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Age (years) 
Age (years) 
Figure 2 
Population characteristics of 303 Atlantic wolffish (Anarhichas lupus) 
captured on the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, Mas- 
sachusetts, from 23 May to 8 June 2011: (A) age by sex and (B) length 
at age. 
wolffish per day at depths of 146-192 m. Templeman 
(1986a) surmised that these unusually large landings 
of spotted wolffish may have coincided with spawning 
behavior because their time of capture was close to the 
likely spawning season (summer). 
Atlantic wolffish in the SBNMS group were mature 
(Fig. 2) and likely in prespawning condition (Fig. 4), 
but this group was not a spawning ag- 
gregation. During the spawning season, 
mature Atlantic wolffish cease feeding 
and undergo tooth replacement (Liao and 
Lucas, 2000a, 2000b). For females, this 
pause in feeding occurs mostly within 
the month before ovulation (Pavlov and 
Moksness, 1996). For males, tooth shed- 
ding and replacement and fasting occur 
with nest guarding (Keats et al., 1985). 
One tooth was found in a female fish’s 
stomach (Table 4), but it likely broke off 
and was ingested during fishing opera- 
tions. None of the 395 captured Atlantic 
wolffish showed signs of teeth shedding, 
and 99% of fish sampled were feeding 
actively. 
We used traditional ecological knowl- 
edge of fishermen to identify an area 
where Atlantic wolffish were known to 
occur in spring to ensure that sufficient 
numbers of fish could be studied for bio- 
logical analyses. As such, sampling for 
Atlantic wolffish on the SBNMS was se- 
lective, both temporally and spatially (in 
area and depth). In addition, tows were 
not standardized by duration. As a re- 
sult of these limitations, we were able to 
verify only the presence of a large wolf- 
fish group but not its distribution. We 
observed a decrease in catch of Atlantic 
wolffish on the SBNMS from May to ear- 
ly June (Table 1); it remains unknown 
whether this decline was a result of re- 
duction in biomass or the effects of dis- 
persion. We were unable to sample the 
population during the first week of June, 
sampling that would have helped clarify 
this matter. When we resumed sampling 
on 7 June, we found Atlantic wolffish in 
a slightly different location on the SB- 
NMS; however, by this time, Atlantic cod 
( Gadus morhua) were also present. In 
an effort to reduce cod bycatch mortal- 
ity, we chose to avoid these mixed pop- 
ulations. Therefore, potential catch per 
unit of effort (CPUE) for Atlantic wolf- 
fish probably was much higher than the 
documented CPUE. A study of tagged 
and released Atlantic wolffish will help 
elucidate movements of this SBNMS 
population. 
In the GOM-GB region, there is some 
evidence of size-segregated, seasonal movements of At- 
lantic wolffish, likely linked to spawning, from shallow 
(<10 m) to deep (274 m) waters in fall and then the re- 
verse in spring (Albikovskaya, 1982; Nelson and Ross, 
1992; AWBRT 3 ). For instance, in spring in the GOM, 
predominantly larger fish have been found at depths 
of 5-40 m, and the largest fish was 98 cm TL and 22 
