History of Whaling and Estimated Kill of Right Whales, Balaena glacialis, in the Northeastern United States, 1620–1924

This study, part of a broader investigation of the history of exploitation of right whales, Balaena glacialis, in the western North Atlantic, emphasizes U.S. shore whaling from Maine to Delaware (from lat. 45°N to 38°30'N) in the period 1620–1924. Our broader study of the entire catch history is intended to provide an empirical basis for assessing past distribution and abundance of this whale population. Shore whaling may have begun at Cape Cod, Mass., in the 1620’s or 1630’s; it was certainly underway there by 1668. Right whale catches in New England waters peaked before 1725, and shore whaling at Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, and Nantucket continued to decline through the rest of the 18th century. Right whales continued to be taken opportunistically in Massachusetts, however, until the early 20th century. They were hunted in Narragansett Bay, R.I., as early as 1662, and desultory whaling continued in Rhode Island until at least 1828. Shore whaling in Connecticut may have begun in the middle 1600’s, continuing there until at least 1718. Long Island shore whaling spanned the period 1650–1924. From its Dutch origins in the 1630’s, a persistent shore whaling enterprise developed in Delaware Bay and along the New Jersey shore. Although this activity was most profi table in New Jersey in the early 1700’s, it continued there until at least the 1820’s. Whaling in all areas of the northeastern United States was seasonal, with most catches in the winter and spring. Historically, right whales appear to have been essentially absent from coastal waters south of Maine during the summer and autumn. Based on documented references to specific whale kills, about 750–950 right whales were taken between Maine and Delaware, from 1620 to 1924. Using production statistics in British customs records, the estimated total secured catch of right whales in New England, New York, and Pennsylvania between 1696 and 1734 was 3,839 whales based on oil and 2,049 based on baleen. After adjusting these totals for hunting loss (loss-rate correction factor = 1.2), we estimate that 4,607 (oil) or 2,459 (baleen) right whales were removed from the stock in this region during the 38-year period 1696–1734. A cumulative catch estimate of the stock’s size in 1724 is 1,100–1,200. Although recent evidence of occurrence and movements suggests that right whales continue to use their traditional migratory corridor along the U.S. east coast, the catch history indicates that this stock was much larger in the 1600’s and early 1700’s than it is today. Right whale hunting in the eastern United States ended by the early 1900’s, and the species has been protected throughout the North Atlantic since the mid 1930’s. Among the possible reasons for the relatively slow stock recovery are: the very small number of whales that survived the whaling era to become founders, a decline in environmental carrying capacity, and, especially in recent decades, mortality from ship strikes and entanglement in fishing gear.

Guam's Small-Boat-based Fisheries

Recent trends in Guam's small-boat fisheries and current knowledge of their biology, management, and economics are summarized. Annual estimates of participation, effort, and harvest are given for the pelagic and bottomfish fisheries for 1980-91 and for the spearfishing and atulai fisheries for 1985. The pelagic fishery is the largest, with annual landings ranging from 168 to 364 metric tons (t), followed by the bottomfish fishery (14-43 t), spearfishingf ishery (517 t), and bigeye scad fishery (3-20 t). All of the pelagic species are highly migratory and require regional management. They are heavily exploited by Guam-based domestic purse-seine and foreign longline fisheries, but region-wide catch and effort as well as the status of the stocks are largely unknown. Bottomfish and reef-fish stocks are shared to an unknown extent with those of the northern Marianas and are locally manageable. Certain vulnerable species of bottomfishes and reeffishes are overfished. Bottomfish and spearedfish landings are dominated by small species with high turnover rates.

Overview of Mark-recovery Studies on Adult and Juvenile Atlantic Menhaden, Brevoortia tyrannus, and Gulf Menhaden, B. patronus

Extensive mark-recapture studies using internal ferromagnetic tags have been conducted on Atlantic menhaden, Brevoortia tyrannus, and Gulf menhaden, B. patronus. From 1966 through 1969, 1,066,357 adult Atlantic menhaden were tagged; subsequently, from 1970 through 1987, 428,272 juveniles of this species were tagged. Similarly, from 1969 through 1971, 75,673 adult Gulf menhaden were tagged; concurrently from 1970 through 1985, 236,936 juveniles were tagged and released. This report provides an overview of the history of the tagging program, methodologies for both release and recovery activities, a summary of release areas and number of fish tagged within each area, and a review of assumptions necessary for the analysis of this type of mark-recovery data. The resulting data sets have proven to be highly useful for a variety of analyses ranging from determination of migratory patterns and population structure to estimating mortality rates. The relatively wide range of acceptance of tagging results by laymen, industry, and analysts alike have made these data extremely useful for management-oriented analyses.

Biological Analysis of Two Management Options for the Atlantic Menhaden Fishery

Biological implications of two managment options (the closed corridor and the recommended shortened season (Option 7) options) for the Atlantic menhaden, Brevoortia tyrannus, fishery are reported based on purse-seine landings and port sampling data from 1970 to 1984 and captain's daily fishing reports from 1978 to 1982. Large catches of age-O menhaden raise concern for growth overfishing. Area-specific yield-per-recruit analyses are used to investigate the biological consequences of these management options. The closed corridor option indicates coastwide gains in yield-per-recruit ranging from 0.3 to 7.2% depending on changes in fishing activity with most areas showing gains. The shortened fishing season indicates coastwide gains in yield per recruit ranging from O. 4 to 10.2% depending onf ishing year with most geographic areas showing gains. The shortened fishing season option offers the greatest gains when large numbers ofy oung menhaden would be caught late in the fishing year, while gains from the closed corridor option depend on how the fishing fleet responds to that management plan. The shortened season offers greater potential coastwide gains to the fishery, but also may result in greater losses to the North Carolina fall fishery. The analytical approach is applicable to the management of other coastal migratory fish stocks that fall under the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission or other interstate management groups.

South Lancashire Advisory Committee 10th June, 1974

This is the first report from the South Lancashire Fisheries Advisory Committee meeting, which was held on the 10th June 1974. The report includes sections on fishery byelaws, estimates for the anticipated income and expenditure on fisheries for the current year, and information includeing the aims of a report entitled 'Taking Stock', which looked at migratory fish in England and Wales. The Fisheries Advisory Committee was part of the Regional Water Authorities, in this case the North West Water Authority. This preceded the Environment Agency which came into existence in 1996.

Lune, Wyre & Furness Fisheries Advisory Committee 20th October, 1975.

This is the report from the Lune, Wyre and Furness Fisheries Advisory Committee meeting, which was held on the 20th October 1975. The report contains information on water resources for the post 1981 period, fisheries activities, protection of fisheries and pipe crossing of the River Leven near Newby Bridge, land drainage representation on local committees, new byelaws and fishing licence duties. The section on fisheries activities looks at poaching, biological work to assess the effects of Frigg-Warrington pipeline, fish mortalities, eels netting, and migratory runs in the River Lune and Leven. The Fisheries Advisory Committee was part of the Regional Water Authorities, in this case the North West Water Authority. This preceded the Environment Agency which came into existence in 1996.

South & West Cumberland Fisheries Advisory Committee 2nd December, 1974

This is the report from the South and West Cumberland Fisheries Advisory Committee meeting, which was held on the 2nd December 1974. The report looks at the Water Bailiffs establishment, including the organisation and the duties of both the Fisheries Inspector and the Senior Bailiff. The report also covers the report by the Unit Fisheries Officer on fisheries activities. This includes stocking on Devoke Water, biological work carried out in the Greta and Glenderamackin tributaries, information on the fishing of migratory fish, trout and coarse fish and fisheries prosecutions. The Fisheries Advisory Committee was part of the Regional Water Authorities, in this case the North West Water Authority. This preceded the Environment Agency which came into existence in 1996.

South & West Cumberland Fisheries Advisory Committee 12th January, 1976.

This is the report from the South and West Cumberland Fisheries Advisory Committee meeting, which was held on the 12th January 1976. The report contains sections on land drainage representation on local committees, actions to be taken to solve problems with Braithwaite Weir, Enneralde compensation flow, fisheries activities report, recommendations for future policy by association hatcheries and progress made in implementing the recommendations contained in 'Taking Stock' publication. The section on fisheries activities reported by area fisheries officers looks at migratory fishing and spawning, U.D.N. disease appearance, poaching and prosecutions, biological work at Mockerkin Tarn and the River Calder. The Fisheries Advisory Committee was part of the Regional Water Authorities, in this case the North West Water Authority. This preceded the Environment Agency which came into existence in 1996.

Eden Fisheries Advisory Committee 3rd December, 1974

This is the report from the Eden Fisheries Advisory Committee meeting, which was held on the 3rd December 1974. The report looks at information on the Water Bailiffs establishment, including the organisation and the duties of both the Fisheries Inspector and the Senior Bailiff. It also includes the comments from the Regional Fisheries Officer on the report on 'Coarse Fisheries'. Also covered is the report by the Unit Fisheries Officer on fisheries activities. This includes biological work carried out including information on an invertebrate bottom sampling programme at 50 sites on the Eden and its tributaries, fish mortalities, information on the fishing of migratory fish, trout and coarse fish, hatchery work and fisheries prosecutions. The Fisheries Advisory Committee was part of the Regional Water Authorities, in this case the North West Water Authority. This preceded the Environment Agency which came into existence in 1996.

Eden & District Fisheries Advisory Committee 13th January, 1976.

This is the report from the Eden and District Fisheries Advisory Committee meeting, which was held on the 13th January 1976. The report contains information on the land drainage representation on local committees, fisheries activities report, salmon stocking on the River Eden, status of Haweswater and Castle Carrock Reservoir, fisheries byelaws, licensing provisions for the River Esk and progress made in implementing the recommendations contained in the 'Taking Stock' publication. The section on fisheries activities reported by area fisheries officers looks at fishing, spawning disease and poaching of migratory fish and coarse fishing. It also contains description of ova obtained at Holmwrange hatchery and provisions of new equipment, biological work carried on Eden and Blackrack Beck and suggestions for new fish counters and traps. The Fisheries Advisory Committee was part of the Regional Water Authorities, in this case the North West Water Authority. This preceded the Environment Agency which came into existence in 1996.

South & West Cumberland Fisheries Advisory Committee 13th January, 1975

This is the report from the South and West Cumberland Fisheries Advisory Committee meeting, which was held on the 13th January, 1975. It covers information on the proposed regional fishing licence duties, the report of the Working Party on future regional hatchery requirements, and the Unit Fisheries Officer's report on fisheries activities. This section includes biological work undertaken on Chapel House Reservoir, information on the fishing of migratory fish, trout and coarse fish, hatchery work and prosecutions. The Fisheries Advisory Committee was part of the Regional Water Authorities, in this case the North West Water Authority. This preceded the Environment Agency which came into existence in 1996.

Eden Fisheries Advisory Committee 14th January, 1975

This is the report from the Eden Fisheries Advisory Committee meeting, which was held on the 14th January, 1975. It covers information on the proposed regional fishing licence duties, and the report of the Working Party on future regional hatchery requirements, which includes sections on the future demands for migratory salmonids, brown and rainbow trout, and coarse fish plus the most effective means of meeting future demands. It also covers the Unit Fisheries Officer's report on fisheries activities. This section includes biological work undertaken on the Eden, information on the fishing of migratory fish, trout and coarse fish, hatchery work and prosecutions. The Fisheries Advisory Committee was part of the Regional Water Authorities, in this case the North West Water Authority. This preceded the Environment Agency which came into existence in 1996.

Lune, Wyre & Furness Fisheries Advisory Committee 20th January, 1975

This is the report from the Lune, Wyre and Furness Fisheries Advisory Committee meeting, which was held on the 20th January, 1975. It covers information on the proposed regional fishing licence duties, and the report of the Working Party on future regional hatchery requirements, which includes sections on the future demands for migratory salmonids, brown and rainbow trout, and coarse fish plus the most effective means of meeting future demands. It also covers the Unit Fisheries Officer's report on fisheries activities. This section includes numbers on salmon and sea trout ova which were taken to Middleton hatchery. The Fisheries Advisory Committee was part of the Regional Water Authorities, in this case the North West Water Authority. This preceded the Environment Agency which came into existence in 1996.

South Lancashire Fisheries Advisory Committee 22nd January, 1975

This is the report from the South Lancashire Fisheries Advisory Committee meeting, which was held on the 22nd January, 1975. It covers information on the proposed regional fishing licence duties, and the report of the Working Party on future regional hatchery requirements, which includes sections on the future demands for migratory salmonids, brown and rainbow trout, and coarse fish plus the most effective means of meeting future demands. It also covers the Unit Fisheries Officer's report on fisheries activities which looks at Langcliffe hatchery. The Fisheries Advisory Committee was part of the Regional Water Authorities, in this case the North West Water Authority. This preceded the Environment Agency which came into existence in 1996.

Mersey & Weaver Fisheries Advisory Committee 27th January, 1975

This is the report from the Mersey and Weaver Fisheries Advisory Committee meeting, which was held on the 27th January, 1975. It covers information on the proposed regional fishing licence duties, and the report of the Working Party on future regional hatchery requirements, which includes sections on the future demands for migratory salmonids, brown and rainbow trout, and coarse fish plus the most effective means of meeting future demands. It also covers the report by the Unit Water Quality Officer on fisheries activities, which looks at fisheries management, stocking and biological work carried out on the River Bollin, Etherow and Goyt. Information on fish toxicity tests including methods and results are also included. The Fisheries Advisory Committee was part of the Regional Water Authorities, in this case the North West Water Authority. This preceded the Environment Agency which came into existence in 1996.