ML072080194
| ML072080194 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Oyster Creek |
| Issue date: | 09/30/1999 |
| From: | Berrien P, Fahay M, Dante Johnson, Morse W US Dept of Commerce, National Marine Fisheries Service, US Dept of Commerce, National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration |
| To: | Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| Davis J NRR/DLR/REBB, 415-3835 | |
| References | |
| NMFS-NE-144 | |
| Download: ML072080194 (75) | |
Text
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NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-NE-144
'VrqTES Of Essential Fish Habitat Source Document:
Bluefish, Pomatomus saltatrix, Life History and Habitat Characteristics U. S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Marine Fisheries Service Northeast Region Northeast Fisheries Science Center Woods Hole, Massachusetts September 1999 I;/
Recent Issues 105. Review of American Lobster (Homarus americanus) Habitat Requirements and Responses to Contaminant Exposures.
ByRenee Mercaldo-Allen and Catherine A. Kuropat. July 1994. v + 52 p., 29 tables. NTIS Access. No. PB96-115555.
106. Selected Living Resources, Habitat Conditions, and Human Perturbations of the Gulf of Maine: Environmental and Ecological Considerations for Fishery Management. By Richard W. Langton, John B. Pearce, and Jon A. Gibson, eds.
August 1994. iv + 70 p., 2 figs., 6 tables. NTIS Access. No. PB95-270906.
107. Invertebrate Neoplasia: Initiation and Promotion Mechanisms -- Proceedings of an International Workshop, 23 June 1992, Washington, D.C. By A. Rosenfield, F.G. Kern, and B.J. Keller, comps. & eds. September 1994. v + 31 p., 8 figs.,
3 tables. NTIS Access. No. PB96-164801.
108. Status of Fishery Resources off the Northeastern United States for 1994. By Conservation and Utilization Division, Northeast Fisheries Science Center. January 1995. iv + 140 p., 71 figs., 75 tables. NTIS Access. No. PB95-263414..
109. Proceedings of the Symposiu m on the Potential for Development of Aquaculture in Massachusetts: 15-17 February 1995, Chatham/Edgartown/Dartmouth, Massachusetts. By Carlos A. Castro and Scott J. Soares, comps. & eds. January 1996.
v + 26 p., 1 fig., 2 tables. NTIS Access. No. PB97-103782.
110. Length-Length and Length-Weight Relationships for 13 Shark Species from the Western North Atlantic. By Nancy E.
Kohler, John G. Casey, Patricia A. Turner. May 1996. iv + 22 p., 4 figs., 15 tables. NTIS Access. No. PB97-135032.
111.
Review and Evaluation of the 1994 Experimental Fishery in Closed Area I1 on Georges Bank. By Patricia A. Gerrior, Fredric M. Serchuk, Kathleen C. Mays, John F. Kenney, and Peter D. Colosi. October 1996. v + 52 p., 24 figs., 20 tables. NTIS Access. No. PB98-119159.
112. Data Description and Statistical Summary of the 1983-92 Cost-Earnings Data Base for Northeast U.S. Commercial Fishing Vessels: A Guide to Understanding and Use of the Data Base. By Amy B. Gautam and Andrew W. Kitts. December 1996. v + 21 p., II figs., 14 tables. NTIS Access. No. PB97-169320.
113. Individual Vessel Behavior in the Northeast Otter Trawl Fleet during 1982-92. By Barbara Pollard Rountree. August 1997.
v + 50 p., I fig., 40 tables. NTIS Access. No. PB99-169997.
114. U.S. Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico Marine Mammal Stock Assessments -- 1996. By Gordon T. Waring, Debra L. Palka, Keith D. Mullin, James H.W. Hain, Larry J. Hansen, and Kathryn D. Bisack. October 1997. viii + 250 p., 42 figs., 47 tables. NTIS Access. No. PB98-I12345.
115. Status of Fishery Resources off the Northeastern United States for 1998. By Stephen H. Clark, ed. September 1998. vi
+ 149 p., 70 figs., 80 tables. NTIS Access. No. PB99-129694.
116. U.S. Atlantic Marine Mammal Stock Assessments -- 1998. By Gordon T. Waring, Debra L. Palka, Phillip J. Clapham, Steven Swartz, Marjorie C. Rossman, Timothy V.N. Cole, Kathryn D. Bisack, and Larry J. Hansen. February 1999. vii +1\\82 p., 16 figs., 56 tables. NTIS Access. No. PB99-134140.
117.
Review of Distribution of the Long-finned Pilot Whale (Globicephala melas) in the North Atlantic and Mediterranean.
By Alan A. Abend and Tim D. Smith. April 1999. vi + 22 p., 14 figs., 3 tables. NTIS Access. No. PB99-165029.
118. Tautog (Tautoga onifis) Life History and Habitat Requirements. By Frank W. Steimle and Patricia A. Shaheen. May 1999.
vi + 23 p., I fig., I table. NTIS Access. No. PB99-16501 1.
119. Data Needs for Economic Analysis of Fishery Management Regulations. By Andrew W. Kitts and Scott R. Steinback.
August 1999. iv + 48 p., 10 figs., 22 tables. NTIS Access. No. PB99-171456.
120. Marine Mammal Research Program of the Northeast Fisheries Science Center during 1990-95. By Janeen M. Quintal and Tim D. Smith. September 1999. v + 28 p., 4 tables, 4 app. NTIS Access. No. PB2000-100809.
o9 In@
NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-NE-144 b
A This series represents a secondary level of scientifiic publishing.
All issues employ
?
thorough internal scientific review; some issues employ external scientific review.
All issues may be cited in formal scientific communications.
Essential Fish Habitat Source Document:
Bluefish, Pomatomus saltatrix, Life History and Habitat Characteristics Michael P. Fahay, Peter L. Berrien, Donna L. Johnson, and Wallace W. Morse National Marine Fisheries Serv., James J. Howard Marine Sciences Lab., 74 Magruder Rd., Highlands, NJ 07732 U. S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE William Daley, Secretary National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration D. James Baker, Administrator National Marine Fisheries Service Penelope D. Dalton, Assistant Administrator for Fisheries Northeast Region Northeast Fisheries Science Center Woods Hole, Massachusetts September 1999
Editorial Notes on Issues 122-152 in the NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-NE Series Editorial Production For Issues 122-152, staff of the Northeast Fisheries Science Center's (NEFSC's) Ecosystems Processes Division have largely assumed the role of staff of the NEFSC's Editorial Office for technical and copy editing, type composition, and page layout. Other than the four covers (inside and outside, front and back) and first two preliminary pages, all preprinting editorial production has been performed by, and all credit for such production rightfully belongs to, the authors and acknowledgees of each issue, as well as those noted below in "Special Acknowledgments."
Special Acknowledgments David B. Packer, Sara J. Griesbach, and Luca M. Cargnelli coordinated virtually all aspects of the preprinting editorial production, as well as performed virtually all technical and copy editing, type composition, and page layout, of Issues 122-152. Rande R. Cross, Claire L. Steimle, and Judy D. Berrien conducted the literature searching, citation checking, and bibliographic styling for Issues 122-152. Joseph J. Vitaliano produced all of the food habits figures in Issues 122-152.
Internet Availability, Issues 122-152 are being copublished, i.e., both as paper copies and as web postings. All web postings are, or will soon be, available at: www.nefsc.nmfs.gov/nefsc/habitat/ejh. Also, allweb postings will be in "PDF" format.
Information Updating By federal regulation, all information specific to Issues 122-152 must be updated at least every five years. All official updates will appear in the web postings. Paper copies will be reissued only when and if new information associated with Issues 122-152 is significant enough to warrant a reprinting of a given issue. All updated and/orreprinted issues will retain the original issue number, but bear a "Revised (Month Year)" label.
Species Names The NMFS Northeast Region's policy on the use of species names in all technicalcommunications is generally to follow the American Fisheries Society's lists of scientific and common names for fishes (i.e., Robinsetal. 1991 1), mollusks (i.e.,
Turgeon et al. 1998b), and decapod crustaceans (i.e., Williams et al. 1989c), and to follow theSociety for Marine Mammalogy's guidance on scientific and common names for marine mammals (i.e., Rice 1998"). Exceptions to this policy occur when there are subsequent compelling revisions in the classifications of species, resulting in changes in the names of species (e.g., Cooper and Chapleau 1998e).
'Robins, C.R. (chair); Bailey, R.M.; Bond, C.E.; Brooker, JR.; Lachner, E.A.; Lea, R.N.; Scott, W.B. 199 1. Common and scientific names of fishes from the United States and Canada. 5th ed. Amer, Fish. Soc. Spec. Publ. 20; 183 p.
bTurgeon, D.D. (chair); Quinn, J.F., Jr.; Bogan, A.E.; Coan, E.V.; Hochberg, F.G.; Lyons, W.G.; Mikkelsen, P.M.; Neves, R.J.; Roper, C.F.E.;
Rosenberg, G.; Roth, B.; Scheltema, A.; Thompson, F.G.; Vecchione, M.; Williams, J.D.
1998. Common and scientific names of aquatic invertebrates from the United States and Canada: mollusks. 2nd ed. Amer. Fish. Soc. Spec. Publ. 26; 526 p.
'Williams, A.B. (chair); Abele, L.G.; Felder, D.L.; Hobbs, H.H., Jr.; Manning, R.B.; McLaughlin, P.A.; Perez Farfante, 1. 1989. Common and scientific names of aquatic invertebrates from the United States and Canada: decapod crustaceans. Amer. Fish. Soc. Spec. Pub!. 17; 77 p.
'Rice, D.W. 1998. Marine mammals of the world: systematics and distribution. Soc. Mar. Mammal. Spec. Publ. 4; 231 p.
'Cooper, J.A.; Chapleau, F. 1998. Monophyly and interrelationships of the family Pleuronectidae (Pleuronectiformes), with a revised classification.
Fish. Bull. (U.S.) 96:686-726.
Page iii FOREWORD One of the greatest long-term threats to the viability of commercial and recreational fisheries is the continuing loss of marine, estuarine, and other aquatic habitats..
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (October I1, 1996)
The long-term viability of living marine resources depends on protection of their habitat.
NMFS Strategic Plan for Fisheries Research (February 1998)
The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSFCMA), which was reauthorized and amended by the Sustainable Fisheries Act (1996),
requires the eight regional fishery management councils to describe and identify essential fish habitat (EFH) in their respective regions, to specify actions to conserve and enhance that EFH, and to minimize the adverse effects of fishing on EFH. Congress defined EFH as "those waters and substrate necessary to fish for spawning, breeding, feeding or growth to maturity."
The MSFCMA requires NMFS to assist the regional fishery management councils in the implementation of EFH in their respective fishery management plans.
NMFS has taken a broad view of habitat as the area used by fish throughout their life cycle. Fish use habitat for spawning, feeding, nursery, migration, and shelter, but most habitats provide only a subset of these functions.
Fish may change habitats with changes in life history stage, seasonal and geographic distributions, abundance, and interactions with other species. The type of habitat, as well as its attributes and functions, are important for sustaining the production of managed species.
The Northeast Fisheries Science Center compiled the available information on the distribution, abundance, and habitat requirements for each of the species managed by the New England and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Councils. That information is presented in this series of 30 EFH species reports (plus one consolidated methods report). The EFH species reports comprise a survey of the important literature as well as original analyses of fishery-JAMES J. HOWARD MARINE SCIENCES LABORATORY HIGHLANDS, NEW JERSEY
.SEPTEMBER 1999 independent data sets from NMFS and several coastal states.
The species reports are also the source for the current EFH designations by the New England and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management
- Councils, and have understandably begun to be referred to as the "EFH source documents."
NMFS provided guidance to the regional fishery management councils for identifying and describing EFH of their managed species. Consistent with this guidance, the species reports present information on current and historic stock sizes, geographic range, and the period and location of major life history stages.
The habitats of managed species are described by the physical, chemical, and biological components of the ecosystem where the species o ccur. Information on the habitat requirements is provided for each life history stage, and it includes, where available, habitat and environmental variables that control or limit distribution, abundance, growth, reproduction, mortality, and productivity.
Identifying and describing EFH are the first steps in the process of protecting, conserving, and enhancing essential habitats of the managed species.
Ultimately, NMFS, the regional fishery management councils, fishing participants, Federal and state agencies, and other organizations will have to cooperate to achieve the habitat goals established by the MSFCMA.
A historical note: the EFH species reports effectively recommence a series of reports published by the NMFS Sandy Hook (New Jersey) Laboratory (now formally known as the James J.
Howard Marine Sciences Laboratory) from 1977 to 1982.
These reports, which were formally labeled as Sandy Hook Laboratory Technical Series Reports, but informally known as "Sandy Hook Bluebooks," summarized biological and fisheries data for 18 economically important species. The fact that the bluebooks continue to be used two decades after their publication persuaded us to make their successors - the 30 EFH source documents - available to the public through publication in the NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-NE series.
JEFFREY N. CROSS, CHIEF ECOSYSTEMS PROCESSES DIVISION NORTHEAST FISHERIES SCIENCE CENTER
Page v Contents In tro d u c tio n.......................................................................................................................................................................................
n L ife H isto ry...............................................................
I H ab itat C h arac te ristics.....................................................................
3 G eo grap h ical D istrib u tio n................................................................................................................................................................
3 S ta tu s o f th e S to c k...................................................................
7 R e se arc h -N e e d s............................................................................................
7 A ck n o w led g m e n ts....................................................................................
8 R e fe re n c e s C ited...............................................................................................................................................................................
8 Tables Table 1. D ietary item s of bluefish from several study areas.....................................................................................................
12 Table 2. Summary of life history and habitat characteristics for bluefish, Pomatomus saltatrix............................................... 13 Table 3. Sampling in 1979 for bluefish larvae in the Charleston Bump area........................................................... :.................... 14 Table 4. Distribution of early life history stages of bluefish, Pomatomus saltatrix, in estuaries from Maine to Florida......
15 Table 5. Unpublished records of juvenile bluefish in waters of coastal Maine.......................................................................
17 Figures Figure 1. The adult bluefish, Pomatomus saltatrix (from Goode 1884).................................................................................
19 Figure 2. The pelagic juvenile bluefish, 24.3 mm SL (from Able and Fahay 1998)................................................................
20 Figure 3. Distribution and abundance of bluefish eggs collected during MARMAP surveys in the Mid-Atlantic Bight............. 21 Figure 4. Abundance of bluefish eggs relative to water temperature and depth based on Mid-Atlantic Bight surveys........... 23 Figure 5. Distribution and abundance of bluefish larvae collected in the Mid-Atlantic Bight and South Atlantic Bight............. 24 Figure 6. Distribution and abundance of bluefish larvae collected with a bongo net in the South Atlantic Bight...................
25 Figure 7. Distribution and abundance of bluefish larvae collected in a neuston net in the South Atlantic Bight.................... 27 Figure 8. Distribution and abundance of bluefish larvae collected during MARMAP surveys in the Mid-Atlantic Bight........... 29 Figure 9. Abundance of bluefish larvae relative to water temperature and depth based on Mid-Atlantic Bight surveys.............. 32 Figure 10. Reported occurrences of juvenile bluefish along the east coast of the United States (Clark 1973)..........................
33 Figure 11. Abundance (number/tow) of young-of-the-year bluefish in seine and trawl surveys by state and by year............... 34 Figure 12. Distribution and abundance of juvenile and adult bluefish collected in Massachusetts coastal waters.................... 35 Figure 13. Abundance of juvenile/adult bluefish relative to water temperature and depth based on Massachusetts surveys......... 37 Figure 14. Distribution and abundance of juvenile and adult bluefish collected in Narragansett Bay.......................................
38 Figure 15. Seasonal length frequency distributions of bluefish collected in Narragansett Bay during Rhode Island surveys........ 40 Figure 16. Seasonal abundance of juvenile/adult bluefish relative to temperature/depth based on Rhode Island surveys............. 41 Figure 17. Distribution, abundance, and length frequency distributions 'of bluefish in Long Island Sound..................... 43 Figure 18. Abundance of bluefish relative to water temperature based on Connecticut trawl surveys in Long Island Sound........ 44 Figure 19. Seasonal distribution and abundance of juvenile and adult bluefish collected in the Hudson-Raritan estuary............. 45 Figure 20. Abundance of juvenile/adult bluefish relative to environmental variables based on Hudson-Raritan surveys.............. 47 Figure 21. Distribution and abundance of bluefish in the South Atlantic Bight collected during SEAMAP trawl surveys........... 48 Figure 22. Length frequency distribution of bluefish in the South Atlantic Bight collected during SEAMAP trawl surveys........ 49 Figure 23. Monthly distribution, abundance, and length frequency distribution of bluefish in the South Atlantic Bight......
50 Figure 24. Seasonal length frequency distributions used to determine bluefish size and age cutoffs in NEFSC trawl surveys...... 52 Figure 25. Distribution and abundance of bluefish collected off the east coast of the U.S. during NEFSC trawl surveys............. 53 Figure 26. Distribution and abundance of bluefish collected off the east coast during winter NEFSC trawl surveys................. 7..54 Figure 27. Length frequency distribution of bluefish caught in the winter off North Carolina during winter...........................
55 Figure 28. Distribution and abundance of four size.classes of bluefish collected off the east coast during spring surveys............ 56 Figure 29. Abundance of large and small bluefish relative to water temperature and depth based on spring NEFSC surveys.
57 Figure 30. Distribution and abundance of four size classes of bluefish collected off the east coast during summer surveys......... 59 Figure 31. Distribution and abundance of four size classes of bluefish collected off the east coast during fall surveys........... 60 Figure 32. Abundance of YOY and age 1+ bluefish relative to water temperature and depth based on fall NEFSC surveys........ 61
Page vi Figure 33. Commercial landings, spawning stock biomass, and CPUE for bluefish along the east coast of the United States...... 63 Figure 34. Distribution/abundance of juvenile/adult bluefish during high and low abundance periods from autumn surveys...... 64 Appendices A p p e n d ix I..............................
65.......................................
6 5
Page 1 INTRODUCTION The bluefish, Pomatomus saltatrix (Figure 1), ranges in the western North Atlantic from Nova Scotia and Bermuda to Argentina, but it is rare between southern Florida and northern South America (Robins et al. 1986).
They travel in schools of like-sized individuals and undertake seasonal migrations, moving into the Middle Atlantic Bight (MAB) during spring and south or farther offshore during fall. Within the MAB they occur in large bays and estuaries as well as across the entire continental shelf.
Juvenile stages have been recorded from all estuaries surveyed within the MAB, but eggs and larvae occur in oceanic waters (Able and Fahay 1998). Bluefish
- growth rates are fast and they may reach a length of 1.1 m (3.5 ft) and a weight of 12.3 kg (27 lbs) (Bigelow and Schroeder 1953). They may live to age 12.
A bimodal size distribution of young-of-the-year (YOY) bluefish during the summer in the New York Bight suggests that there are two spawning events along the east coast. Recent studies suggest that spawning is a single, continuous event, but that young are lost from the middle portion resulting in the appearance of a split season. As a result of the bimodal size distribution of juveniles, young are referred to as the spring-spawned cohort or summer-spawned cohort in the 'habitat discussion and distribution maps presented below.
LIFE HISTORY EGGS Eggs from the MAB are pelagic and spherical with a diameter of 0.95-1.00 mm.
They have a smooth, transparent shell and a homogeneous yolk. The single oil globule is 0.26-0.29 mm in diameter and the perivitelline space is narrow (Fahay 1983). Incubation times depend on temperature. At I 8.0-22.2"C, hatching occurs after 46-48 h (Deuel et al. 1966). Eggs from the South Atlantic Bight (SAB) have not been described.
LARVAE AND PELAGIC-JUVENILES Larvae are 2.0-2.4 mm long when they hatch; the eyes are unpigmented and the mouth parts are undeveloped.
Characteristic pigment includes parallel lines of melanophores along the dorsal fin base, body midline, and anal fin base. Teeth are well developed at 4.3 mm and fin rays are complete at a size of about 13-14 mm (Fahay 1983).
Larvae rarely occur deeper in the water column than 15 m; most are concentrated at a depth of about 4 m during the day, but they are about equally distributed between that depth and the surface at night (Kendall and Naplin 1981). The bluefish transforms from a larva to a "pelagic-juvenile" stage that is specially adapted for an oceanic, near-surface existence after completion of fin ray development (Figure 2).
This specialized stage is characterized by a silvery, laterally compressed body, with dark blue counter-coloration on the dorsum.
This transition occurs at an age of 18-25 d and at a size of 10-12 mm SL (Hare and Cowen 1994). Scales begin to form at about 12 mm on the posterior part of the lateral line region, then proceed forward, until the head is completely scaled at about 37 mm (Silverman 1975).
Swimming ability in many fish species dramatically improves during this transformation (e.g. Hunter 1981; Stobutzki and Bellwood 1994; Leis et al. 1996) and this improvement presumably applies to bluefish as well. It is during this stage that bluefish arrive at nursery areas in the central part of the MAB, after advection via the Gulf Stream from spawning areas in the SAB and after crossing the Slope Sea (Hare and Cowen 1996; Hare et al., in prep.) and the continental shelf (Cowen et al. 1993).
This transport (active or passive) is crucial to the recruitment of these progeny to vital estuarine nursery areas, and therefore this life history stage might be considered a critical bottleneck.
JUVENILES (INCLUDING YOUNG-OF-THE-YEAR)
Juveniles have a usual fish shape without unusual features.
The caudal fin is forked and the body is somewhat laterally compressed, with a
- silvery, unpatterned color. The mouth is large and oblique and all fin spines are strong. Two distinct dorsal fins touch at their bases; the second dorsal fin is about the same length as the anal fin base (Able and Fahay 1998). The spring-spawned cohort is 60-76 d old with a mean size of 60 mm when they recruit to estuarine habitats in the MAB in late May to mid-June (McBride and Conover 1991; Cowen et al. 1993). The summer-spawned cohort either remains in coastal nursery areas (Kendall and Walford 1979; Able and Fahay 1998) or enters estuarine nurseries in mid-to late August when they are 33-47 d old with a mean length of 46 mm (McBride and Conover 1991).
Juveniles of both cohorts depart MAB estuaries and coastal areas in October and migrate to waters south of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. At this time, members of both cohorts range from 4 to 24 cm long (Able and Fahay 1998).
During most years, the spring-spawned cohort dominates in the emigrating young-of-the-year.
ADULTS Adult bluefish are blue-green above, silvery below, moderately stout-bodied, and armed with stout teeth along both jaws. The snout is pointed and the mouth is large and oblique. The caudal fin is large and forked. The fin ray formulae are first dorsal: 7-9 spines; second dorsal: 1
Page 2 spine and 23-26 rays; anal: 2-3 spines and 25-28 rays.
Vertebrae number 26. The maximum length is about 115 cm and maximum weights are 4.5-6.8 kg, although an occasional heavier fish has been taken. The maximum age is 12 years.
The sex ratio is 1:1 for all age groups (Boreman 1982), although Lassiter (1962) reported a ratio
-of two females per male in North Carolina and Hamer (1959) found a ratio of three females to two males in New Jersey.
REPRODUCTION A seminal study, based largely on the distribution of eggs and larvae, concluded that there were two discrete spawning events in western Atlantic bluefish. The first occurs during March-May near the edge of the continental shelf of the SAB. The second occurs between June and August in the MAB (Kendall and Walford 1979). Recent studies have re-examined this conclusion and refined our knowledge of a complex reproductive pattern, and support the concept of a single, migratory spawning stock (Hare
,and Cowen 1993; Smith et al. 1994).
Sexual maturity and gonad ripening occur in early spring off Florida, early summer off North Carolina, and late summer off New York (Hare and Cowen 1993). In the New York Bight, gonadosomatic studies indicate that both sexes are ripe or ripening between June and September with a strong peak in July (Chiarella and Conover 1990).
Larvae re-occur in the SAB in the fall (Collins and Stender 1987) and there are also indications that gonads reach a second peak in ripeness in fishes off Florida in September. Most bluefish are mature by age 2 (Detiel 1964). It is not known whether individuals spawn serially or what the contributions of individuals are to observed spawning patterns of the population.
In South Africa, individuals may spawn repeatedly over a period of 5-6 months (Van der Elst 1976), but there is no comparable information for the U.S. population.
FOOD HABITS During their oceanic larval stage, bluefish primarily consume copepods. Fishes begin to be included in their diet at sizes of 30 mm, and by 40 mm, fishes are the major diet item. Soon after this shift in diet, juveniles migrate inshore to occupy estuarine habitats (Marks and Conover
- 1993).
The results of several studies suggest that bluefish juveniles and adults eat whatever taxa are locally abundant (Table I).
The components of young-of-the-year bluefish diet in Sandy Hook Bay, New Jersey and the effects of those components on condition were studied over a three-year period (Friedland et al. 1988). Fishes dominated the diet during 1981, *while crustaceans and polychaetes were more important during 1983 and 1984.
Weight-length relationships indicated that weight at length was significantly greater in 1981 than in the other two years.
Thus, not only does the quality of diet differ between estuaries, but the method of foraging may also differ; more benthic foraging was evident in bluefish from Sandy Hook Bay than in bluefish sampled in estuaries in Delaware (Grant 1962) and North Carolina (Lassiter 1962).
Depending on age class, diets might change*
through a season. In Chesapeake Bay, diets of three age classes differed through the summer (Table 1), but all three concentrated on Brevoortia tyrannus in the fall (Hartman and Brandt 1995a, b).
PREDATION Sharks, tunas, and billfishes are the only predators large and fast enough to prey on adult bluefish. They are a major component in the diet of shortfin mako shark, composing 77.5% of the diet by volume (Stillwell and Kohler 1982).
This study, estimated that this shark may consume between 4.3 and 14.5% of the bluefish resource between Georges Bank and Cape Hatteras. Bluefish also ranked fourth in number and occurrence and third in volume in swordfish diets, especially off the Carolinas (Stillwell and Kohler 1985). -Blue sharks and sandbar sharks also prey on bluefish (Kohler 1988; Medved et al.
1985).
Young-of-the-year are preyed upon by four oceanic bird species, the Atlantic puffin, Arctic tern, common tern, and roseate tern (Creaser and Perkins 1994; Safina et al. 1990).
Cannibalism has only rarely been reported, but occurs in age I and older year classes in North Carolina (Lassiter 1962), and bluefish compose a minor component of the diet of larger bluefish collected during Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC) bottom trawl surveys on the continental shelf (NEFSC, unpublished data).
MIGRATIONS' Bluefish are warm water migrants and do not occur in MAB waters at temperatures < 14-16'C (Bigelow and Schroeder 1953). They generally move north in spring-summer to centers of abundance in the New York Bight and southern New England and south in autumn-winter to the waters in the SAB as far as southeastern Florida.
There is a trend for larger individuals to occur farther north during the summer (Wilk 1977). Anecdotal reports suggest that larger adults truncate their southward migration and spend the winter on the outer part of the continental shelf of the MAB.
One report witnessed a single fish landed from about 100 m deep off Martha's Vineyard during mid-January 1950 and several hauls of 80-640 kg from the vicinity of Hudson Canyon during early February of the same year (Bigelow and Schroeder 1953). Another study simply reported "boats engaged in
Page 3 the winter trawl fishery. for fluke and scup along the outer margin of the continental shelf often bring in a few bluefish" (Hamer 1959).
.These reports have been perpetuated since.(Lund 1961; Miller 1969; Lund and Maltezos 1970; Hardy 1978). However, recent winter trawl surveys do not indicate, nor are fisheries or other data available to support,' the presence of bluefish in the MAB during winter, except for a few occurrences near the shelf edge off Cape Hatteras (see Geographical Distribution).
STOCK STRUCTURE The bluefish is presently managed as a single stock (MAFMC 1997). Although there is evidence of separate spawning events (see Reproduction), fish from these spawning groups mix extensively during their lives, and recent conclusions have ascertained that bluefish year classes are composed of seasonal cohorts (Chiarella and Conover 1990).
Recent studies have re-examined this conclusion and refined our knowledge of a complex reproductive pattern, supporting the concept of a single, migratory spawning stock (Hare and Cowen 1993; Smith et al. 1994). A mitochondrial DNA study of spring-and summer-spawned bluefish also concluded that bluefish along the east coast of the United States comprise a single genetic stock (Graves et al. 1992).
HABITAT CHARACTERISTICS The habitat characteristics for eggs, larvae, pelagic-juveniles, juveniles, and adults based on results of this compendium and pertinent published reports are presented in Table 2. Included are observations of habitat use by young-of-the-year in estuaries. When studies of juvenile abundance have been related to environmental variables, such as eelgrass presence/absence or a substrate type, they have usually been conducted with seines where catch-per-unit-of-effort is difficult to establish.
Comparing the results of these studies between locations is usually not possible, and further details of essential habitats are therefore not yet ayailable. Appendix I contains more complete data from various studies reported in the literature.
EGGS In the MAB, bluefish eggs are found in the open ocean at temperatures 18-22TC and salinities > 31.0 ppt.
Peak spawning occurs in the evening (Norcross et al.
.1974).
Eggs in the southern part of the MAB may be advected south and offshore (Norcross et al. 1974).
LARVAE AND PELAGIC-JUVENILES Larvae in the MAB occur in open oceanic waters, near the edge of the continental shelf in the southern Bight and over mid-shelf depths farther north (Norcross et al.
1974; Kendall and Walford 1979). Most larvae occur in temperatures of 18-24'C and salinities of 30-32 ppt. They migrate vertically in the water column, occurring near the surface at night, but centered at about 4 m during daylight (Kendall and Naplin 1981). Larvae spawned in the SAB (spring-spawned cohort) are subject to advection north via the Gulf Stream (Hare and Cowen 1996; Kendall and Walford 1979), but some recruit successfully to estuaries in the SAB (Collins and Stender 1987; McBride et al.
1993).
The transport of pelagic-juveniles was outlined by Kendall and Walford (1979) and elaborated by Hare and Cowen (1996).
Many are found in the vicinity of Cape Hatteras as early as April.
In May, several have been collected on the shelf in the SAB (Fahay 1975; Kendall and Walford 1979).
By June, they occur in the MAB between the shore and the shelf/slope front, actively crossing the shelf (Hare and Cowen 1996). In both the SAB and MAB, there is a strong negative correlation between fish size and depth indicating an offshore origin and onshore migration with growth.
JUVENILES (INCLUDING YOUNG-OF-THE-YEAR)
Juveniles occur in estuaries, bays, and the coastal ocean of the MAB and SAB, where they are less common.
They occur in many habitats, but do not use the marsh surface. The range of.physical and structural conditions in which they are found is summarized in Table 2. Juveniles begin to depart MAB..estuaries in October and migrate south to spend the winter months south of Cape Hatteras.
ADULTS Adult bluefish occur in the open ocean, large embayments, and most estuarine systems within their range.
Although they occur in a' wide range 'of hydrographic conditions, they prefer warmer temperatures and are not found in the MAB when temperatures decline below 14-16TC.
See Table 2 for a summary of habitat requirements of adult bluefish.
GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION EGGS Spring-spawned cohort: The spring spawning occurs near the edge of the continental shelf in the SAB.
Page 4, However, bluefish eggs have not been collected or identified from this region.
Summer-spawned cohort: Eggs were collected from May to August over the MAB continental shelf during the NEFSC Marine Resources Monitoring, Assessment and Prediction (MARMAP) program surveys [see Reid et al.
(1999) for methods]. Bluefish eggs were most abundant in July (Figure 3):
Eggs were distributed near Cape Hatteras in May and their occurrences expanded rapidly northward during the summer.
In July, eggs were distributed as far as southern New England waters with a center of abundance off Delaware Bay and New Jersey (Berrien and Sibunka 1999).
Eggs were not collected after August.
Bluefish eggs do.not occur in estuarine waters.
During the NEFSC MARMAP surveys, eggs occurred across the entire shelf, but were most concentrated in mid-shelf depths (Berrien and Sibunka 1999).
In another study, most (80%) eggs collected off the Chesapeake Bay mouth were > 55 km from shore (Norcross et al. 1974).
Most eggs were collected at surface temperatures between 17 and 23TC, and over depths of 30 to 70 m (Figure 4).
LARVAE The distribution of all larvae collected in the MAB
,and SAB is shown in Figure 5. There has been a critical lack of sampling in the area immediately south of Cape Hatteras.
Spring-spawned cohort: Our understanding of the distribution of larvae in the SAB (corresponding to the spring-spawned cohort) is limited.
The NEFSC MARMAP ichthyoplankton program sampled there from 1973 through 1980; bluefish larvae generally were collected in low densities, both in water column sampling with bongo nets (Figure 6) or Isaacs-Kidd midwater trawls (Table 3), and at the surface with two types of neuston net (Figure 7).
Most larvae occurred near the 200 m depth contour, placing them close to the Gulf. Stream and presumably enhancing their chances of advection to the north as proposed by Kendall and Walford (1979), Powles (1981),
and Hare and Cowen (1993, 1996).
The collection of bluefish eggs in April and May is consistent with back-calculated birth dates determined from estuarine recruits in the New York Bight (NYB) (see Juveniles).
The densest concentrations of larvae in NEFSC MARMAP cruises in the SAB occurred over the outer half of the continental shelf during April and May.
Currents there flow toward the northeast and are affected by the Gulf Stream (Lee and Atkinson 1983), while on the inner shelf, wind-driven currents are important in affecting the drift of larvae (Powles 1981; Lee and Atkinson 1983).
A secondary concentration of larvae was detected during late summer/early fall of one year (1976) and may indicate the existence of an isolated spawning event (Figure 6).
During. 1979, all sampling was done by. Isaacs-Kidd midwater trawl and was restricted to the shelf area near Charleston, South Carolina between February and August (Table 3). Larvae were collected with this gear in low densities between February and mid-May; two tows in April yielded somewhat higher densities.
Summer-spawned cohort: The distribution of larvae in the MAB is similar to that of the eggs (Figure 8).
Larvae < 11 mm (the size when they become pelagic-juveniles) first occur near Cape Hatteras and along the shelf edge in the Wilmington Canyon area during May, and are present through the summer in increasing numbers throughout the southern and central parts of the MAB.
Although larvae are only rarely collected in estuarine waters, they have been reported from a few large systems in the MAB, including one larva, one occurrence in Narragansett Bay (Herman 1963) and several estuaries in New York/New Jersey (Table 4).
During June, peak larval abundance occurs between Cape Hatteras and Chesapeake Bay and off New Jersey.
Larvae are most dense in the central part of the MAB in July and remain dense during August.
Few larvae occur in the MAB during September.
Larvae rarely occur deeper in the water column than 15 m and most are concentrated at a depth of about 4 m during the day, but are about equally distributed between that depth and the surface at night.
Neuston sampling, therefore, is likely to drastically undersample bluefish when done during the day.
In NEFSC MARMAP sampling, larvae occurred across the entire shelf but were most concentrated in mid-shelf depths.
Most larvae were collected at surface temperatures between 17' and 26°C and over water depths of 30 to 70 m (Figure 9).
PELAGIC-JUVENILES (LARVAL TO JUVENILE TRANSITION)
There are no available data that adequately describe the distribution of this transformation stage in bluefish life history, however, limited observations have been made in the NYB (Shima 1989; Hare and Cowen 1996). These observations support the view that temperatures below 13-I5BTC impede the progress of this stage into MAB estuaries.
In early June, these pelagic-juveniles mass at the shelf-slope temperature front, and resume their inshore migration when that front dissipates (Hare and Cowen 1996).
JUVENILES It is presently unknown if bluefish are "estuarine dependant" since the distribution of juveniles over the continental shelf has not been described. The distribution and relative abundance of juveniles has been documented for estuaries along the east coast of the United States (Table 4) and for estuaries in Maine (Table 5).
Page 5 A survey of juvenile bluefish published in the early.
1970s (Clark 1973) noted that their distribution differed from historical observations (Figure 10).
Bluefish were not observed south of Daytona Beach through the 1970s, although juveniles were reported from estuaries as far south as Palm Beach, Florida in the early part of the century (Evermann and Bean 1898; Nichols 1913). This author also suggested that the apparent high densities of juveniles in certain regions (e.g., New Jersey and South Carolina) were due to greater sampling effort. Remaining enigmatic occurrences include those in the freshwaters of the upper Chesapeake Bay (Mansueti 1955; Lund 1961),
although the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal may play a role in their presence there.
Several young-of-the-year surveys (or surveys that adequately sample young stages) are conducted within MAB states (Figure 11).
Several caveats pertaining to these results prevent these state data from being compared directly.
Some surveys are conducted throughout the year, while others are limited in their seasonal extent, and the resultant densities are therefore unequal. Although all results are expressed as "number per tow," tow lengths and gear characteristics vary between states, and thus the basis for this number can be unequal.
Finally, the definition of "juvenile" can vary between states; in some cases, it is based solely on length frequency distributions, in some cases it is based on an arbitrary length cutoff. In most states, all fish < 30 cm are considered juveniles, although in the Chesapeake Bay region, some of these could be age 1+ if they were collected early in the year (Munch 1997).
Despite these caveats, certain trends are evident in the data. There are signs of strong year classes in each state data set, but these do not necessarily match temporally. In general, abundances are greater in states between Rhode Island and New Jersey, and considerably lower in states in the southern part of the MAB, further emphasizing the importance of the former.
Massachusetts Trawl Survey Juvenile bluefish are collected in twice-yearly otter trawl sampling in nearshore waters of Massachusetts [see Reid et al. (1999) for details].
Juveniles are not found during spring, but are more abundant during fall (Figure 12); most positive collections occur in embayments south of Cape Cod. In the fall, juveniles occur in the warmest bottom water temperatures and occur most commonly at the shallowest stations (Figure 13).
Rhode Island Trawl Survey, Narragansett Bay Juveniles were collected during summer and autumn in a survey of Narragansett Bay (Figures 14, 15) [see Reid et al. (1999) for details]. Most were collected in depths of 6-15 m and at bottom water temperatures of 17-22'C (Figure 16).
Connecticut Trawl Survey, Long Island Sound Young-of-the-year appear during June and by mid-August, they compose 93% of the bluefish catches in Long Island Sound (Figure 17) [see Reid et al. (1999) for details]. Abundance is highest during mid-summer on the Connecticut side of the sound in depths < 18 m, but adults are more widespread than juveniles (Figure 18).
Peak abundance is reached during September when bluefish (94% juveniles) are found throughout the sound. Juvenile abundance is highest in depths of 9-27 m over mud bottoms in three areas: 1) the Connecticut side from New Haven to Norwalk; 2) across the Western Basin into Smithtown Bay; and 3) across the.Central Basin from New Haven to Mattituck. Abundance decreases rapidly after September and juveniles appear to depart before adults.
NEFSC Hudson-Raritan Trawl Survey Most bluefish collected in the Hudson-Raritan estuary and Sandy Hook Bay trawl survey are juveniles (< 35 cm)
[see Reid et al. (1999) for details].
There are no occurrences during winter and only a few adults are collected during spring (Figure 19).. During summer and fall, juveniles occur throughout the area in all depths sampled, at bottom temperatures between 12 and 24'C (Figure 20).
The largest collections were made near navigation channels or in a basin near Graves End Bay.
SEAMAP Trawl Survey, South Atlantic Bight The Southeast Area Monitoring and Assessment Program (SEAMAP) surveys sampled the coastal region between Cape Hatteras, North Carolina and Cape Canaveral, Florida [see Reid et al. (1999) for details].
After an initial several years when gear and methods were not standardized, methodology became synoptic and standardized between 1990 and 1996 (Beatty and Boylan 1997; Boylan et al. 1998). Bluefish collected during the latter survey period are shown in Figure 21.
Length frequencies of these collections indicate most were young-of-the-year or age.1 (Figure 22).
Information on distributions over the offshore portions of the SAB shelf are lacking for any size class. Monthly occurrences of these bluefish are shown in Figure 23.
Occurrences decrease during spring, are at low levels during summer, and increase during October beginning in the northern
Page 6 part of the bight,. which suggests an influx of migrating young-of-the-year from the MAB.
ADULTS Massachusetts Trawl Survey Adult bluefish are collected in twice-yearly otter trawl sampling in nearshore waters of Massachusetts.
During spring, a few large adults are sometimes found in the vicinity of Nantucket and Vineyard
- sounds, when juveniles are not found (Figure 12). Both juveniles and adults are more abundant during fall when most collections occurred in embayments south of Cape Cod (Figure 12).
Adults in spring and fall occur over the warmest bottom water temperatures and most commonly in the shallowest stations (Figure 13).
Rhode Island Trawl Survey, Narragansett Bay Adults were rarely collected during summer and, autumn in a survey of Narragansett Bay (Figures 14, 15).
Most were collected in depths of 6-21 m (summer) and 9-43 m (autumn) and at bottom water temperatures of 15-26"C (summer) and 17-2 1 C (autumn) (Figure 16).
Connecticut Trawl Survey, Long Island Sound Bluefish adults begin to appear in Long Island Sound during May (Figure 17) when temperature preferences are 9-18'C (Figure 18).
Abundance is highest during mid-summer on the Connecticut side of the sound in depths <
18 m and adults are more widespread than juveniles. Peak
'abundance is reached during September when bluefish (94%
juveniles) are found throughout the sound.
Abundance decreases rapidly after September and juveniles appear to depart before adults.
NEFSC Hudson-Raritan Trawl Survey Most bluefish collected in Hudson-Raritan estuary and Sandy Hook Bay are juveniles (< 35 cm). There are no occurrences during winter and only a few adults are collected during spring (Figure 19).
Their collections relative to bottom temperature, depth, dissolved oxygen, and salinity are shown in Figure 20.
JUVENILES AND ADULTS NEFSC Trawl Surveys Bluefish are migratory and their distribution varies seasonally and according to age and size of individuals composing schools. Length frequencies of trawl-collected bluefish were examined to determine age and size composition of catches in the NEFSC bottom trawl survey (Figure 24). Modes were separable into spawning cohorts and year classes based on published studies and are the bases for the distribution maps (Figures 25-32).
The distribution of all lengths during all seasons (Figure 25) indicates that bluefish occur most densely along the coast of the MAB and through the central part of Georges Bank, although these results may reflect the increased efficiency of the trawl in shallower waters.
Winter occurrences are limited to the outer continental shelf near Cape Hatteras and these few occurrences are larger fish (Figures 26, 27).
Spring collections include spring-spawned young-of-the-year off North Carolina, spring-spawned age I restricted to coastal areas south of Cape Hatteras, age 2 individuals along the continental shelf edge off North Carolina, and older year classes distributed between Cape Hatteras and the offing of the Delmarva Peninsula (Figure 28). The distributions of <
30 cm and > 30 cm bluefish relative to depths and temperatures sampled during these spring surveys are shown in Figure 29.
Summer surveys collected several age
- classes, including summer-spawned young-of-the-year in the New York Bight; spring-spawned young-of-the-year widely distributed along the coast between New York and Cape Hatteras; age I fish, especially off North Carolina, but also in the Chesapeake Bay region; and older year classes, mostly over Georges Bank (Figure 30).
Fall surveys are most important for measuring relative year-class strength.
Young-of-the-year of both spring-and summer-spawned cohorts and age 1 individuals are abundant along the coast between Long Island and Cape Hatteras.
Older year-classes are more abundant in southern New England and Georges Bank waters (Figure 31). When ail lengths are considered, there is a trend for bluefish to occur on the warmest stations sampled (Figure 32). However, this trend is most pronounced for young-of-the-year when they are separated from older year classes. The relative occurrences of all year classes by bottom depths closely mirror the distribution of depths sampled (Figure 32).
All age classes, in combined spring and fall surveys, were collected mostly over depths < 20 m. They were collected at warmer temperatures during spring surveys, but showed little preference for temperatures during fall surveys.
Page 7 STATUS OF THE STOCK Population fluctuations have been common in the western Atlantic bluefish population since colonial times.
Wide swings in abundance occurred between the 1600s and the 1950s (Bigelow and Schroeder 1953). In recent years, the.total catch of bluefish (commercial landings plus recreational catches) peaked in the late 1970s and early 1980s and has declined since (Figure 33).
Commercial landings decreased about 22% between 1994 and 1995.
During 1982-1996, age I fishing mortality increased approximately
- fourfold, recruitment has declined from an estimated 75 million fish at age 0 to about 14 million fish, and estimates of the spawning stock biomass have decreased from about 300,000 mt to 100+
mt (Stock Assessment Review Committee, Coastal Pelagic Subcommittee 1996).
There is little difference in the distribution of adults between a period of relatively high population abundance (1980-1982) and a period of low abundance (1994-1996)
(Figure 34).
However, the same comparison of the distribution of young-of-the-year indicates a decline in abundance in the southern part of the MAB. Whether this is due to year-class failure in estuaries of that region, or reflects a lack of pelagic-juvenile recruitment to those estuaries, is unknown.
RESEARCH NEEDS LIFE HISTORY AND BIOLOGY We lack information on the reproductive biology of bluefish. Observed patterns of spawning may be based on the population level rather than on information on individual reproductive traits. We presently do not know whether individuals spawn serially, and if so, how many times they are capable of spawning in a year. We also do not know if these reproductive characteristics vary with age. It is apparent that more study of the distribution of older stages needs to be correlated with spawning events.
Since bluefish school in like-sized (and supposedly like-aged) groups, we need to know what groups are where and when, and how those aggregations are associated with the observed densities of eggs. Simply describing how many spawning events are occurring can not solve the issue of the number of manageable stocks.
Our understanding of the "pelagic-juvenile" stage is limited despite its obvious importance. We need to better understand the details of transport mechanisms that provide progeny of reproduction in the SAB to nurseries in the MAB. Increased sampling of the neuston or near-surface layers of the ocean between production areas and estuarine nursery areas, associated with appropriate oceanographic observations, would provide much-needed insight into factors affecting transport and estuarine recruitment.
There has been a tight correlation between population size and the contribution of the spring-spawned cohort to fall trawl collections in the last three decades.
Yet our knowledge of reproduction in the SAB is limited to a brief, under-sampled period in the 1970s when the population was at a relatively low level of abundance.
Furthermore, larvae produced in June in the southern part of the MAB appear not to survive [unless recruits to Maine estuaries result from this output, see Creaser and Perkins (1994)], the fate of the remaining MAB summer offspring remains enigmatic, and the relative contribution of this summer-spawned cohort to year-class success would seem to be negligible.
There is some evidence for spawning during the fall in the Cape Canaveral region of Florida that appears to be discrete, rather than a continuation of spawning in the MAB.
This evidence has been demonstrated in this document with larval occurrences and a disjunct autumn distribution. of fishes between 26 and 40 cm. Hare and Cowen (1993) present gonadosomatic data that suggest the same thing.
Admittedly, some of this 'evidence is weak and based on incomplete sampling, and should be improved to determine the origin of these spawning fish, the magnitude of spawning, and the fate of any progeny.
HABITAT REQUIREMENTS It is obvious from a review of the literature that we lack data to address the habitat issue at Tier 3 (habitat-specific
- growth, reproduction, and survival rates).
Assessing how characteristics of habitat might affect the quality of young-of-the-year is therefore not feasible.
Results of biological sampling, in estuaries or continental shelf waters, only rarely report specific characteristics of sampling sites.
Therefore, data accruing from these studies are likely to be limited to "presence/absence" value only.
According to Miller (1984): "We need a reasonable schema of estuaries, emphasizing the factors that have the most significance to the fish. Unfortunately, the necessary physical data are often lacking for an accurate characterization.
Many are also temporally unstable.
Not even our attempts to classify estuaries recognize their dynamic nature...we need more complete descriptions of how biologically relevant abiotic factors within estuaries affect biologically relevant scales of time and space. Without this, we cannot hope to untangle the biological processes or to compare results from different estuaries.
Biologists need to involve more physical oceanographers and meteorologists in our research."
Clearly, in the future, more attention to details of collecting sites needs to be paid, and habitat research supported, such that the linkages between habitat quality and year class success can be made.
There are lingering conclusions that the summer-spawned cohort in the MAB uses nearshore coastal zones as nurseries, more so than estuaries. To some extent, this
Page 8 view may be based on the relative paucity of this cohort compared to the spring-spawned cohort in estuaries.
Increased sampling of the near-coastal environment with appropriate gear should be encouraged to assess the relative value of this region.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The author thanks L. Cargnelli and S. Griesbach for transforming the drafts into publication format.
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Recruitment of bluefish Pomatomus saltatrix to estuaries of the U.S. South Atlantic Bight. Fish. Bull.
(U.S.) 91: 389-395.
McBride, R.S., M.D. Scherer, and J.C. Powell. 1995.
Correlated variations in abundance, size, growth, and loss rates of age-0 bluefish in a southern New England estuary. Trans. Am. Fish. Soc. 124: 898-9 10.
Medved, R.J., C.E. Stillwell, and J.J. Casey. 1985.
Stomach contents of young sandbar
- sharks, Carcharhinus plumbeus, in Chincoteague
- Bay, Virginia. Fish. Bull. (U.S.) 83: 395-402.
Page 10 Miller, J.M. 1984. Habitat choices in estuarine fish: Do they have any? In B.J. Copeland et al. eds. Research for managing the nation's estuaries: proceedings of a conference in Raleigh, North Carolina, March 13-15, 1984. p. 337-352. University of North Carolina, Sea Grant College Publication UNC-SG-84-08. North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC.
Miller, R.V.
1969. Continental migrations of fishes.
Underwater Nat. 6(l): 15-23.
Milstein, C.B., D.L. Thomas and Associates.
1977.
Summary of ecological studies for 1972-1975 in the bays and other waterways near Little Egg Inlet and in the ocean in the vicinity of the proposed site for the Atlantic generating
- station, New Jersey.
Ichthyological Associates Bull.
No.
18.
Ichthyological Associates Inc., Ithaca, NY. 757 p.
Munch, S.B. 1997. Recruitment dynamics of bluefish, Pomatomus saltatrix, on the continental shelf from Cape Fear to Cape Cod, 1973-1995. M.S. thesis,
.State University of New York at Stony Brook. Stony Brook, NY. 127 p.
Nelson, D.M. and M.E. Monaco. 1994. Distribution and abundance~of fishes and invertebrates in the southeast estuaries. ELMR Rep. No. 9. NOAA/NOS Strategic Environmental Assessments Division, Silver Spring, MD. 167 p.
Nichols, J.T. 1913. Concerning young bluefish. Trans.
Am. Fish. Soc. 43: 169-172.
Norcross, J.J., S.L. Richardson, W.H. Massmann, and E.B. Joseph. 1974. Development of young bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix) and distribution of eggs and young in Virginian coastal waters. Trans. Am. Fish.
Soc. 103(3): 477-497.
Nyman, R.M. and D.O. Conover. 1988. The relation between spawning season and the recruitment of young-of-the-year bluefish, Pomatomus saltatrix, to New York. Fish. Bull. (U.S.) 86(2): 237-250.
Olla, B.L. and A.L. Studholme. 1971. The effect of temperature on the activity of bluefish Pornatomus saltatrix L. Biol. Bull. (Woods Hole). 141(2):
337-349.
Olla, B.L., A.L. Studholme, A.J. Bejda, C. Samet, and A.D. Martin. 1975. The effect of temperature on the behavior of marine fishes: a comparison among Atlantic
- mackerel, Scomber scombrus, bluefish, Pomatomus saltatrix, and tautog, Tautoga onitis. In International Atomic Energy Agency ed. Combined effects of radioactive, chemical and thermal releases to the environment. p. 299-308. International Atomic Energy Agency. Vienna.
- Powles, H.
1981.
Distribution and movements of neustonic young of estuarine dependent (Mugil spp.,
Pomatomus saltatix) and estuarine independent (Coryphaena spp.) fishes off the southeastern United States. In R. Lasker and K. Sherman eds. The early life history of fish: Recent studies. p. 207-210. Rapp.
P.-V. Reun, Cons. Int. Explor. Mer, 1978.
Pristas, P.J. and L. Trent. 1977. Comparisons of catches of fishes in gill nets in relation to webbing material, time of day, and water depth in St. Andrew Bay, Florida. Fish. Bull. (U.S.) 75(1): 103-108.
Reid, R., F. Almeida, and C. Zetlin. 1999. Essential fish habitat source -document:
Fishery independent surveys, data sources, and methods. NOAA Tech.
Mem. NMFS-NE-122.39 p.
Robins, C.R., G.C. Ray, J. Douglass, and R. Freund.
1986. A field guide to Atlantic coast marine fishes.
Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston, MA. 354 p.
Rountree, R.A. and K.W.
Able.
1992a.
Fauna of polyhaline subtidal marsh creeks in southern New Jersey:
composition, abundance and biomass.
Estuaries. 15(2): 171-185.
Rountree, R.A. and K.W. Able. 1992b. Foraging habits, growth, and temporal patterns of salt-marsh creek habitat use by young-of-year summer flounder in New Jersey. Trans. Am. Fish. Soc. 121: 765-776.
Safina, C., R.H. Wagner, D.A. Witting, and K.J. Smith.
1990. Prey delivered to roseate and common tern chicks: composition and temporal variability. J. Field Ornithol. 61(3): 331-338.
Shima, M. 1989. Oceanic transport of the early life history stages of bluefish, Pomatomus saltatrix from Cape Hatteras to the Mid-Atlantic Bight. M.S. thesis, State University of New York at Stony Brook. Stony Brook, NY. 69 p.
Silverman, M.J. 1975. Scale development in the bluefish, Pomatomus saltatrix. Trans. Am. Fish. Soc. 104(4):
773-774.
Smith, B.A. 1971. The fishes of four low-salinity tidal tributaries of the Delaware Rivet estuary. M.S. thesis, Cornell University. Ithaca, NY. 304 p.
Smith, W., P. Berrien, and T. Potthoff. 1994. Spawning patterns of bluefish, Pomatomus saltatrix, in the northeast continental shelf ecosystem. Bull. Mar. Sci.
54(l): 8-16.
Stillwell, C.E. and N.E. Kohler. 1982. Food, feeding habits, and estimates of daily ration of the shortfin mako (Isurus oxyrinchus) in the northwest Atlantic.
Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 39: 407-414.
Stillwell, C.E. and N.E. Kohler. 1985. Food and feeding ecology of the swordfish Xiphias gladius in the western North Atlantic Ocean with estimates of daily ration. Mar. Ecol. Progr. Ser. 22: 239-247.
Stobutzki, I.C. and D.R. Bellwood. 1994. An analysis of the sustained swimming abilities of pre-and post-settlement coral reef fishes. J. Exp. Mar. Biol. Ecol.
175: 275-286.
Stock Assessment Review Committee, Coastal Pelagic Subcommittee.
1996.
Assessment of bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix). SARC Working Paper Cl, Report. November 7, 1996. 94 p.
Stone, S.L., T.A. Lowery, J.D, Field, C.D. Williams, D.M.
Nelson, S.H. Jury, M.E. Monaco, and L. Andreasen.
1994. Distribution and abundance of fishes and
Page 11 invertebrates in Mid-Atlantic estuaries. ELMR Rep.
No.
- 12.
NOAA/NOS Strategic Environmental Assessments Division, Silver Spring, MD. 280 p.
Texas Instruments Incorporated.
1976. Predation by bluefish in the lower Hudson River. Prepared for Consolidated Edison Co. of New York, Inc. by Texas Instruments Inc., Ecological Services, Consolidated Edison Co. of New York, Inc. 17 p. + appendices.
Van der Elst, R. 1976. Game fish of the east coast of southern Africa. I. The biology of the elf Pomatomus saltatrix (Linnaeus), in the coastal waters of Natal.
Oceanogr. Res. Inst. (Durban) Investig. Rep. 44: 1-59.
Wilk, SJ. 1977. Biological and fisheries data on bluefish, Pomatomus saltatrix (Linnaeus). U.S. Natl. Mar.
Fish. Serv., Northeast Fish Cent. Sandy Hook Lab.
Tech. Ser. Rep. 11: 1-56.
Page 12 Table 1. Dietary items of bluefish from several study areas.
Source Life History Stage and Study Location Diet Items (in order of importance) 4 4
Texas Instruments Incorporated 1976 Festa 1979 Friedland et al.
1988 Hartman and Brandt 1995a, b Buckel and Conover 1997 NEFSC, Trawl Survey Diet Data Young-of-the-year, Hudson River (tidal) 11-20 cm, Little Egg Harbor estuary, NJ Juvenile, Sandy Hook, NJ Age 0, Age 1, and Age 2, Chesapeake Bay (Diets of all age classes changed through season)
Young-of-the-year, Hudson River estuary All ages (mean size 35.6 mm FL), continental shelf, Georges Bank and Middle Atlantic Bight Anchoa mitchilli (dominated diet through summer),
Clupeidae, Microgadus tomcod, Alosa sapidissima, Notropis hudsonius, Cyprinodontidae Fundulus spp., Atherinidae, Anchoa spp., Callinectes sapidus, Brevoortia tyrannus, Crangon septemspinosa 1981: Teleosts, Crustacea, Polychaeta 1982: Crustacea, Teleostei, Polychaeta 1983: Crustacea, Teleostei, Polychaeta (weight at length significantly greater in 1981)
Age 0: Anchoa mitchilli, Menidia menidia, Brevoortia tyrannus Age 1: Leiostomus xanthurus, A. mitchilli, M. menidia, B. tyrannus Age 2: Micropogonias undulatus, A. mitchilli, B.
tyrannus (B. tyrannus becomes important in diets of all age classes in Sep-Oct.)
Unidentified fish, Anchoa mitchilli, Alosa spp., Morone saxatilis, Morone americana 1973-1980: Unidentified fishes, Illex spp., Etrumeus teres, Loligo spp., Peprilus triacanthus, Cephalopoda 1981-1990: Unidentified fishes, Ammodytes dubius, Peprilus triacanthus, Loligo spp., Clupea harengus
Page 13 Table 2. Summary of life history and habitat characteristics for bluefish, Pomatomus saltatrix. See Appendix I for a more complete listing of habitat variables.
Life History Stage Habitat (Spatial and Temporal)
Temperature Salinity Light/Vertical Distribution Currents/
Circulation Prey Estuarine Use Eggs'.
Larvae Pelagic Juveniles 3 Juveniles 4 (summer cohort only)
Adults spring cohort:
unknown.
summer cohort:
occurs across continental shelf, southern New England to Cape Hatteras. Most in mid-shelf waters.'
spring cohort:
near edge of continental shelf, Cape Hatteras-Cape Canaveral, FL. Peak April-May.
summer cohort:
most 30-70 m depths, May-Sept, peak in July.
spring cohort:
smallest near 180 m contour: larger near shore. April-May.
summer cohort:
cross MAB shelf from Slope Sea to shore, early-to mid-June.
Several estuarine study areas between Narragansett Bay, RI and Delaware Bay and Delaware River.
Generally
- oceanic, nearshore to well offshore over continental shelf.
spring cohort:
unknown.
summer cohort:
most in 18-22°C.
spring cohort:
smallest larvae in >
24°C.
summer cohort:
near Cape Hatteras 22.1-22.4°C; in MAB 18-261C.
spring cohort:
19.0-24.0°C (or higher well offshore).
summer cohort: in MAB 15.0-20.00 C (most > 18,0°C).
As low as 13.0'C when cross shelf.
In most studies, arrive > 201C, remain in temperatures up to 30'C. emigrate when declines to 15'C. Can not survive below 10°C or above 34°C. Fall migration in 18-22°C on inner continental shelf.
Warm water, usually > 14-16'C.
Can tolerate 11.8-30.4°C but are stressed at either extreme.
spring cohort:
- unknown, summer cohort:
31.0 ppt or more (minimum 26.0 ppt).
spring cohort:
smallest larvae in >
35 ppt.
summer cohort: in MAB in 30-32 ppt.
spring cohort:
Near 180 m contour, > 35.0 ppt.
summer cohort:
During June, range 36.0-31.0 ppt.
Usually 23.0-33.0 ppt but can intrude to as low as 3.0 ppt.
Oceanic salinities.
spring cohort:
unknown.'
summer cohort:
peak spawning in the evening (1900-2100 hrs).
spring cohort: >
4 mm strongly associate with surface.
summer cohort:
near surface at night, mostly at about 4 m during day.
both cohorts:
strongly associated with the surface.
Day: usually near shorelines or in tidal creeks.
Night: usually in open bay or channel waters.
spring cohort:
unknown.
summer cohort:
in southern MAB, surface currents transport eggs south and offshore.
spring cohort:
subject to northward advection by Gulf Stream. Some retained in SAB by southerly counter-current.
summer cohort:
southwest winds in MAB may facilitate cross-shelf transport.
spring cohort:
shoreward movement with growth unless advected north.
summer cohort:
move shoreward with growth.
Currents important, but active swimming indicated.
Can occur in surf zone or clear to turbid back-estuarine zones.
summer cohort:
mostly copepod life history stages. Guts full during day.
Atlantic silversides,
- clupeids, striped bass, bay
- anchovy, others.
Sight
- feeders, prey on other fishes almost exclusively.
None None both cohorts:
enter estuarine nurseries during this stage Mostly sand, but some mud, silt, clay.
Also uses
- Ulva, Zostera beds, and Spartina or Fucus.
Not uncommon in bays, larger estuaries, as well as coastal waters.
Norcross et al. 1974; Berrien and Sibunka 1999; Data from present report 2 Norcross et al. 1974; Kendall and Walford 1979; Kendall and Naplin 1981; Powles 1981; Collins and Stender 1987; Hare and Cowen 1996; Data from present report 3 Fahay 1975; Kendall and Walford 1979: Powles 1981: Collins and Stender 1987; Hare and Cowen 1996 4.Lund and Maltezos 1970; Olla et al. 1975; Milstein et al. 1977: Nyman and Conover 1988; Rountree and Able 1992a, b; McBride et al. 1995; Able et al.
1996: Buckel and Conover 1997 Bigelow and Schroeder 1953; Olla and Studholme 1971
Page 14 Table 3. Sampling in 1979 ("Southern MARMAP") for bluefish larvae in the Charleston Bump area (32°37' N - 32'80' N x 78042' W - 79o000 W). Isaacs Kidd MWT only.
Date Sampling Depth Sampling Duration Volume Sampled Bluefish NoJ1Om 2 February 9 February 28 March 13 March 17 March 18 March 27 March 28 April 6 April 18 April 19 April 30 May I May 16 June 5 June 30 July I August 12 August 13 15 37 84 31 54 110 30 74 114 28 18 58 98 30 32 62 132 27 38 128 42 28 76 134 50 34 58 130 28 58 37 58 124 42 127 50 22 5
27.
33 26 25 35 22 29 38 20 20 27 34 26 25 25 40 20 21 33 22 22 27 38 25 22 25 35 22 31 26 29 47 24 31 22 20 308 641 816 693 1085 1052 580 995 1258 700 742 1002 1261 965 875 875 1400 700 735 1155 770 770 945 1330 875 770 875 1225 770 1085 910 1015 1645 890 1150 816 742 0.89 0.91 1.16 0.78 0.71 41.48 0.38 2.22 1.45 36.99 21.16 3.97 2.65 9.55 0.36
Page 15 Table 4. Distribution of early life history stages of bluefish, Pomatomus saltatrix, in estuaries from Maine to Florida.
Occurrences are not quantitative and may be based on one or very few specimens. Estimates of relative abundance after Nelson and Monaco (1994), Jury et al. (1994), Stone et al. (1994). Some Middle Atlantic Bight estuaries after Able and Fahay (1998).
Estuary Eggs Larvae Juveniles Passamaquoddy Bay, ME Englishman/Machias Bay, ME Narraguagus Bay, ME Blue Hill Bay, ME Penobscot Bay, ME Muscongus Bay, ME Damariscotta River, ME Sheepscot River, ME Kennebec/Androscoggin Rivers, ME Casco Bay, ME Saco Bay, ME Wells Harbor, ME Great Bay, ME/NH Merrimack River, NH Massachusetts Bay, MA Boston Harbor, MA Cape Cod Bay, MA Nauset Marsh, MA Buzzards Bay, MA Narragansett Bay, RI Connecticut River, CT Long Island Sound, NY Gardiners Bay, NY Great South Bay, NY Hudson River, Raritan/Sandy Hook Bays, NY/NJ Barnegat Bay, NJ Great Bay, NJ Southern Inland bays, NJ Delaware Bay, NJ/DE Delaware Inland bays, DE Eastern Shore, MD/VA Chesapeake Bay mainstem, MD/VA Chester River, MD Choptank River, MD None None None None None None None None None None None None None None None None None None None None None None Rare.
None Rare None None None None None None None None None None None None None None None None None None None
- None None None None None None None None Rare Rare/common None None Rare None Rare Rare Rare Rare rare None Rare None None None Rare Rare Rare Rare Common Common Common Common Common Common Common Common Common Rare Common Common Common None Abundant Abundant Abundant Abundant Abundant Abundant Abundant Abundant Common Abundant Abundant Common Common Abundant Common Common
Page 16 Table 4. cont'd.
Estuary Eggs Larvae Juveniles Patuxent River, MD None None Common Potomac River, MD/VA None None Abundant Tangier/Pocomoke Sound, VA None None Abundant Rappahannock River, VA None None Abundant York River, VA None None Abundant James River, VA None None Abundant Albemarle Sound, NC None None Common Pamlico Sound, NC None None Abundant Pungo River, NC None None Common Neuse River, NC None None Common Bogue Sound, NC None None Common New River, NC None None Common Cape Fear River, NC None None Abundant Winyah Bay, SC None None Common Santee Rivers (N&S), SC None None Common Charleston Harbor, SC None None Common St. Helena Sound, SC None None Common Broad River, SC None None Common Savannah River, SC/GA None None Common Ossabow Sound, GA None None Common Sapelo Sound/ St. Catherine, GA None None Common Altamaha River, GA None None Common St. Andrew/St. Simon Sound, GA None None Common St. Johns River, FL None None Common Indian River, FL None None Rare Biscayne Bay, FL None None Rare
Page 17 Table 5. Unpublished records of juvenile bluefish in waters of coastal Maine. Collection locations are ordered from north to south (after Creaser and Perkins 1994).
Location Date of Collection O/E' Number Collected Size (mm TL)
Method 2 Marston Pt.
Seal Island Matinicus Rock Foot Bridge (Boothbay Harbor)
DMR Dock Townsend Gut Lobster Cove Sheepscot River Sheepscot Falls Marsh River The Eddy Cross River Berry Island Kennebec Pt.
August 25, 1983 July 1991 July 24-30, 1991 July 9--17, 1991 Mid-July 1990 July 5, 1989 July 18, 1986 Summer 1970-1974 July 4, 1984 August 25, 1978 September 14, 197 I September 5, 1985 August 11, 1991 August 30, 1990 August 2, 1989 August 1967 July 17-Sept 17, 1991 August I -Sept 26, 1990 August 8-28, 1989 August 26, 1987 August 14, 1986 July 9, 1991 August 8, 1991 September 8, 1974
'August 29, 1973 August 30, 1972 August 10-22, 1990 3
1 4
14 2
2 1
3 I.
5 1
4 60 149 102 6
28 3
1 4
2 2
29 100-130 50 50-60 40-50 30-40 85-90 77 Juveniles (2 modes) 40-50 86 95-105 Juvenile 162-192 145 140 150-200 101-217 89-218 92-194 129-163 93-121 80-85 115 125-140 132-141 112 39-70 HW AT RT AT
'AT AP AP HS HL DN HL HL HL HL HL GN GN GN GN GN HS HS HS HS HS
.HS
Page 18 Table 5. cont'd.
Location Date of Collection O/E' Number Collected Size (mm TL)
Method 2 Mouth of Abagadasset River Mouth of Androscoggin River Bath Bridge Winnegance Bay Atkins Bay Howard Point Jenny Island Merepoint Bay Royal River SMVTI Dock Union Wharf Dunston, Libby, Nonesuch Rivers (confluence)
I mi. off amusement pier, Old Orchard Beach Wells Harbor July 18, 1991 July 3, 1991 August 3, 1989 September 11, 1987 July 17, 1986 August 5, 1983 Summer 1982 Summer 1988-1990 Summer 1981 August 1988 July 16, 1991 September 26, 1991 Summer 1988 September 1986 September 1984 Summer 1987 Summer 1961-1964 August 1991 2
6 8
2 5
2 90 3
1 97 6
84-94 112-115 52-76 142-150 70-77 82-86
< 100 50-150 80-90 70-130 40 150-174 Juvenile 130-150 150-200 Juvenile Juvenile 68 HS HS HS HS HS HS OT HL HS FK CT GN HL HL HL HL FN I
O = oceanic; E = estuarine 2 Collection methods: OT = otter trawl; FN = fyke net; HL = hook and line; HS = haul seine; AP = Atlantic puffin; GN = gill net; AT = Arctic tern; DN = dip net; CT = common tern; HW = herring weir; RT = roseate tern
Page 19 Figure 1. The adult bluefish, Pomatomus saltatrix (from Goode 1884).
Page 20 Figu'.o "
!re','- 2. T p
.... "" "l Figure 2. The pelagic juvenile bluefish, 24.3 mm SL (from Able and Fahay 1998).
Page 21 45-I i
t i
Bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix)
Eggs MARMAP Ichthyoplankton Surveys 43-61-cm Bongo Net; 0.505-mm mesh 1978 to 1987 C_.**,*:***-..
(May, Jun, Jul, Aug) 42-Numberof tows =3438, with eggs= 215
.41-40-39-
\\1i**
/O/s'
.I I M
38
~~Eggs 1m Ito<IO 37--
0 Oto<100 0
l0to0<1000 36 1000to4533 36-l 35-76 75 74 73 72 71 70 69 68 67 66 65 Figure 3. Distribution and abundance of bluefish eggs collected during NEFSC MARMAP ichthyoplankton surveys in the Mid-Atlantic Bight from 1978-1987 [survey also covered the Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank; see Reid et al.
(1999) for details].
Page 22 45-44-43-41-1 40)-1 Bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix)
MARMAP Ichthyoplankton Surveys 61-cm Bongo Net; 0.505-mm mesh May: 1978 to 1987 Numober otow. = 1085, wilh eggs = 2 1 [,,o24 9
20() w 499 0
500 to 999 1000 1. 2361 70 69 68 67 66 65 75 74 73 72 71 45-I Bluefish 44-(Pomatomus saltatrix)
MARMAP lchthyoplankton Surveys, 6 1-cm Bongo Net; 0.505-mm mesh 43 July; 1976 to 1987 Numben oftws = 781. with cggs = (32.
42-Monthly mean deneily =44.15 egge/lOrn' 42
. 37-Egg,/lOm' 1
t1o24 S251io 199 S2(0)0 o 499 500'h 999 0
1000 to 4534 36-t 7t 71t 69 60 67 66 65 Figure 3. cont'd.
Page 23
. Percent Distributions of Temperatures 0 Stations N Densities of Bluefish Eggs 100 1.
Percent Distributions of Depths 95 0
U 0 Stations 0 Densities of Bluefish Eggs I
20 -
20 o May Jun e
a 0~
I 40 20 0
80 60 40 20 0
50
&_ 50-40 30 20 10 80 80 60 40 20 0
0 5
10 15 20 Temperature (C) - Surface to 15 m 25 30 0 10305070 110 150 190 230 270 325 450 1250 2000
, Depth Interval Midpoint Figure 4. Abundance of bluefish eggs relative to near-surface water column temperature and depth based on NEFSC MARMAP ichthyoplankton surveys in the Mid-Atlantic Bight (May-August 1978-1987, all years combined).
Page 24 Bluefish Larvae
!o
.F 44-(Pomatomus saltatrix) 4 MARMAP Ichthyoplankton Surveys, Middle Atlantic Bight and South Atlantic Bight 42-MAB: 1977-1987; SAB: 1973-1978 661-cm Bongo Net; 0.505-mm mesh A--
~~No.
With Tows Larvae 40-MAB 5659 461 SAB 243 28 38-Larvae/10m 2
None 1to 9 S10 to99 0
100 to 999
- 1000 to 2664 36 3-*
30-1 200m 82 80 7'8 7'6 74 72 70 6'8 6'6 Figure 5. Distribution and abundance of bluefish larv)ae collected during NEFSC MARMAP ichthyoplankton surveys of both the Mid-Atlantic Bight ( 1977-1987) and South Atlantic Bight (1973-1978) [survey also covered the Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank; see Reid et al. (1999) for details].
Page 25 35 34-Bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix)
Larvae:.size range
= 3 to 12mm v
S61-cm Bongo Net; 0.
May 15 - May 27 iOIk~ton Sur vey*
505-mm mes
.19736 31-Larvae / 1Im2 Noon 1001on 107 t( to <00) tt l
tOlt10 29-2 81 80 79 77 76 i75 35 34 Bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix)
Larvae; size range = 4 to 17 mm MARMAP lchthyoplankton Survey 61-cm Bongo Net: 0.505-mm mis Apr 6 - May 7, 1974 L
Larvae / lOeIn 7 I[)io 4X Figure 6. Distribution and abundance of bluefish larvae collected with a bongo net in the South Atlantic Bight during NEFSC MARMAP ichthyoplankton surveys [see Reid et al. (1999) for details].
Page 26 Bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix)
I Larva; size = 3 mm 34-MARMAP Ichthyoplankton Survey 61-cm Bongo Net; 0,505-mm mesh Sep 6-Sep 19, 1978
- /
32-31-30 29-Larvae/ I Om'
- None
- I io2 i to6 7 9 9
77 7 7 '5 28-82-Figure 6. cont'd.
Page 27 3I
- 1 L. _____,___,
- Ty-
- S.....
./ _
35 -. -*
Bluefish Bluefish (Porn tomus saltatrix)
( Pornotomus salt atric)
Length range 4 to 35 mm Length range = 4 to 27 mm MARMAP Ichthyoplankton Survey MARMAP Ichthyoplankton Survey 34 2m x Im Neuson Net; 02947-mm mesh 34-2M x Im Neuston Net; 0.947-mm me-May 15'- May 27, 1973 Oct 24-Nov 16, 1973 33-i 33-i
./ 5 32-32.3-31 31-301-
- n o 1,490 _
30 0.00 nO.055 29 29t 29\\
72 0
9 78 77 76 75 8
12 8, 00 79 78 77 76 75 Bluefish Bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix)
(Poratomus saitatrix)
Length range = 3 to 34mm Length = 15mm MARMAP Ichthyoplankton Survey MARMAP Ichthyoplankton Survey 3
m m Neusttn Net; 0.947-mm men 34-2m x Im Neuston Net;: 0.947-mm mesh Apt
- May 7, 1974 Jan 21-Feb l, 1975 33] -
33-32-32L 31--
3-Numbher /10m,'
- Nme
~n 30
)00). 1.401)
N 0,*091u 73 30-
..- 29
~
28-2-
02 81,
0 79 7
- 7.
76 75 82 tt 800 79 358 77 76 75 Figure 7. Distribution and abundance of bluefish larvae collected in a neuston net in the South Atlantic Bight during NEFSC MARMAP ichthyoplankton surveys [see Reid et al. (1999) for details].
Page 28 35 Bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix)
Length range = 4 to 22 mm MARMAP lchthyoplankton Survey 2m x Im Neuston Net: 0.947-mm mesi Mar31 - Apr I0, 1975 tr 33-32-30-j 29, Number/ It0m' Noone 0.001 to 1.257 70 70 77 76 75 Bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix)
Length range = 3 to 6 mm MARMAP Ichthyoplankton Survey.
Im x 0.mS Neuston Net; 0,505-mm me!
Aug 17 - Sep 2, 1977 1
337-29!
Number? t~m' 9
0( 77 o 0,044 7
7 77 76 75 26-62 01 Figure 7. cont'd.
Page 29 Figure 8. Distribution and abundance of bluefish larvae collected during NEFSC MARMAP ichthyoplankton surveys in the Mid-Atlantic Bight from 1977-1987 [survey also covered the Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank; see Reid et al.
(1999) for details].
Page 30 45-45 -
Bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix) 44-Larvae <1 I.Omm length MARMAP Ichthyoplankton Surveys 61-cm Bongo Net; 0.505-mm mesh January, 1977-1987 Nuenhroftows = 434, with larvaI l
42 Monthly ean do.tity = -,O1 larvae / l ns 40-3-~
37-.
36-76 75 74 73 72 71 7
Bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix)
Larvae < 1.0amm length MARMAP lchthyoplankton Surveys 61-cm Bongo Net; 0.505-amm mesh May, 1977 - 1987 Number of tows = 1472. with larvn = 5 Monthly mnan density = 0.11 larvae IOna 5
Larvae/]m None I to 3 l-arae/l1in 37-'
lton9
- 11.9 0
10to 49 7
sote9l 71 70 69 68 67 66 65 361 70 69 60 67 66 65 45 I I
I
- 1.
Bluefish 4
(Pomatomus saltatrix) 44 i Larvae <11.0mm length MARMAP lchthyoplankton Surveys 61-cm Bongo Net; 0.505-mm mesh Jane, 1977-1987 Nsnhcr ofttows = 493. with larvae =401 42-1 Monthly wean
-dettity
= 1(0.22 larvae / I O)m 41-39-1 3I 37-i Larvae/l1in 2
None I I" 24 251,199 20)0 to 499 501o 999 10(X) t*o 2664 65 3576 74 7
2 71 76 7
74 73 72 7
711 69
-60 67 66 3576 757 4 7
76 75 7'4 7'3 72 7'1 70 69 66 67 66 65 Figure 8. cont'd.
Page 31 45 r
L___
44 Bluefish (promatornus saltatrix).
Larvae <1 1.0mrn length' MARMAP Ichthyoplankton Surveys 61-cm Bongo Net; 0.505-mm mesh August, 1977 - 1987 Numhnrfiovs = 1148. with larvae =194- '
42-I Monthly mean den-ity = 10.03 larvae / 10n2 41-40-39-L.arvae/IOm t
No-1 to24 25 i 'o199 0
200 499 L
506 tIn 920)
~1
~1 37-76 75 74 73 72 71 71 )
69 68 67 66 Figure 8. cont'd.
Page 32 Percent Distributions of Temperatures 60 -
1 Stations U Densities of Bluefish Larvae 30 May 60 Percent Distr E lStations 60 -
ibutions of Depths 0 Densities of Bluefish Larvae May m
I a) 13_
V 40 20 0
40 20 0
40 20 0
so 50 25 0
1 Jun I
~
1 1.I))
-~Jul Aug 0
5 10 15 20 25 Adjusted Temperature (C) Near Surface (0-15m) 30-Jun 2
{3_
0 60 30 0
60 30 0
Jul Aug S
I 9
I I
II I
I I
I I
I I
I I
60 30 rft Ifl
~
Sep 0-i 10 50 90 130 170 210 250 290 375 750 1750 Depth Interval Midpoint (m)
Figure 9. Abundance of bluefish larvae relative to near-surface water column temperature and depth based on NEFSC MARMAP ichthyoplankton surveys in the Mid-Atlantic Bight (May-September 1977-1987, all years combined).
Page 33 r.~
Figure 10. Reported occurrences of juvenile bluefish along the east coast of the United States (Clark 1973).
Page 34 o:
0 I-CL I.-
a, E
z 40 20 0
40 20 0
4 2
0 80 40 0
60 30 0
0.8 0.4 0.0 0.8 0.4 0.0 0.3 0.2 0.1 0.0 0.4 0.2 0.0 Rhode Island U Trawl, Narragansett Bay, RI Sound, Fal1
.l Seine, Narragansett Bay,I Jun-OH c
.Connecticut, Trawl Fall (Sep-Oct),
New York, Hudson R., Seine I
I T New York, Western Long Island, Seine New Jersey, Seine Delaware Bay, Trawl Jun-Oct Maryland,.
Chesapeake Bay, Seine VIMS, Chesapeake Bay E Trawlic SondOnl ElSeine North Carolina, Trawl 0Juvenile Fish Survey, May-Jun oI Pamlico Sound Only*
Ii.
1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 Figure 1. Abundance (number/tow) of young-of-the-year bluefish in seine and trawl surveys by state and by year.
Page 35 CBluefish Mass. Inshore Trawl Survey Autumn 1978 1996 Juveniles (<35cm)
Number/Tow I to 10 10 to 25 V?4*',::
- 25 to 50 50 to 100 100 to 212
....... l
..=,
C-)1=
- =;
Figure 12. Distribution and abundance of juvenile, and adult bluefish collected in Massachusetts coastal waters during spring (adults only) and autumn (both juveniles and adults) Massachiusetts inshore trawl surveys [1978-1996, all years combined; see Reid et al. 01999) for details].
Page 36 Bluefish Mass. Inshore Trawl Survey Spring 1978-1996 Adults (>=35cm) r
- 1 Bluefish Mass. Inshore Trawl Survey Autumn 1978-1996 Adults (>=35cm)
Number/Tow I 1to2 2to 3 S3 to4 l
4 to 5
- 5 to 12 C~..
Figure 12. cont'd.
Page 37 B luefish Mass. Inshore Trawl Surveys Juveniles
-l *Stations dults N Catches II Spring 15" 12-9-
6-3" H
'IF Spring SNo Fish 30" 20" 10" AnnFnH[
it]I I
IJlUL 111111 II F I
3 5
7 9
11 13 15 17 19 Bottom Temperature (C) 1 21 23 Autumn o0 41.144FWJ q
rLI
[
-II-I r-r 1 3 5
7 9
I1 13 15 17 19 21 23 Bottom Temperature (C) 25" 20' Autumn 15 10-5" 0
1 3
5 7
9 II 13 15 17 19 21 23 Bottom Temperature (C)
I-IQ 3
5 7
9 II 13 15 17 19 21 23 Botto m Temperature (C)
Spring Spring No Fish 20' Bottom Depth (m)
Bottom Depth (m)
Autumn Lf Autumn 10" v
Bottom Depth (m)
Bottom Depth (m)
Figure 13. Abundance of juvenile and adult bluefish relative to bottom water temperature and depth based on Massachusetts inshore bottom trawl surveys (spring and autumn 1978-1996, all years combined).
Page 38 Bluefish Juveniles (< 35 cm)
Figure 14. Distribution and abundance of juvenile and adult bluefish collected in Narragansett Bay during 1990-1996 Rhode Island bottom trawl surveys. The numbers shown at each station are the average catch per tow rounded to one decimal place [see Reid et al. (1999) for details].
Page 39 Bluefish Adults (>= 35 cm) 0.0 Figure 14. cont'd.
Page 40 I,
Winter
~~1 IN 0N 0(N I N IN fn M M/ rn M V.4 V-C-T 0' -I Ln '/n Ln 0N %
(
10 ýON%
r-0.8 0.6-0.4 0.2-0 400' Spring 1z
~iNCDC0N
~00 N N N 4 M
0 M en M
't 0'It-.tV-V-ý N' In At eOM 4 0 1 --
300" 200" 100" 0
300o 200' 100' I
Summer I
~0(10 0 (N
~D 000 (N N ON -
r~ In N a~ -
n N ON -
t(i N ON -
rf I
N ON -
r (N (N (N EN(N
~f~~w.uJ- ~
I Autumn 0 -.
rr,Z 76
?Z 787177,i I,,,r4 r
rirr,,Iur7-3
.rur.iI,
,]il-NC
-0 N
"t C'4 00N N " ON-4 M M M
-0,
-C, N 0'1-,1eV V) VN LN -mu N N-Total Length (cm)
Figure 15. Seasonal length frequency distributions of bluefish collected in Narragansett Bay during 1990-1996 Rhode Island bottom trawl surveys [all years combined; see Reid et al. (1999) for details].
Page 41 Bluefish 2216 Juveniles (< 35 cm) 120 08 Winter Bluefish Juveniles (< 35 cm)
Winter 0I I
3 5
7 9
I1 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 20 16 Spring 12 8
4 1
3 5
7 9
11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 c.80" 60' 40' 20' 0'
60-Summer 40 20_-
Summer
, nn n I-If r-r-n I
3 5
7 9
11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 Autumn 60 40 20' 1
1i Autumn r-1 rFL
-1 1
3 5
7 9
11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 Bottom Temperature (C)
Bottom Depth (ft)
Figure 16. Seasonal abundance of juvenile and adult bluefish relative to bottom water temperature and depth based on Rhode Island NarragansettBay trawl surveys (1990-1996, all years combined).
Page 42 20' 16' 12" 8-4"'
Bluefish Adults (2 35 cm)
Sinsi Winter 30 20 10 B
Adults
- n,
luefish
(Ž 35 cm)
LJsltonI Winter Fl-ln 1
3 5
7 9
11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 20 16 12 8
H N Hnnnnn Spring o*
-I 3
5 7
9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 Summer 20 10
-I 3
5 7
9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 25 20 S
15 I0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 11(
310 pring 0 120 amer 0.
10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 40' 30" 20" 10 r nl H dcl nuýl n i Autumnn 30' 20' 10- FLFLI i
iu tul
-1 1
3 5
7 9
1i 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 Bottom Temperature (C) 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 Bottom Depth (ft)
Figure 16. cont'd.
Page 43 30 25 S20-e~..........r-c.-
-W I
I I
r-. c tar (an) 1o00 t*oo 3 000 i wooo
- _ *oo 1000 0
K
- o. I~
I~
I
-. II......
I...I II..........
r4 Co
.4.
I"
-q
-~
r4 r4
- r.
(.~
rn
,n Length (n Figure 17. Distribution, abundance, and length frequency distributions of bluefish in Long Island Sound collected during spring and autumn Connecticut bottom trawl surveys [1992-1997, all years combined; see Reid et al. (1999) for details].
Page 44
()
a-0O 35 30 25 20 15 10 5-0 0
Connecticut DEP Long Island Sound Bottom Trawl Survey 1992-1997 Autumn Percent Distributions of Temperatures El Stations I Bluefish Catches 1
n Iii I
2 4
6 8
10 12 14 16 18 I
I 2
2 20 22 24 Bottom Temperature (C) 2W CL 35 -
30 -
25 -
20 -
15 -
10 -
5-Connecticut DEP Long Island Sound Bottom Trawl Survey 1992-1997 Spring SHnHnfHn Percent Distributions of Temperatures
.1I Stations E Bluefish Catches.
I.
'rip FI I Iii~~
0 o
0 I
I I
I 2
4 6
8 I
I I
10 12 1 4 I
I I
2 I
2 2,
14 16 18 20 22 24 Bottom Temperature (C)
Figure 18. Abundance of bluefish relative to bottom water temperature based on spring and autumn Connecticut bottom trawl surveys in Long Island Sound (1992-1997, all years combined).
Page 45 Figure 19. Seasonal distribution and abundance of juvenile and adult bluefish collected in the Hudson-Raritan estuary during Hudson-Raritan trawl surveys [1992-1997, all years combined; see Reid et al. (1999) for details].
Page 46 Figure 19. cont'd.
Page 47 Juveniles (< 35 cm) 45 40 35 30 5-o25 S20 iZEl Stations MCatches 2
50-45-40' 35-30 25 20 15-10 5-I 5-
- FlIrIn, FI-n niF C_)
0 2
4 6
8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 Temperature (C) 45 40-35 30-25 20 15 10 5'
0 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 Depth (ft) 40 0
1 2 3
4 5
6 7
8 9 10 11 12 13 Dissolved Oxygen (mg/I) 30 25 20-15 10 5
0 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33 35 Salinity (ppt)
Adults (? 35 cm) 30-25 20 15-10 5-LIII Stations Catches iR H [1 1 H H H n H
[In ri in t [
I-I JIf 4-.
05-ci) 50" 40' 30' 20 10
=
III HMm ci) 0 2
4 6
8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 Temperature (C) 70 60-50-406 30-20 1
10 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 Depth.(ft) 0' 0
1 2 3
4 5
6 7
8 9
10 11 12 13 Dissolved Oxygen (mg/I) 40 35-30-25-20-15-*
10 5"
A n 53 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 Salinity (ppt) 31 33 35 Figure 20. Abundance of juvenile and adult bluefish relative to bottom water temperature, depth, dissolved oxygen, and salinity based on Hudson-Raritan estuary trawl surveys (1992-1997, all years combined).
Page 48 36- -
I II Bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix) 35, SEAMAP Trawl Surveys April to December; 1990 to 1996 Total Number of Tows = 1927 Tows with Bluefish = 671 34-33-32 b
Number / Tow x None 3 0 -.
- I 1to 9 S10 to99 2
100 to 160 29-
- 50.
200,,,
82 81 80 79 78 77 76 75 Figure 21. Distribution and abundance of bluefish in the South Atlantic Bight collected during SEAMAP bottom trawl surveys [ 1990-1996, all years combined; see Reid et al. (1999) for details].
Page 49 SEAMAP Bluefish E
z 3000 2500 2000 1500 1000 500 0
0 10 20 30 40 50 Length (cm FL) 60 Figure 22. Length frequency distribution of bluefish in the South Atlantic Bight collected during SEAMAP bottom trawl surveys (1990-1996, all years combined).
Page 50 Bluefish Bluefish 35 (Pomatomus saltatrix)
(Pomatomus saltatrix)
SEAMAP Trawl Surveys SEAMA*P Trawl Surveys April, 1990- 1996 May, 1990- 1996 34-Nwheur of TroI, =297: oith Bluelich =129 3-Nou brohFTrmls =437: woith Bl.eflob 124 33-.
33L 331Number/Tow
-e o
32-None 32-None 1 1] 9 I 1o 9 0 1p9 10Wo69 I
31-500 31-2 400 1
2001 30-~g 200 301 300 Length (rnm)
L ngth(mrn) 28] ---
22-
-o 2
82 81 80 79 78 77 76 75 82
- 81.
80 79 768 777 78 7
Bluefish Bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix) 3 (Pomatomus saltatrix)
SEAMAP Trawl Surveys SEAMAP Trawl Surveys July, 1990- 1996 August, 1990- 1996 34 NumehrofTrawls = 394: wilh Bliefis = 116 34-Nuber of Trawls = 152; with Blaefish = 58 33 33
,"Number
/Tow
-Number
/Tow 3 None None 32 I o9 3,3I a'
9 U Ml34 31-
!10o37 310 31-0 00-,300-3o oI
- 300, z
22012 10O -
10'-
S50 80 110 140 170 200 230 280 290 320 360 380 I 20 50 80 110 140 170 200 230 200 290 320 350 380 Le ngth (mmn)
I
-9 Length (mm~)
28-oom r
8 82 81 8(
79 78 77 76 75 82 81 80 79 78 77 76 75 Figure 23. Monthly distribution, abundance, and length frequency distribution of bluefish in the South Atlantic Bight collected during SEAMAP bottom trawl surveys (1990-1996, all years combined).
Page 51:
36 35-34 '
33-32 31-30-29-92 36 35-34 33-32-1 31-30 29 82 Figure 23. cont'd.
Page 52 Bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix)
NEFSC Resource Surveys - All Data 10 5
0 Spring N = 1,003 Age 1
,11I1 I111 YOY Spring-spawned I.
Age 2+ -
I
-- mmmmmmmmmmmmm--n m
.55
- 0.
C, LL a.)
CL 10 5
0 10 5
0 YOY Spring-Age 1 spawned Summer N = 2,670 Age 2+
YOY Summer-spawned.I mmmmmmmmmm 12.5 cm YoY Summer-spawned
!,I mmmm mmmm mm,,,...
I 1...
YOY Spring-Fall spawned N = 56,803 Age 2+
Age 1 0
10 _
20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 Length'(cm FL)
Figure 24. Seasonal length frequency distributions used to determine bluefish size and age cutoffs in NEFSC bottom trawl surveys.
Page 53 Bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix)
All Lengths (FL) included 42-NMFS Trawl Surveys All Seasons; All Years Total Number of Tows = 27829; *
°*
40 With Bluefish =2217 iV.."
38-
~
Y 36-',
Catch Tow I to < 10
?
- 10 to < 100 S
100 to <1000 34-1000 to <1620 32-30j 200m 28-T
-I 1
82 80 78 76 74 72 70 68 66 Figure 25. Distribution and abundance of bluefish (all sizes combined) collected off the east coast of the United States during NEFSC bottom trawl surveys [all years and seasons combined; see Reid et al. (1999) for details].
Page 54 Figure 26. Distribution and abundance of bluefish (all lengths combined) collected off the east coast of the United States during winter NEFSC bottom trawl surveys [1964-1997, all years combined; see Reid et al. (1999) for details].
Page 55 3-Lengths of bluefish trawled during winter near edge of continental shelf off North Carolina N=13 2-E z
1-0-
11
.ý 1.- I I...I I...I 1.
I I '..
I 0
10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 Length (cm FL)
Figure 27. Length frequency distribution of bluefish caught in the winter off North Carolina during winter NEFSC bottom trawl surveys.
Page 56 Bluefish 44-1 (Pomatomus saltatrix)
YOY, Spring-spawned Length 3 to 9 cm FL NMFS Spring Trawl Surveys All Years (1968 - 1997)
-A 36-Numher~ Tow I o7 34-82 80 78 76 74 72 70 68 66 Bluefish 44-(Pomatomus saltatrix)
Age 2 Length 30 to 50 cm FL 42-NMFS Spring Trawl Surveys All Years (1968-1997) 40n-4-
Bluefish
- (Pomatomus saltatrix)
Age >= 3 2 Length 51 to 87cm FL NMFS Spring Trawl Surveys 4,]
All Years (1968 -1997) 34-32-2M.erT 32
-0 7
76 4
27---,
6 6
62 65 78 7*6 74 72 7'0 68 6'6 36-34.
32
" 1.o 22 74 72 70 68 66 82 Figure 28. Distribution and abundance of four size classes of bluefish collected off the east coast of the United States during spring NEFSC bottom trawl surveys [1968-1997, all years combined; see Reid et al. (1999) for details].
Page 57 40-2 20-0-
0-50-a) 25-0-
Percent Distributions of Temperatures Spring Bottom Trawl Surveys I
El Stations I
MI I
0
<30 cm (Age 1)
F7 F-L-- i I
I 15
--]
20 10 0
30+ cm (Age 2+)
10 15 20 Bottom Temperature Figure 29. Abundance of large (> 30 cm) and small (< 30 cm) bluefish relative to bottom water temperature and depth based on spring east coast NEFSC bottom trawl surveys.
Page 58 I-,'
a)0 a) 13_
50 40 30 20 10 0
I UK Percent Distributions of Depths Spring Bottom Trawl Surveys Ed Stations E
<30 cm (Age 1) r~.
L ý 4 rL--EArm I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
a-a) 03_
90 60 30-0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100110120130140150170200320 N
30+ cm (Age 2+)
FLrw fR M F-1MM 0 --
1=1
=1
-9 1-!
1-!
i
=1 I
0 10 I
i I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I -
I I
I I I
I
?0 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100110120130140150170200320 Midpoint of Depth Interval Figure 29. cont'd.
Page 59 Bluefish Bluefish 44 (Pomatomus saltatrix) 4 (Pomatomus salhatrix)
S YOY. Sum.mer-spawned YOY. Spring-spawned Length 3 to 7 cm FL 2--
Length 8 to 17cm FL NMFS Summer Trawl Surveys NMFS Summer Trawl Surveys All Years (1963 - 1995) 1 c*-:
All Years (1963 - 1995)
I
/.
/
-35]
38-36-36 36 ~
oNumber
/Tow
- 3-~
Nuember
/ Tow
'* I -"1, 19 10-o19 10,o69
/
1001o242 3 4-3 4 1 321..
32-,20 82 60 74 76 74 72 70 68 66 82 80 78 76 74 72 70 68 66 41Bluefish 4-Bluefish C
44-fis (4.Pomatomus sahtatrix)
- ,..f
( Pomatomus salratrix) 1 Agel Age >=2 4-Length 18 to 35 cm FL Length 37to 82em FL NMFS Summer Trawl Surveys NMFS Summer Trawl Surveys.
All Years (1963-1995)
All Years (1963-1995) 40-U 38]
38-36-N To 36-Numbe, / Tow toO I to9 S101o99 S '10Ito31
- 1(5/tro 134 34 34 82 80 78 76 74 72 70 6'8 66 82 50 78 76 74 72 70 68 66 Figure 30. Distribution and abundance of four size classes of bluefish collected off the east coast of the United States during summer NEFSC bottom trawl surveys [1963-1995, all years combined; see Reid et al. (1999) for details].
Page 60 44Bluefish 4-Bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix)
(Pomzatomus saltatrix)4 YOY. Summer-spawned YOY. Spring-spawned 42-Length 2 to 12cm FL 42 Length 13to25cmFL NMFS Fall Trawl Surveys L
42-N MFS Fall Trawl Surveys All Years (1963-1996) 1 All Years (1963 - 1996) 1-4(
U)-)-
38-38-36 Number/Tow 36-Number~ Tow
/to9-
/
ItoS99 101o999 1 00 to 999 34 1
O000 1468 34-lO00to 1619 32-I 32 82 60 76 76 74 72 70 66 66 82 80 76 76 74 72 70 6
4 mBluefish 44 Bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix)
I(Pomatomus sahatrix)
Agel Age >= 2 42 Length 26 to 40 cm FL
,x.,@
42 Length 41 to 88 cm FL NMFS Fall Trawl Surveys NMFS Fall Trawl Surveys All Years (1963 - 1996)
All Years (1963 - 1996) 36]
40
[iýr 7
w 36-Nme/o 34--
34 32- --------
~~--32 mm 62 6o 78 76 74 72 70 66 66 82 60 76 76 74 72 70 68 Figure 3 1. Distribution and abundance of four size classes of bluefish collected off the east coast of the United States during fall NEFSC bottom trawl surveys [ 1963-1996, all years combined; see Reid et al. (1999) for details].
Page 61 20 Percent Distributions of Temperatures Fall Bottom Trawl Surveys D Stations 15 U <26cm o 10-(Young-of-the-Year)
(0) 5 0-20 5
10 15 20 25 15 26+ cm o 10 (Age 1+)
5 0
Al I
5 10 15 20 25 Bottom Temperature Figure 32. Abundance of young-of-the-year (YOY, < 26 cm) and age 1+ (> 26 cm) bluefish relative to bottom water temperature and depth based on fall east coast NEFSC bottom trawl surveys.
Page 62 75 Percent Distribution Fall Bottom Trawl S El Stations 50-U <26cm o2 (Young-of-the-year 25 -
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 8
75 50 U 26+ cm (Age 1 +)
25 0I 0
10 20 30 40 50 60 70 8
Midpoint of Depth Interval s of Depths urveys
)
0 90 110 150 240 0
90 110 150 240 Figure 32. cont'd.
Page 63 Atlantic Coast 300 250 -
0 200 x
E 150 0
D100' 50 N-
/
V Catcl fnaw 1 (mt),
'ning stock biomass (mt)
E (kg)
--- CPUE 6
-5 4
30)
-3 C-Cz 4-2 M
1 0
1998 0I 1978 1980 1982 1984 -1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 Year Figure 33. Commercial landings, spawning stock biomass, and catch per unit effort (CPUE) for bluefish along the east coast of the United States (NEFSC, unpublished data).
Page 64 F Bluefish
/6ýBluerish NMFS Trawl Surveys NMFS Trawl Surveys Autumn 1980-82 Autumn 1994-96 Juveniles (<30cm)
Juveniles (<30cm)
INumtbe r/T5w
. Numberrr2o~
7 5I to
-<25X I 0 to <125 I'
]
25 :to <50) 25 to <50 0
100 to <500 0
100 to <500 0
500/ to <1620 0
500 to <1620 awlra lSrvy Survueys18
-8 NMFS Trawl Surveys,>
/
- ,*,/*-
MF rwlS rv y utm A e. lu fsh19 -9
/
Age 1+ (>=30cm)
Avene 1+ (>=30cm)
Z~
K_?!
//
/1 Number/Tow Number/Tow I to <5 I to <5 5 to <101 5 to <10
- 15 to <50 0 15 to <20 20 to <35 0
20 to <-5 Figure 34. Distribution and abundance of juvenile (< 30 cm) and adult 30 cm) bluefish during a period of high abundance (1980-1982) and during a period of low abundance.(1994-1996) based on autumn NEFSC bottom trawl surveys.
Page 65 Appendix 1. Bluefish habitat characteristics. MAB = Middle Atlantic Bight; SAB = South Atlantic Bight.
Eggs Authors Study Period Habitat (Spatial Temperature Salinity Dissolved Currents Light Prey and Area and Temporal)
Oxygen Berrien 1977-1987, Occur southern and Continental New England to Sibunka Shelf waters, Cape Hatteras 1999 Gulf of Maine across entire shelf.
to Cape Most in mid-shelf Hatteras waters of MAB, especially off New Jersey and Delaware Bay.
May-August.
Present 1973-1980, SAB: No data; SAB: No Study SAB; MAB: most found data; 1977-1987, over depths of 20-MAB: Most MAB 40 m, May-August, in 18-22'C peakin July.
Norcross et 1960-1962, Across shelf, from 22°C or more.
31 ppt or Prevailing Peak al. 1974 Continental nearshore to shelf (Minimum more.
surface spawning Shelf waters off edge, but most in 18°C)
(Minimum currents evening Virginia outer half of shelf.
26.6 ppt) transport eggs (1900-2100 June through south and hrs.)
August, peak July.
offshore.
Page 66 Appendix I. cont'd.
Larvae Authors Study Period and Area Habitat (Spatial and Temporal)
Temperature Salinity Dissolved Oxygen Currents Light/Vertical Distribution Prey Norcross et al. 1974 Kendall and Walford 1979 Kendall and Naplin 1981 Collins and Stender 1987 Powles 1981 Present Study.
Hare and Cowen 1996 1960-1962,
- Continental Shelf waters off Virginia 1965-1967, Continental Shelf waters between Cape Cod and Palm
- Beach, Florida July 1974, outer Continental Shelf off Delaware Bay 1973-1980, Cape Hatteras to Cape Canaveral, Florida.
1973-1976, Cape Fear, North Carolina to Cape Canaveral, Florida SAB: 1973-1980; MAB: 1977-1987 March 1990, 1991; April 1989; June 1991; Water masses off Cape Hatteras Surface waters, most near edge of shelf.
Late April: in and near Gulf Stream off Cape Hatteras; May:
near edge of shelf off Carolinas; August: mid-shelf depths off New Jersey; September: few in New York Bight; October:
concentration near shelf edge off Georgia.
Vertical distribution study. Most larvae within 4 m of surface.
Mostly in waters
> 40 m, primarily in spring, secondarily in late summer, Peaked April-May; smallest near edge of shelf; larger closer to shore or advected north.
SAB: Most April-May near edge of shelf; MAB: May-September, peak July, mostly between depths of 30-70 m.
Larvae occurred March through June; different sizes occurred in different water masses.
C. Hatteras:
22.1-22.40C; MAB: 18-26*C SAB:
20-261C Surface 23°C Smallest larvae > 241C MAB:
30-32 ppt SAB: 35-38 ppt Surface 33 ppt Smallest larvae >
35 ppt Larvae from spring spawn advected north via Gulf Stream.
Southerly counter-current retains larvae in SAB.
Ekman drift would impede inshore migration.
SAB: subject to northward advection by Gulf Stream.
SW winds in MAB may facilitate cross-shelf transport of larvae.
Near surface at night; mostly at 4 m dluring daylight.
>4mm strongly associated with surface.
Predominately neustonic.
Mostly copepod life history stages.
Guts full during day; empty during night.
SAB: No data MAB: Most 18-24°C March: 20-250C: April:
18-25'C; June: 21-25*C March:
36+ ppt; April:
34.5-36.5 ppt: June:
31-36 ppt
Page 67 Appendix 1. cont'd.
Pelagic-Juveniles Authors Study Period Habitat (Spatial and Temperature Salinity Dissolved Currents Light/Vertical Prey and Area Temporal)
Oxygen Distribution Hare 1988, MAB Cross shelf from Slope 13.0-15.01C Wind-driven Surface and shelf edge Sea to shore early to flow may be oriented Cowen mid-June.
important, but 1996 active swimming probably more important.
Kendall 1965-1972, April (late): many near April-May:
Migrate across All collected in and East Coast Cape Hatteras; 22.1-24.0°C shelf from near-surface Walford U.S. (MAB May: shelf in SAB, Jun: 15.0-shelf/slope samplers.
1979 and SAB largest nearshore; 20.0°C (most front to shore Continental June: MAB between
> 18.0°C) as shelf waters Shelf into shore and shelf/slope Fall: 15.0-warm.
Slope Sea) front; 18.0°C Fall: few between Winter: 13.0-Delaware Bay and 15.0°C Cape Hatteras; Winter: few between St. Johns River and Cape Canaveral.
Collins 1973-1980, Seaward of 40 m Strong negative Strongly and SAB Cape isobath, mostly spring, correlation of associated with Stender Fear-Cape some fall occurrences, size and depth the surface.
1987 Canaveral during spring, indicates shoreward movement with growth.
Fahay
- Seasonal, 14 collected between 19.0-24.0°C 1975 May 1967-'
North Carolina and Feb. 1968.
Cape Canaveral, SAB various depths Continental between nearshore and Shelf shelf edge. All during May.
Powles 1973-1976; Smallest collected 180 m 180 m Weak Strongly 1981 SAB Cape near 180 m contour; contour: >
contour:
association of associated with fear-Cape larger near shore.
24.0°C
> 35.0 size with the surface.
Canaveral ppt proximity to coast. Most probably advected north.
Page 68 Appendix 1. cont'd.
Juveniles and Older
.Authors Study Period and Area Habitat (Spatial and Temporal)
Temperature Salinity Dissolved Currents/
Oxygen Tide Substrate/
Vegetation Light/Diel I Prey Nyman and Conover 1988 Rountree and Able 1992a. b Able et al. 1996 1985-1986, both shores of Long Island, New York 1988-1989, Great South Bay. New Jersey Great Bay. New Jersey Milstein 1972-1974.
et al.
Great Bay. New 1977 Jersey Smith 1971 Pristas and Trent 1977 McBride et al.
1995 de Sylva et al.
1962 Buckel and Conover 1997 Present Study 1969-1970, four low-salinity creeks, upper Delaware Bay 1972. St.
Andrews Bay.
Florida Narragansett Bay. Rhode Island 1958-1960, Delaware Bay and River 1992-1993.
Hudson River estuary 1964-1997, Continental shelf MAB, south to Cape Fear. Cape Canaveral Occur in embayments.
between late May and
- October.
Occur in polyhaline subtidal marsh creeks during summer.
Most bluefish in subtidal creeks.
Several distinct habitats studied; bluefish most abundant in mud-sand, high salinity sites: also sandy beaches.
Six YOY occurred in two of the creeks. June and July.
Range of depths sampled with gill nets, 24 hrs. Bluefish most dense in shallowest zone (0.7-1.1 m).
June-October, shallow beaches.
July and August, mostly in shore zone of lower estuary.
Mid-channel and nearshore day-night occurrence and feeding study.
Inner shelf(over depths < 20 m) during summer and fall.
24.5-30.0'C II 1.4-27.0*C 1 8.0-28.0'C Arrive > 20'C:
emigrate ca.
15*C
> 20.0°C 19.0-28.0°C 1 25.0-33.0 ppt 23.0-30.0 ppt 0-5.2 ppt 25.3-34.6 ppt 25.0-34.0 ppt usually high, but as low as 3.0 ppt 4.5-7.3 Slow to
- moderate, swept by waves.
Ebb/flood Surf zone.
clear to turbid.
0.3-1.2 m depth; Ulva lactuca Mostly sand, some gravel.
silt, clay; Ulva
- lactuca, Spartina altern flora.
Fucus (sometimes).
Sand/gravel
> 80% sand; vegetation most dense in shallow zone.
Cobble.
gravel, shell, sand; Ulva and some Zostera Sand Day: tidal creeks Night: open bay Day Bluefish most abundant at night in shallowest zone.
Day sampling only.
Most abundant nearshore during daylight; mid-channel at night and twilight.
Menidia menidia Collected with small clupeids and anchovies Gut fullness highest twilight and day, usually low at night.
Prey:
striped bass, bay anchovy.
clupeids.
Most 18-22°C I