Atlantic wolffish observed by the 
fishing industry, a study was conducted on the SBNMS 
in Massachusetts Bay in an area where fishermen have 
reported large catches of Atlantic wolffish, to determine 
whether Atlantic wolffish occur in dense concentrations 
seasonally, and, if so, to determine why. Our objectives 
were 1) to sample the Atlantic wolffish population in 
the selected study area during May- June to quantify 
abundance and 2) to use a proportion of the wolffish 
catch to calculate age and growth and total mortality 
( Z ), determine sex ratio and reproductive status, and 
analyze food habits. 
Materials and methods 
Capture and disposition of catch 
Atlantic wolffish were sampled on the western edge of 
the SBNMS in Massachusetts Bay (statistical area 514; 
Fig. 1) by trawl during dedicated sampling trips from 
23 May to 21 June 2011. This 40-km 2 area was selected 
because it is the only place that has been identified 
by fishermen as one where Atlantic wolffish are highly 
abundant in the southern GOM and because it is where 
wolffish historically have been targeted by fishermen. 
The area ranges in depth from 27 to 40 m, the majority 
of it is 33-m deep, and the substrate, as described by 
fishermen, is characterized by a hard bottom of sand 
littered with shells. Sampling was undertaken through- 
out the area where it was possible to use trawl gear, 
including the specific location where Atlantic wolffish 
were reported to congregate. All Atlantic wolffish were 
captured with standard legal groundfish nets (15.24- 
cm body, 16.5 1-cm codend mesh size) and placed in 
flowing seawater tanks onboard the vessel. All bycatch 
was identified according to the methods of Collette and 
Klein-MacPhee (2002), enumerated, and immediately 
released alive. Atlantic wolffish were measured (total 
length [TL] ) to the nearest centimeter and weighed ( W) 
to the nearest 0.1 kg. They were either euthanized for 
collection of life history information or tagged and re- 
leased alive for a separate study. Fish were euthanized 
Ford, J. 2009. Personal commun. FV Lisa Ann II, Kings- 
ton, NH. 
