Table Of Content

NOAA Technical Report NMFS Circular 401 Fisheries and Fishery Resources of New York Bight Sr*TES o* * J. L McHugh March 1977 NOAATECHNICALREPORTS NationalMarineFisheriesService,Circulars ThemajorresponsibilitiesoftheNationalMarineFisheriesService(NMFS)aretomonitorandassesstheabundanceandgeographic distributionoffisheryresources,tounderstandandpredictfluctuationsinthequantityanddistributionoftheseresources,andtoestablishlevels foroptimumuseoftheresources.NMFSisalsochargedwiththedevelopmentandimplementationofpoliciesformanagingnationalfishing grounds,developmentandenforcementofdomesticfisheriesregulations,surveillanceofforeignfishingoffUnitedStatescoastalwaters,andthe developmentandenforcementofinternationalfisheryagreementsandpolicies.NMFSalsoassiststhefishingindustrythroughmarketingservice andeconomicanalysisprograms,andmortgageinsuranceandvesselconstructionsubsidies.Itcollects,analyzes,andpublishesstatisticson variousphasesoftheindustry. TheNOAATechnicalReportNMFSCircularseriescontinuesaseriesthathasbeeninexistencesince1941.TheCircularsaretechnical publicationsofgeneralinterestintendedtoaidconservationandmanagement.Publicationsthatreviewinconsiderabledetailandatahigh technicalleveicertainbroadareasofresearchappearinthisseries.Technicalpapersoriginatingineconomicsstudiesandfrommanagementin- vestigationsappearintheCircularseries. NOAATechnicalReportNMFSCircularsareavailablefreeinlimitednumberstogovernmentalagencies,bothFederalandState.Theyare alsoavailableinexchangeforotherscientificandtechnicalpublicationsinthemarinesciences.Individualcopiesmaybeobtained(unless otherwisenoted)fromD825,TechnicalInformationDivision,EnvironmentalScienceInformationCenter,NOAA,Washington,D.C.20235.Re- centCircularsare: 365. ProcessingEASTROPACSTDdataandtheconstructionofver- 377. Fisherypublications, calendaryear1970: Listsandindexes.By ticaltemperatureandsalinitysectionsbycomputer.ByForrestR.Miller MaryEllenEngettandLeeC.Thorson.December1972,iv+34p.,1fig. andKennethA.Bliss.February1972,iv+17p.,8figs.,3app.figs.For ForsalebvtheSuperintendentofDocuments,U.S.GovernmentPrinting salebytheSuperintendentofDocuments,U.S.GovernmentPrintingOf- Office,Washington,D.C.20402. fice,Washington,D.C.20402. 378. Marine flora and fauna of the northeastern United States. 366. Keytofieldidentificationofanadromousjuvenilesalmonidsinthe Protozoa:Ciliophora.ByArthurC.Borror.September1973,iii+62p.,5 Pacific Northwest. ByRobert J. MacConnelland GeorgeR. Snyder. figs. ForsalebytheSuperintendentofDocuments,U.S.Government January 1972, iv + 6 p., 4 figs. For sale by the Superintendentof PrintingOffice,Washington,D.C.20402. Documents,U.S.GovernmentPrintingOffice,Washington,D.C.20402. 367. Engineering economic model for fish protein concentration 379. Fisherypublications,calendaryear1969:Listsandindexes.ByLee processes.ByK.K.Almenas,L.C.Durilla,R.C.Ernst,J.W.Gentry,M. C.ThorsonandMaryEllenEngett.April1973,iv+31p.,1fig.Forsale BF.orHsaallee,bayndthJe.SMu.peMrairnctheenldleon.tOocftDoobceurm1e9n7t2s,,iiiU.+S.17G5ovp.e,r6nmfiegsn.t,6Prtianbtliens.g WbaysthhiengStuopne,riDn.tCe.nde20n4t02o.fDocuments,U.S.GovernmentPrintingOffice, Office,Washington,D.C.20402. 380. Fisherypublications,calendaryear1968:Listsandindexes.By 368. Cooperative Gulf of Mexico estuarine inventory and study, MaryEllenEngettandLeeC.Thorson.May1973,iv+24p.,1fig.For FLlionrdiadlal:.JPrh.,asaendI,JaarmeaesdeEs.crSiypkteiso.n.NBoyveJm.bKenree1l97a2n,dviMic+Nu1l2t6y,p.,W4i6llfiigas.m,N6.2 sfiaclee,bWyasthheinSgutpoenr,inDt.eCn.de2n0t40o2f.Documents,U.S.GovernmentPrintingOf- tables.ForsalebvtheSuperintendentofDocuments,U.S.Government PrintingOffice,Washington,D.C.20402. 381. Fisherypublications,calendaryear1967:Listsandindexes.ByLee As3at6l9le.anbtyiFcit.ehleBdySugHpueeirndiernytteoAn.dtFeheendtdaoenfrglnDe.ofciNusomhveesentm(sbP,eormUa.1Sc9.a7n2G,tohiviiiedra+ne)m1e0nipnt.,tPrh17ienftwiigenss.gteFOrofn-r CWb.avsTthhhieonrgSstuoopnne,rainDnd.tCeM.nader20ny4t0E2ol.fleDnocEunmgeetntt.s,JuUl.yS.197G3o,veivrn+me2n2tp.P,ri1nftiig.ngFoOfrfiscael,e fice,Washington,D.C.20402. 382. Fisherypublications, calendaryear1966:Listsandindexes.By 3CGiv7a.0l.iS+ftoervC3neo8inlalse,pC.c,utJriarn3meg8enstafniRrgd.se.g,Tiphorrn2oa.cieltBkasyibsllileDn,sga.vadinFaddotraKJrasoamanmeleesrfi,Rbs.hyMZaewtrgehgiyefseJlS.a.unKpdNaeolrilvinaen,rtmvebaEneledirezinan1tb9et7th2o,hef sMfiaaclere,ybWyaElstlhheeinnSguEtnpogener,titnDt.aeCnn.dde2Ln0te4e0o2fC..DoTchuomresnotns.,JuUl.yS.19G7o3v,eirvn+men19tpP.r,in1tfiing.gFOof-r Documents,U.S.GovernmentPrintingOffice,Washington,D.C.20402. 383. Fisherypublications,calendaryear1965:Listsandindexes.ByLee 371. Oceanfisherymanagement:Discussionandresearch.ByAdamA. Cb.vTthheorSsuopnerainndteMnadrenytEolfleDnocEunmgeetntt.s,JuUl.yS.197G3o,veivrn+me1n2tp.P,ri1nftiig.ngFoOfrfiscael,e Sokoloski(editor).(17papers,24authors.)April1973,vi+ 173p.,38 Washington,D.C.20402. figs.,32tables,7app.tables. 372. Fisherypublications, calendaryear1971:Listsandindexes.By 384. MarinefloraandfaunaofthenortheasternUnitedStates.Higher Thomas A. Manar. October 1972, iv+24 p., 1 fcg. Forsale bythe plantsofthemarinefringe.ByEdwinT.Moul.September1973,iii+60 Superintendent of Documents, U.F. Government Printing Office, p.,109figs.ForsalebytheSuperintendentofDocuments,U.S.Govern- Washington,D.C.20402. mentPrintingOffice,Washington,D.C.20402. 374. Marine flora and fauna of the northeastern United States. 385. Fisherypublications,calendaryear1972:Listsandindexes.ByLee Annelida:Oligochaeta.ByDavidG.CookandRalphO.Brinkhurst.May C.ThorsonandMaryEllenEngett.November1973,iv+23p.,1fig.For 1973,iii+23p.,82figs.ForsalebytheSuperintendentofDocuments, salebytheSuperintendentofDocuments,U.S.GovernmentPrintingOf- U.S.GovernmentPrintingOffice,Washington,D.C.20402. fice,Washington,D.C.20402. 375. NewPolychaetafromBeaufort,withakeytoallspeciesrecorded 386. MarinefloraandfaunaofthenortheasternUnitedStates.Pyc- fromNorthCarolina.ByJohnH.Day.July1973,xiii+140p.,18figs.,1 nogonida.ByLawrenceR.McCloskey.September1973,iii+12p.,1fig. table.ForsalebytheSuperintendentofDocuments,U.S.Government ForsalebytheSuperintendentofDocuments,U.S.GovernmentPrinting PrintingOffice,Washington,D.C.20402. Office,Washington,D.C.20402. 376. Bottom-watertemperaturesonthecontinentalshelf,NovaScotia 387. Marine flora and fauna of the northeastern United States. toNewJersey.ByJohnB.Colton,Jr.andRuthR.Stoddard.June1973, Crustacea:Stomatopoda.ByRaymondB.Manning.February1974,iii+ iii+55p., 15figs., 12app.tables.ForsalebytheSuperintendentof 6p.,10figs.ForsalebytheSuperintendentofDocuments,U.S.Govern- Documents,U.S.GovernmentPrintingOffice,Washington,D.C.20402. mentPrintingOffice.Washington,D.C.20402. Continuedoninsidebackc NOAA Technical Report NMFS Circular 401 Fisheries and Fishery Resources of New York Bight L McHugh J. rMENlOfC March 1977 U.S. DEPARTMENTOFCOMMERCE Juanita M. Kreps, Secretary National Oceanicand AtmosphericAdministration RobertM.White,Administrator National Marine Fisheries Service RobertW. Schoning, Director ForSalebytheSuperintendentofDocuments, U.S.GovernmentPr Oih, Washington, D.C. 20402Stock No. 003-020-00129-7 The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) doesnot approve, rec- ommend or endorse any proprietary product or proprietary material mentioned in this publication. No reference shall bemadeto NMFS, or tothis publication furnished by NMFS,in anyadvertising or salespro- motionwhichwould indicateorimplythat NMFSapproves,recommends or endorses any proprietary product or proprietary material mentioned herein,orwhichhasasitspurposeanintenttocausedirectlyorindirectly the advertised product to be used or purchased because of this NMFS publication. CONTENTS Introduction 1 Sourcesofinformation 3 Total landings in NewJersey 4 Industrialfisheries 6 Atlantic menhaden 6 Industrial trawl fishery 7 Horseshoe crab 7 Alewives 8 Atlantic herring 8 Shrimps 9 Semi-industrial fisheries 9 Red hakeandwhite hake 9 Silverhake 11 Squids 12 Food Fisheries 13 American oyster 14 Bluefish 18 Atlanticsturgeon 18 Seamussels 19 Tautog 20 Americanshad 20 Weakfish 21 Eels 22 Whiteperch 23 Haddock 24 Atlantic cod 24 Atlantic croaker 25 Spot 26 Butterfish 27 Bluecrab 28 Atlantic bonito 29 Spanish mackerel 29 Northern kingfish 30 Atlantic mackerel 30 Hard clam 31 Softclam 32 Chub mackerel 33 Frigate mackerel 33 Scup 33 Blacksea bass 34 Flounders 35 Summerflounder 35 Winterflounder 35 Yellowtail flounder 36 Littletunny 37 Surfclam 37 Bluefin tuna 38 Atlantic seascallop 39 Atlantic bayscallop 40 American lobster 41 Swordfish 42 Striped bass 43 Conch 43 Northern puffer 44 Tilefish '. 45 Summary and conclusions 45 Acknowledgments 48 Literature cited 48 Figures 1 MiddleAtlanticBightshowingNewYorkBight 2 2 NewYork Bight 3 Annual commercial landingsof: 3 Fishes andshellfishesinNewJersey 1880-1975 4 4 Industrial fishes andshellfishesin NewJersey 1880-1975 4 5 Fishes and shellfishesusedashumanfood in NewJersey 1880-1975 5 6 Red hake andwhitehakeinNewJersey 1887-1975 10 7 Redhake andwhitehakeinNewYork 1897-1975 10 8 Silverhake in NewJersey 1897-1975 11 9 Squidsin NewYorkandNewJersey 1888-1975 12 10 American oysterin NewJersey 1880-1975 17 11 Bluefish in NewJersey 1880-1975 18 12 Atlanticsturgeon in NewYorkand NewJersey 1880-1975 19 13 Seamussels, probablymostlyblue mussel, inNewJersey 1891-1975 19 14 Tautog in NewYork andNewJersey 1887-1975 20 15 AmericanshadinNewJersey 1880-1975 21 16 Weakfish in NewJersey 1880-1975 22 17 AmericanandcongereelinNewYork 1887-1975 22 18 American and congereelinNewJersey 1887-1975 23 19 Whiteperch in NewYorkandNewJersey 1887-1975 24 20 Haddock in NewJersey 1889-1975 24 21 Atlantic cod inNewJersey 1880-1975 25 22 AtlanticcroakerandspotinNewJersey 1889-1975 25 23 Atlantic croakerandspotin NewYork 1888-1975 26 24 Butterfish in NewJersey 1889-1975 27 25 Bluecrab in NewJersey 1880-1975 28 26 Atlantic bonito in NewYorkand NewJersey 1880-1975 29 27 Northern kingfish in NewYorkand NewJersey 1908-1975 30 28 Atlantic mackerel inNewJersey 1889-1975 31 29 Hard clam in NewJersey 1880-1975 31 30 Softclam in NewJersey 1880-1975 32 31 Scup in NewJersey 1889-1975 34 32 Blackseabass in NewJersey 1887-1975 34 33 Flounders in NewJersey 1887-1975 35 34 Little tunny in NewYorkand NewJersey 1889-1975 37 35 Surfclam in NewJersey 1901-1975 38 36 Bluefintuna in NewYorkandNewJersey 1901-1975 39 37 Scallops in NewJersey 1897-1975 39 38 American lobsterin NewJersey 1880-1975 41 39 Swordfish in NewYorkand NewJersey 1901-1975 42 40 Striped bass in NewJersey 1887-1975 43 41 Conch in NewYork andNewJersey 1926-1975 44 42 Tilefish in NewJersey 1933-1975 45 43 Historic landings ofmajorspecies in the NewYorkBight area (NewYorkand NewJersey). ... 47 Tables Historicdomesticcommercial,recreational,andforeignmarinefisherylandingsinthenorthandmiddle Atlantic regions includingNewYork Bight. 1 Industrial fisheries, NewJersey 6 2 Searobins 8 3 Alewives 8 4 Atlantic herring 9 5 White hake 10 6 Red hake 11 7 Silverhake 12 8 Squids 13 iv 9 Foodshellfishes, NewJersey 13 10 Foodfinfishes, NewJersey 14 11 All fish and shellfish species, NewJersey 15 12 All fish and shellfishspecies, New York 16 13 American oyster 17 14 Bluefish 18 15 Atlantic sturgeon 19 16 Sea mussels 19 17 Tautog 20 18 Americanshad 21 19 Weakfish 22 20 American eel 23 21 White perch 23 22 Haddock 24 23 Atlantic cod 25 24 Atlantic croaker 26 25 Spot 27 26 Butterfish 27 27 Bluecrab 28 28 Atlantic bonito 29 29 Northernkingfish 30 30 Atlantic mackerel 31 31 Hardclam 32 32 Softclam 33 33 Scup 34 34 Blacksea bass 35 35 Summerflounder 36 36 Winterflounder 36 37 Yellowtail flounder, NewJersey and New York 37 38 Yellowtail flounder, north and middle Atlanticregion ofthe United State 37 39 Surfclam 38 40 Atlantic bluefintuna 39 41 Atlantic sea scallop 40 42 Atlantic bay scallop 40 43 American lobster 41 44 Swordfish 42 45 Striped bass 43 46 Conch 44 47 Northern puffer 44 48 Tilefish 45 49 Historic trends in domestic landings ofmajorcommercial fisheryresources 4(i FISHERIES AND FISHERY RESOURCES OF NEW YORK BIGHT 1 2 J.L.McHUGH' ABSTRACT Thehistoryoftotalfishandshellfishlandingsinthetwostates(NewYorkandNewJersey)that formthelandwardboundariesofNewYorkBightisahistoryofchange.Resourceafterresourcehas producedmaximumlandings,thendeclined.Totallandingsdroppedfromabout315,000metrictonsin 1956toabout23,000in1967andhaverisenonlymoderatelysincethattime.Theriseandfallofthein- dustrialfisheries,mostlymenhaden,wasresponsibleformostofthisdecline,andthishasmasked trendsinthefoodfisheries. Altogetherabout132speciesorgroupsofspeciesoffishesandinvertebrateshavebeenreportedas landedinNewJerseyorNewYorksince1880.Fiftyofthesearediscussedandillustratedwithfigures andtablesoflandings. Ediblefinfishspeciesasagroupreachedpeaklandingsin1939anddeclinedfairlysteadilyto aboutone-thirdthatlevelinthe1970s.Molluscanandcrustaceanshellfishproductionreachedtwo peaks,in1950and1966,thesecondconsiderablyhigherthanthefirst.Thisrecoveryofshellfishland- ingsin1966wouldnothaveoccurredwereitnotfortherapiddevelopmentofthesurfclamfisheryin the1950s. Thetimingofthedeclinesmakesitclearthatforeignfishingwasnotthecause,forforeignfishing probablycouldnothaveaffectedthefisheriesofNewYorkBightbeforethemid-1960s.Actually,total catchesofresourcestakenonlybydomesticfishermenhavedeclinedmoresharplythantotaldomes- ticcatchesofspeciessharedwithforeignfleets.Foreignfishingisbutasymptomofthetroublesofthe domesticfisheries,someofwhichareimagined.Theillsofthedomesticfisheriesareeconomicand sociopolitical,andtheywillnotyieldeasilytoscientificsolutions. INTRODUCTION someextentthedeclineincommerciallandingshasbeen offset by an increase in the catch by saltwater sport The coasts of New Jersey and New York form the fishermen. New Jersey ranked ninth by weight and western and northern boundaries ofwhat is commonly fifteenthbyvalueamongthecoastalstatesincommer- knownasNewYorkBight.TheBighthasbeendefinedas cial marinefishery landings in 1975, the latestyearfor those coastal waters extending from Montauk Point, which such figures are available; New York ranked LongIsland,N.Y.toCapeMay,N.J.andouttotheedge seventeenthbyweightbuteleventhbyvalue.Together, ofthe continental shelf(Figs. 1,2). These waters have thetwostatesaccountedforabout4°coftotalU.S.com- beenanimportantfishinggroundsincetheearlydaysof mercial landings by weight and about 4.7^ in landed thesettlementofNorthAmerica,andtheystillproduce value.Thereisalsoconsiderableforeignfishingandsome important quantities of fish and shellfish. In 1975 domesticfishingintheareaoutsidethe 12-milezoneof (NationalMarineFisheriesService1976)thetwostates domestic fisheryjurisdiction. The foreign catch insub- produced a total marine commercial catch of about areas 5 and 6 ofthe International Commission for the 82,000metrictonswithalandedvalueof$48.0million. Northwest Atlantic Fisheries (ICNAF) was nearly As will be evident later, this is considerably less than 800,000metrictonsin1974,butin1972wasmorethana maximumhistoriclandingsbutitisstillsubstantial.To million metric tons. Therecreational catch in the New YorkBightareacannotbedeterminedexactly, but it is probablyabout 90,000metrictons, not includinginver- 'Partsoftheanalysisonwhichthispaperisbasedweremadeunder tebrates. Reported recreational catches of finfishes in supportofafellowshipwiththeWoodrowWilsonInternationalCenterfor 1970, the latest year forwhich estimates are available, asSicnshdoPltrahoregs,rpaaWmpaesr(hMiwErnigSttAtoe)nn,oufDn.tdChe.er,NsJauutplipyoo-nrAatulfgMruaosrmtit1nh9ee71FM.iasTrhhieerniewesoErcSkoerswvyiascstee,cmoNsmapAtlnieaotlneyad-l rweegrieonab(oMuatin1e21t,o30N0ewmetYroircktionncslusfiovre)thaendno1r1t1h,7A0t0lamnetti-c OceanicandAtmosphericAdministration, U.S. Department ofCom- ric tons for the middle Atlantic region (New Jersey to omfeTrrcheese.eahricshtosrpicoanlsorreevdiebwyofthmeaNrienweYfoirshkerSieeasiGnraNnetwInYsotriktutSetautnedeisraargersaunltt NoTrhtheiCnatreorlniantaioinnacllufsiisvhee)r.iesarenowunderareasonable fromtheOfficeofSeaGrant,NationalOceanicandAtmosphericAd degree of control. For example, ICNAF established ministration,U.S.DepartmentofCommerce. quotasforsubareas5and6in1976totalling815,000met- Uni'vCeornstirtiybuotfioNne0w00Yoofrkt,heSMtaorniynBeroSocki,encNe.sY.ResearchCenteroftheState rictonsfor12speciesorgroupsofspecies,butalsoplaced Sto'nMyariBnreookS,ciNenYces117R9e4s.earch Center, State University ofNew York, aallsotwraibnlgeenctatcahd,diatlilonsapelciceosnsctormabiinntedb,yofse6t5t0i.n0g00amettortiacl ^ ^3,V,N^RS C L GEORGES BANK NANTUCKET' .^MppNfT-A-UK50PMT.... '-N,ASHpIALST 60 69° 68° 67° Figure1.—MiddleAtlanticBight(CapeCodtoCapeHatteras)showinglocationoftheareaknownasNewYorkBightandsubareas5and6ofthe InternationalCommissionfortheNorthwestAtlanticFisheries(ICNAF).Onlypartofdivision5Y,whichincludesalloftheGulfofMaine,is shown.Forallpracticalpurposesitcanbeassumedthatthefishinggroundsendatthe200misobath,thusitisnotimportantthatthenorthern andeasternboundariesofsubarea5andtheeasternboundaryofsubarea6arenotshown.Thesouthernboundaryofsubarea6isjustoffthechart, atlat.35°00TV. tons.Domesticfisheriesinthearea,aswillbeillustrated and official interest in environmental quality, have inthespeciesdiscussionstofollow,arebynomeansun- marked the Bight forspecialattention. Asbackground der such rigid control. This applies particularlytothe for environmental studies and environmental manage- recreational fisheries, which essentially are uncon- mentinthearea, itisimportanttounderstandthehis- trolled. toryofitsmarinefisheriesandthepresentconditionof NewYorkBightisflankedontwosidesbythegreatest the livingresourcesonwhichthesefisheriesarebased. concentration ofhuman population in North America. An historical review ofthe marine fisheries ofNew Some 17 million people live in the New York met- YorkStatehasalreadybeenpublished(McHugh1972a). ropolitanregionalone.Shippinginandoutoftheareais The principal conclusions ofthat study were that the heavy, the waters and beaches are usedextensivelyfor recordoflandingssince1880providedaclassicexample recreation, includingsportfishing,andtheinnerpartof ofineffectivemanagementandthattheprincipalcauses the Bight receives large quantities ofdomestic and in- ofthe decline ofcommercial fishingin NewYorkwere dustrial wastes. The Bight also has been considered sociopolitical and domestic, not directly related to seriously as asitefordeep-draftsupertankerports,off- foreignfishing.ThisreportdealsprimarilywithNewJer- shore air terminals, and offshore nuclearpowerplants. seyfisheries.Theopportunityhasbeentaken, however, ExploratorydrillingforpetroleuminBaltimoreCanyon tobringtheNewYorkstudyuptodatebyconsidering Trough, offthe NewJerseycoast, isunderseriouscon- landingsandtrendsintheperiod1971-75.TheNewJer- sideration. These issues, and recent intensified public seystudywaspartoftheintensiveinvestigationofNew