ML072070659
| ML072070659 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Oyster Creek |
| Issue date: | 09/30/1999 |
| From: | Berrien P, Shihsing Chang, Dante Johnson, Steimle F, Zetlin C 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-149 | |
| Download: ML072070659 (47) | |
Text
NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-NE-149 EssentialFish HabitatSource Document:
Scup, Stenotomus chrysops, Life History and Habitat Characteristics C ..
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
Recent Issues 105. Review of American Lobster (Homarusamericanus)Habitat Requirements and Responses to Contaminant Exposures.
By Renee 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 ofthe Symposium 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 foi 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.
III. Review and Evaluation of the 1994 Experimental Fishery in Closed Area 11 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-EarningsData 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., 11 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-I 12345, 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 + 182 p., 16 figs., 56 tables. NTIS Access. No. PB99-134140.
117. Review of Distribution of the Long-finned Pilot Whale (Globicephalamelas) 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 onitis) Life History and Habitat Requirements. By Frank W. Steimle and Patricia A. Shaheen. May 1999.
vi + 23 p., 1 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.
-,K MMOSp 4:,C 0
C.) NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-NE-149 ZE h I ' This series represents a secondary level of scientifiic publishing. All issues employ 2E 4 U thorough internal scientific. review; some issues employ external scientific review.
I Reviews are -- by design -- transparent collegial reviews, not anonymous peer reviews.
All issues may be cited in formal scientific communications.
EssentialFish HabitatSource Document:
Scup, Stenotomus chrysops, Life History and Habitat Characteristics Frank W. Steimle, Christine A. Zetlin, Peter L. Berrien, Donna L. Johnson, and Sukwoo Chang 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, all 'Webpostings 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 ofa given issue. All updated and/or reprinted 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 technical communications is generally to follow the American Fisheries Society's lists ofscientific and common names for fishes (i.e., Robinsetal. 1991 a), mollusks (i.e.,
Turgeon et al. 1998b), and decapod crustaceans (i.e., Williams et al. 1989'), and to follow the Society for Marine Mammalogy's guidance on scientific and common names for marine mammals (i.e., Rice 19 9 8d). Exceptions to this policy occur when there are subsequent compelling revisions in the classifications ofspecies, resulting in changes in the names of species (e.g., Cooper and Chapleau 1998').
'Robins, C.R. (chair); Bailey, R.M.; Bond, C.E.; Brooker, J.R.; 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.
'Turgeon, 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.; Pdrez Farfante, 1. 1989. Common and scientific names of aquatic invertebrates from the United States and Canada: decapod crustaceans. Amer. Fish. Soc. Spec. Publ. 17; 77 p.
dRice, 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 independent data sets from NMFS and several coastal commercial and recreationalfisheries is the continuing states. The species reports are also the source for the loss of marine, estuarine, and other aquatic habitats. current EFH designations by the New England and Mid-Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Atlantic Fishery Management Councils, and have Management Act (October 11, 1996) understandably begun to be referred to as the "EFH source documents."
The long-term viability of living marine resources NMFS provided guidance to the regional fishery depends on protection of their habitat. management councils for identifying and describing EFH NMFS Strategic Plan for Fisheries of their managed species. Consistent with this guidance, Research (February 1998) the species reports present information on current and historic stock.sizes, geographic range, and the period and The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and location of major life history stages. The habitats of Management Act (MSFCMA), which was reauthorized managed species are described by the physical, chemical, and amended by the Sustainable Fisheries Act (1996), and biological components of the ecosystem where the requires the eight regional fishery management councils to species occur. Information on the habitat requirements is describe and identify essential fish habitat (EFH) in their provided for each life history stage, and it includes, where respective regions, to specify actions to conserve and available, habitat and environmental variables that control enhance that EFH, and to minimize the adverse effects of or limit distribution, abundance, growth, reproduction, fishing on EFH. Congress defined .EFH as "those waters mortality, and productivity.
and substrate necessary to fish for spawning, breeding, Identifying and describing EFH are the first steps in feeding or growth to maturity." The MSFCMA requires the process of protecting, conserving, and enhancing NMFS to assist the regional fishery management councils essential habitats of the managed species. Ultimately, in the implementation of EFH in their respective fishery NMFS, the regional fishery management councils, fishing management plans. participants, Federal and state agencies, and other NMFS has taken a broad view of habitat as the area organizations will have to cooperate to achieve the habitat used by fish throughout their life cycle. Fish use habitat goals established by the MSFCMA.
for spawning, feeding, nursery, migration, and shelter, but A historical note: the EFH species reports effectively most habitats provide only a subset of these functions. recommence a series of reports published by the NMFS Fish may change habitats with changes in life history Sandy Hook (New Jersey) Laboratory (no~v formally stage, seasonal and geographic distributions, abundance, known as the James J. Howard Marine Sciences and interactions with other species. The type of habitat, Laboratory) from 1977 to 1982. These reports, which as well as its attributes and functions, are important for were formally labeled as Sandy Hook Laboratory sustaining the production of managed species. Technical Series Reports, but informally known as "Sandy The Northeast Fisheries Science Center compiled the Hook Bluebooks," summarized biological and fisheries available information on the distribution, abundance, and data for 18 economically important species. The fact that habitat requirements for each of the species managed by the bluebooks continue to be used two decades after their the NewEngland and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management publication persuaded us to make their successors - the 30 Councils. That information is presented in this series of EFH source documents - available to the public through 30 EFH species reports (plus one consolidated methods publication in the NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-report). The EFH species reports comprise a survey of the NE series.
important literature as well as original analyses of fishery-JAMES J. HOWARD MARINE SCIENCES LABORATORY JEFFREY N. CROSS, CHIEF HIGHLANDS, NEw JERSEY ECOSYSTEMS PROCESSES DIVISION SEPTEMBER 1999 NORTHEAST FISHERIES SCIENCE CENTER
Page v Contents Introduction .................................................................................. I L ife Histo ry ............................................................................................................................................................................................... I Habitat ha actrCharacteris.......ics....................... ............................................................................................. 4 G eo grap h ica l D istribu tio n ......................................................................................................................................................................... 5 Status of the Stocks ............................................................................. 7 Research Needs ............................................................................... 8 Ac k no w led g m e nts ........................................................ ............................................................................................................................ 8 References Cited ............................................................................. .. 8 Tables Table 1. Summary of life history and habitat characteristics for scup, Stenotomus chrysops............................................................ 14 Figures Figure 1. The scup, Stenotom us chrysops (from Goode 1884) ....................................................................................................... 16 Figure 2. Abundance of the major items in the diet of scup collected during NEFSC bottom trawl surveys ................................. 17 Figure 3. Abundance of scup eggs relative to water temperature and bottom depth from NEFSC MARMAP surveys .................. 18 Figure 4. Abundance of scup' larvae relative to water temperature and bottom depth from NEFSC MARMAP surveys ................ 19 Figure 5. Seasonal abundance of scup relative to bottom water temperature and depth based on NEFSC bottom trawl surveys ......... 20 Figure 6. Abundance of scup relative to bottom temperature, depth, DO, and salinity based on Hudson-Raritan surveys ........ 22 Figure 7. Abundance of scup relative to bottom temperature and depth based on Massachusetts inshore bottom trawl surveys ......... 23 Figure 8. Seasonal abundance of scup relative to bottom temperature and depth from Narragansett Bay trawl surveys ................. 24 Figure 9. The distribution of scup from Newfoundland to Cape Hatteras ....................................................................................... 26 Figure 10. Distribution and abundance of scup eggs collected during NEFSC MARMAP surveys ................................................ 27 Figure 11. Distribution and abundance of scup larvae collected during NEFSC MARMAP surveys .............................................. 29 Figure 12. Distribution and abundance of juvenile and adult scup collected during NEFSC bottom trawl surveys .......................... 30 Figure 13. Distribution and abundance of juvenile and adult scup in Massachusetts coastal waters ................................................ 32 Figure 14. Seasonal distribution and abundance of juvenile and adult scup collected in Narragansett Bay ...................................... 33 Figure 15. Size frequency distribution of scup collected in Narragansett Bay during Rhode Island bottom trawl surveys ............... 35 Figure 16. Distribution, abundance, and size frequency of scup in Long Island Sound, from the Connecticut bottom trawl surveys....36 Figure 17. Seasonal distribution and abundance of juvenile and adult scup in the Hudson-Raritan estuary .................................... 37 Figure 18. Commercial landings and NEFSC trawl survey indices for scup in southern New England and Middle Atlantic Bight ...... 39
Page 1 INTRODUCTION 1953). Currently, the population in the Middle Atlantic Bight is composed primarily of fish < 7 years and < 33 cm Scup (Stenotomus chrysops Linnaeus 1766) (Figure FL (Northeast Fisheries Science Center 1997). Since the I), is a temperate species that occurs primarily from 1930s, there has been a significant decline in the average Massachusetts to South Carolina, although it has been size of scup; small scup have slightly different habitat and reported as far north as the Bay of Fundy and Sable Island prey requirements than larger scup (Smith and Norcross Bank, Canada (Bigelow and Schroeder 1953; Fritz 1965; 1968).
Scott and Scott 1988) and as far south as Florida (Morse 1978; Manooch 1984).
The 'southern porgy' (S. aculeatus) is referred to in a LIFE HISTORY number of South Atlantic Bight studies and reviews (e.g.,
Morse 1978; Powles and Barans 1980; Sedberry and Van The life history of scup is typical of most demersal Dolah 1984), but is not considered a separate species by fishes, with pelagic eggs and larvae, and a gradual the American Fisheries Society (Robins et al. 1991) transition to the demersal adult stage. As a temperate.
leading to some taxonomic confusion (T. Munroe, species, scup is at the northern limits of its range in the National Systematics Laboratory, Smithsonian Institution, northeastern United States and migrates south in the Washington, DC, personal communication). For winter to warmer waters south of New Jersey.
example, Miller and Richards (1980) list S. chrysops and S. aculeatus as reef dwellers in the South Atlantic Bight.
Although there can be some mixing of the Middle EGGS and South Atlantic Bight scup populations off North Carolina, the Middle Atlantic Bight population is treated Scup eggs are small, 0.8-1.0 mm in diameter, and separately here, because only this population appears to buoyant (Kuntz and Radcliffe 1918; Wheatland 1956).
make extensive seasonal migrations and few fish tagged They require two to three days (40-75 hrs) to hatch off New England or New York have been caught south of depending on temperature (Griswold and McKenney Cape Hatteras (Nesbit and Neville 1935; Finkelstein 1984). Little else is known of this ephemeral stage.
1971). Scup in the Middle Atlantic Bight population are commonly found during the summer in larger estuaries and in coastal waters; during the winter, they occur along LARVAE the outer continental shelf to about 200 m (656 ft) and occasionally deeper. Beebe and Tee-Van (1933) reported The newly hatched larvae are about 2.0 mm TL, that scup were introduced to Bermuda, but the status of pelagic, and depend on their yolk for about three days that introduction is unknown and probably unsuccessful until they are about 2.8 mm TL (Bigelow and Schroeder (B. Collette, National Systematics Laboratory, 1953) when active feeding begins. After reaching 15-30 Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, personal mm TL in early July, the larvae become demersal in shoal communication).. Archeological evidence suggests scup waters (Lux and Nichy 1971; Johnson 1978; MAFMC have been common in southern New England waters for 1996; Able and Fahay 1998). Griswold and McKenney several thousand years and were used as food by native (1984) considered the larvae as juveniles when they grow Americans (Waters 1967). to about 18-19 mm TL. There is no information available The scup population in the Middle Atlantic Bight on habitat use or requirements during this transition spawns along the inner continental shelf off southern New period.
England from May through August with a peak in June to July. Larvae occur in coastal waters during the warmer seasons, feed upon small zooplankton, and are prey to a JUVENILES variety of planktivores, including medusae, crustaceans and fish. Larvae settle to the seafloor in coastal and Able and Fahay (1998) noted that the smallest, estuarine waters when they are about 25 mm total length young-of-the-year (YOY) individuals appeared in (TL), but this event is poorly documented. During the estuaries in June. In southern New England, juvenile summer and early fall, juveniles and adults are common scup grew to 5 to 10 cm FL by November (Bigelow and in most larger estuaries and coastal areas in open and Schroeder 1953; Gottschall et al., in review). Returning structured habitats where they feed on a variety of small juveniles in the spring were about 10-13 cm FL benthic invertebrates. Scup begin to mature at 2 years of (Michelman 1988; Able and Fahay 1998). Growth of age (Finkelstein 1969b) at about 15.5 cm fork length (FL) YOY scup is considered relatively slow (Able and Fahay (O'Brien et al. 1993). Most fish are mature at 3 years and 1998). Michelman (1988) estimated daily growth of at 21 cm FL (Gabriel 1998). In the last century, scup > 45 juveniles to be 0.84% of its dry wt/day using a length cm FL were reported (Baird 1873) living to about 20 frequency method and 0.93% of its dry wt/day using a years and weighing about 2 kg (Bigelow and Schroeder bioenergetics method. The growth production rates were
Page 2 between 0.15 and 0.40 g of its dry wt/m 2 with a growth In southern Massachusetts, spawning fish occur in shoal efficiency of about 24%. Growth rates and curves for waters < 10 m deep until late June, when they move into juvenile scup were reported in several studies, see deeper waters (MAFMC 1996). Most spawning occurs in MAFMC (1996). southern New England from Massachusetts Bay south to the New York Bight, including eastern Long Island Sound, Peconic and Gardiners Bays, and Raritan Bay ADULTS (Goode 1884; Kuntz and Radcliffe 1918; Breder 1922; Nichols and Breder 1927; Permutter 1939; Bigelow and Adult scup are common residents in the Middle Schroeder 1953; Wheatland 1956; Richards 1959; Atlantic Bight from spring to fall and are generally found Finkelstein 1969a; Sisson 1974; Morse 1978; Clayton et in schools on a variety of habitats, from open sandy al. 1978).
bottom to structured habitats such as mussel beds, reefs or Able and Fahay (1998) noted that there has been no rough bottom. SmAller-sized adult scup are common in reported evidence of spawning in Block Island Sound larger bays and estuaries but larger sizes tend to be in (Rhode Island), Great South Bay (New York), the Hudson deeper waters. Schools are reported to be size-structured River estuary, and Great Bay (New Jersey). Although (Morse 1978). Scup mature at about 2 years of age and Breder (1922) reported ripe scup in the Hudson-Raritan 50% of both sexes are reported to be mature when they estuary, more recent studies do not report the collection of achieve a length of 15.5 cm FL (O'Brien et al. 1993). scup eggs or larvae (Croker 1965; Berg and Levinton Examining growth of male and female scup from the New 1985). Esser's (1982) note on scup spawning in the York Bight (the continental shelf bounded by southern estuary was not referenced and is probably based on Long Island and the New Jersey coast), Wilk et al. (1978) Breder (1922).
found no significant difference in the length-weight Spawning has not been reported south of New Jersey relationships between sexes within the 113-361 mm FL (Morse 1982); e.g., off Chesapeake Bay (Hildebrand and range. The relationship for a larger sample of unsexed Schroeder 1928; Pearson 1932). However, Berrien and fish,27-380 mm FL, was log W = log (-5.022) + 3.169 Sibunka (1999) found eggs in this area between 1978 and log FL, where W is weight in grams and fork length (FL) 1987, although they were not abundant or widespread.
is in mm; similar relationships have been reported in Although scup are common in the spring off Maryland' MAFMC (1996). Growth in length is curvilinear between and Virginia, Eklund and Targett (1990) did not observe 10-38 cm FL corresponding to ages of about I to 13 spawning over hard-bottom reef habitat. The scup they years; growth is relatively rapid at 10-15 cm FL and observed appeared to be migrants since few remained as declines with increasing size (Penttila et al. 1989). summer residents in the study area.
Scup are members of an offshore-wintering guild of Ferraro (1980) suggested that scup spawn in the fishes whose movements, habitats, and food habits morning in Peconic Bay, Long Island, unlike most fish generally coincide (Musick and Mercer 1977; that generally spawn in the evening or at night. Scup Colvocoresses and Musick 1984; Austen et al. 1994; usually spawn over weedy or sandy areas and fertilization Brown et al. 1996). This guild includes summer flounder is external with no parental care (Morse 1978). Scup (Paralichthys dentatus), black sea bass (Centropristis appear to refrain from feeding during spawning (Baird striata), northern searobin (Prionotus carolinus), and 1873; Bigelow and Schroeder 1953; Morse 1978).
smooth dogfish (Mustelus canis) (Gabriel 1992; Shepherd Spawning can fail in some years, e.g., 1958 (Edwards and Terceiro 1994). Although biological interactions et al. 1962), even though, based on landings data, among guild members can occur, slight differences exist spawning stocks are near peak abundance (MAFMC in their environmental -tolerances and habitat preferences 1996). The relationship of this apparent spawning failure (Neville and Talbot 1964). to environmental or habitat variables is unknown. Scup spawning coincides temporally with that of several other fish, including weakfish (Cynoscion regalis), tautog REPRODUCTION (Tautoga onitis), and northern searobin (Morse 1978).
The mean fecundity of scup, 17.5-23.0 cm FL, is about 7,000 (+/-4,860 SD) eggs per female (Gray 1990). FOOD HABITS Scup spawn once a year beginning in the spring during the inshore migration (Kendall 1973) when water Although food habits data for scup larvae are not temperatures are >10°C. In eastern Long Island bays available, rearing experiments suggest that the larvae feed (New York) and Raritan Bay (New York-New Jersey), on small zooplankton (Griswold and McKenney 1984).
spawning occurs in May and June (Breder 1922; In Long Island Sound, juvenile scup feed during the Finkelstein 1969a). Along coastal Rhode Island, day, principally on polychaetes (e.g., maldanids, spawning peaks in June (O'Brien et al. 1993) and extends nephthids, nereids, and flabelligerids), epibenthic to August at temperatures of about 24°C (Herman 1963). amphipods and other small crustaceans, mollusks, and
Page 3 fish eggs and larvae (Bowman et al. 1987). Copepods .hypothesized that an expanding scup population in and mysids are important to post-larvae and early Narragansett Bay seemed to replace the winter flounder juveniles, while bivalve mollusks are more commonly (Pseudopleuronectes americanus) because both species eaten by larger fish (Richards 1963b; Bowman et al. have similar diets; if abundance of winter flounder were 1987; Michelman 1988). Allen et al. (1978) reported reduced, more prey could be available for benthic-feeding amphipods, polychaetes, copepods, and other small species such as scup. This dietary similarity was also crustaceans were eaten by a small sample of juvenile scup found in a recent fish food habit study in Hudson-Raritan in southern New Jersey, which is consistent with Bay (Steimle et al., in review).
Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC) data [Figure During inshore residency, scup gradually accumulate 2; see Reid et al. (1999) for a discussion of NEFSC food food reserves from the spring into the fall. The mean habitats data]. Michelman (1988) reported that scup only caloric content increases from 24.2 kj/g ash-free dry eat when they are in a school and the relative importance weight of whole scup in the spring to 28.1 kj/g ash-free of major prey taxa varies seasonally. Baird (1873) dry weight in the fall (Steimle and Terranova 1985). This reported prey were "rooted out of the sand or mud." stored energy can support the extra demands of migration, Juvenile and adult scup near an artificial reef in lower reduced feeding in winter, and gonadal development.
Delaware Bay ate a mix of hard-surface epifauna and Feeding may be minimal during the winter because there sand bottom infaunal prey, including amphipods is so little growth (Bigelow and Schroeder 1953).
(caprellids and others), razor clams (Ensis directus),
hydroids, blue mussels (Mytilus edulis), anemones, and mysids (F. Steimle, unpublished data). In Raritan Bay, PREDATION AND MORTALITY scup 9-12 cm FL ate a variety of benthic infaunal and epifaunal invertebrates including polychaetes, copepods, Larvae are probably preyed on by a variety of small mollusks, and hydroids; dietary composition varied planktivores, including medusae, crustaceans, and fishes.
among areas within the bay (Steimle et al., in review). Small or juvenile scup are heavily preyed on by bluefish Michelman (1988) estimated that juvenile scup in (Pomatomus saltatrix), Atlantic halibut (Hippoglossus Narragansett Bay (Rhode Island) consumed 0.6-1.7 g dry hippoglossus), cod, various sharks, striped bass (Morone wt/m 2 of benthic prey between June I and September 30. saxitilus), weakfish, goosefish (Lophius americanus),
The daily food ration of juvenile scup was 3.49-3.99% of silver hake, and other coastal fish predators (Baird 1873; dry body weight (depending on method used), or about Smith 1898; Jensen and Fritz 1960; Schaefer 1970; Morse 5% of their body weight per day; 1978; Sedberry 1983). Baird (1873) reported that cod ate Adult. scup are also benthic feeders and forage on a large numbers of small scup on Nantucket Shoals in late variety of prey, including small crustaceans (including November. Wading and diving shorebirds are also zooplankton), polychaetes, mollusks, small squid, potential predators during the summer.
vegetable detritus, insect larvae, hydroids, sand dollars, The NEFSC bottom trawl survey data on food habits and small fish (Goode 1884; Nichols and Breder 1927; lists the following species as predators of scup: dusky Hildebrand and Schroeder 1928; Bigelow and Schroeder shark (Carcharhinus obscurus), sandbar shark (C.
1953; Oviatt and Nixon 1973; Maurer and Bowman 1975; plumbeus), smooth dogfish, spiny dogfish (Squalus Morse 1978; Sedberry 1983; Figure 2). As scup grow, acanthias), Atlantic sharpnose shark (Rhizoprionodon their diets include larger prey. Bowman et al. (1976) terraenovae), Atlantic angel shark (Squatina dumeril),
found that polychaetes were more important in the diets Atlantic torpedo (Torpedo nobiliana), bluntnose stingray of scup off southern New England and anthozoans were (Dasyatis say), silver hake, bluefish, summer flounder, more important in the Middle Atlantic Bight. Sedberry black sea bass, weakfish, northern stargazer (Astroscopus (1983) reported that during the fall migration off New guttatus), goosefish, inshore lizardfish (Synodus foetens),
Jersey scup fed mainly on amphipods, polychaetes, and to and king mackerel (Scomberomorus cavalla).
a lesser extent on decapod crustaceans, copepods, snails, Another potential source of mortality is disease.
and other small invertebrates. Adults also prey on small Disease can be initiated by direct epidermal exposure or benthic invertebrates, although feeding and growth appear through feeding on contaminated prey. Scup had fin rot to be reduced during .the winter. in the degraded inner New York Bight and Hudson-At times and in certain areas, scup diets overlap those Raritan' estuary (Mahoney et al. 1975). Benthic of red hake (Urophycis chuss) and, depending on scup invertebrate prey commonly eaten in the New York Bight size, those of silver hake (Merluccius bilinearis)and Gulf were contaminated with several toxic heavy metals Stream flounder (Citharichthys arctifrons) (Sedberry (Steimle et al. 1994).
1983). Langton (1982) found that although the diets of scup overlapped those of several other demersal species, there was little prey overlap with cod (Gadus morhua) or MIGRATION silver hake off New England, even though they have similar benthic diets. Jeffries and Terceiro (1985) As inshore water temperatures decline to < 8-9°C in
Page 4 the winter, scup leave inshore waters and move to warmer temperatures rise in the spring. Some reports on scup waters on the outer continental shelf south of the Hudson habitat"use and distribution may be biased by the type of Canyon off New Jersey and along the coast from south of collection gear used and the habitats in which they can be Long Island to North Carolina in depths ranging from 75- deployed effectively. For 'example, most surveys use 185 m (Morse 1978; Bowman et al. 1987). Juveniles towed nets that are appropriate for open bottom but not follow adults to wintering areas on the mid to outer for rough, structured habitats that scup are known to use continental shelf south of Long Island, although some such as mussel beds, rock rubble, or reefs.
remain, in larger and deeper estuaries during warmer winters. During migration, scup'move south along the coast (within the 18 m isobath) and offshore (Hamer EGGS 1970) as coastal bottom water temperature declines below 10TC. Phoel (1985) reported that scup migrated south of Scup eggs are commonly found in larger bodies of Cape Hatteras to about Cape Fear (North Carolina) in the coastal waters such as bays and sounds in and near winter and spring (he assumed one species and no southern New England during spring and summer.
population mixing). Lebida (1969) reported eggs were relatively abundant in With rising water temperatures in the spring, scup Buzzards Bay (Massachusetts) from May through June at return inshore. Larger fish arrive first followed by water temperatures of 8.50 to 23.7'C, which is similar to schools of subadults, which have been reported to appear their distribution in Connecticut and Rhode Island off southern New England slightly later (Sisson 1974). estuaries (Herman 1963). Eggs hatched in about 70,-75 The fish reach Chesapeake Bay by April (Hildebrand and hrs'at 18'C and 40-54 hrs at 21-22TC (Griswold and Schroeder 1928) and southern New England by early May McKenney 1984); they may not develop normally at (Baird 1873; Perlmutter 1939; Neville and Talbot 1964; temperatures below I0°C (Bigelow and Schroeder' 1953).
Finkelstein 1971). It has been suggested that the Few scup eggs were collected in the NEFSC 'Marine population moves in schools of similarly-sized individuals Resources Monitoring, Assessment and Prediction during migration and perhaps at other times as well (Baird (MARMAP) ichthyoplankton survey [see Reid et al.
1873; Hildebrand and Schroeder 1928; Neville and Talbot (1999) for survey methods]. The few survey tows that 1964; Sisson 1974; Morse 1978). Fish that arrive inshore collected eggs were made during May-August when efirly can be caught in pockets of residual cold water and integrated water column temperatures were between 110 can become inactive or dormant (Kessler 1966). and 23TC (Figure 3). Their occurrence at 23°C probably represents, eggs collected off Maryland-Virginia during the summer. Most eggs were collected in generally < 50 STOCK STRUCTURE m (Figure 3).
Although the Middle Atlantic Bight population was once considered to be two stocks, i.e., southern New LARVAE England and New Jersey (Edwards et al. 1962; Neville and Talbot 1964; Hamer 1970; Morse 1978). More recent Larval scup are pelagic and occur in coastal waters analysis found that the evidence for this segregation was during warmer months. Larvae were collected in the weak. *Pierce (1981) suggested that the apparent more saline parts of Long Island Sound and eastern Long segregation of two stocks in the Middle Atlantic Bight Island bays, Narragansett Bay, Buzzards Bay, Vineyard could be an artifact of the temporary location of separate Sound, and Cape Cod Bay from May through September winter water masses containing temperatures acceptable at water temperatures of 14-22°C; the greatest densities to scup; in most years this water mass separation is occurred at 15-20'C (Fish 1925; Wheatland 1956; Pearcy lacking or less influential. Scup is presently considered a and Richards 1962; Herman 1963; Scherer 1984; single stock in the Middle Atlantic Bight (Pierce 1981; MAFMC 1996). Herman (1963) found larvae when water Mayo 1982). temperatures were 20.0-23.5'C. The optimum for rearing larvae in the laboratory is 18'C (Lawrence 1979). The NEFSC MARMAP. larval data indicate a peak in HABITAT CHARACTERISTICS abundance at 17'C at depths < 50 m (Figure 4).
Scup are a temperate, demersal species that use several benthic habitats from open water to structured JUVENILES areas for feeding and possibly for shelter (Table 1). Their distribution changes seasonally as fish migrate from During warmer months, juvenile scup live inshore in estuaries to the edge of the continental shelf as water a variety of coastal habitats and can dominate the overall temperatures decline in the winter and return from the fish population in most larger estuarine areas during that edge of the continental shelf to inshore areas as water period. In Rhode Island, YOY scup have been collected
Page 5 in intertidal and subtidal habitats, over sand, silty-sand, 125 ft) contour (Morse 1978; Figures'6-8). In Raritan shell, mud, mussel beds and eelgrass (Zosteria marina) Bay, juvenile scup were most commonly collected at (Baird 1873). Although Gottschall et al. (in review) depths between about 5 and 12 m (15 to 35 ft) (Figure 6).
noted that 1 year old scup were found on various types of sediment during warmer months in Long Island Sound, Richards (1963a) reported collecting more juvenile scup ADULTS in a sandy habitat 9 m deep than at a 17 m deep muddy area of the sound. Scup were also collected in the smaller Adult habitats are similar to those used by juveniles, coastal bays of Delaware (Derickson and Price 1973). including soft, sandy bottoms, on or near structures, such However, scup were not common in shoreline seine or as rocky ledges, wrecks, artificial reefs, and mussel beds throw-trap surveys in vegetated and unvegetated habitats in euryhaline areas (Briggs 1975a; Eklund 1988; in Chesapeake Bay, Long Island Sound, or New Jersey MAFMC 1996). In Long Island Sound, scup exhibit a estuaries (Greeley 1939; Warfel and Merriman 1944; strong preference for mixed sand and mud sediments Briggs and O'Connor 1971; Himchak 1982; Weinstein (Gottschall et al., in review), which are probably rich in and Brooks 1983; Sogard 1989; Sogard and Able 1991). small benthic prey (Reid et al. 1979). Similar to While little is known about the specific habitats juveniles, the specific habitats used by adult scup during occupied in winter when juvenile scup reside offshore, the winter or during migration are not known. The areas their winter-spring distributions indicate that they occur in in which they have been found can include a variety of habitats ranging from relatively flat, open, sandy-silty habitat types that differ in sediment composition, bottoms to the head of submarine canyons, and other availability of food, and structure or relief (Wigley and areas with topographical relief and varying sediments Theroux 1981; Steimle 1990).
(Wigley and Theroux 1981). Adult scup also occurred at bottom water The presence of structure can be important to scup. temperatures of 6-27TC (Figures 5-8). Their winter Gray (1990) and Auster et al. (1991, 1995) noted that distribution appears to be mostly limited by the 7°C juveniles use biogenic depressions in the sediments off isotherm, their lower preferred limit (Neville and Talbot southern New England in the fall; the size of the 1964). Magnuson et al. (1981) reported that scup may depression was directly related to the size of the fish. aggregate north of transient Gulf Stream frontal Juveniles can use biogenic depressions, sand wave boundaries off Cape Hatteras, at least in the fall when the troughs, and possibly mollusk shell fields for shelter in temperature differential was about 8VC (25.6' vs. 17.1'C).
winter. Their poor growth during colder months However, there are taxonomic uncertainties about the (Bigelow and Schroeder 1953) suggests inactivity and species of Stenotomus involved.
possibly an increased need for shelter. Although scup are considered a demersal species, Juvenile scup have been collected at water they have been observed at the water surface (Bigelow temperatures ranging from 5-27°C [Figures 5-8; see Reid and Schroeder 1953). Off Massachusetts (Figure 7) and et al. (1999) for survey methods]. This is slightly below in Narragansett Bay (Figure 8), most adults were the thermal maximum of 30.2-35.6°C (depending on collected in spring through fall at depths < 30 m (100 ft).
acclimation) reported by Everich and Gonzalez (1977). In New Jersey, they were reported to aggregate within the The modes of highest relative abundance shift from about 20 m depth coastal zone as they began their offshore t0'C in the spring to peaks at 16TC and 22°C from southerly movements (MAFMC 1996).
summer to fall, except in Narragansett Bay (Figure 8) and Adult scup 'in the Hudson-Raritan estuary were Long Island Sound where the bimodality was unclear. In collected at salinities ranging primarily from 20 to 31 ppt Long Island Sound, where juveniles dominate 'the (Figure 6), which is consistent with salinity associations population, they were collected at bottom temperatures of in Long Island Sound (Gottschall et al., in review).
7-18"C in the spring and 15-22"C in the fall at salinities of Similar to juveniles in the Hudson-Raritan estuary, most 25-31 ppt. Subadults, which usually follow the adults were collected at DO levels > 4mg/I (Figure 6).
migrations of adults south during the fall, have been killed by sudden cold spells in shallow New England bays (Baird 1873; Sherwood and Edwards 1902; Morse 1978). GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION However, from 1971 to 1975, juveniles over-wintered in Long Island Sound (Thomson et al. 1978). In the Scup is a temperate species and north of Cape Hudson-Raritan estuary, juveniles were collected at Hatteras the population is restricted to water temperatures temperatures ranging from 9' to 26°C, at salinities ranging above 6TC (Figure 9). Postlarval scup migrate to stay from 18 to 33 ppt, and dissolved oxygen (DO) levels > 4 within acceptable thermal limits as bottom water mg/I (Figure 6). temperatures in the northeast decline in winter.
From summer through fall, YOY and age 1+ scup were found in many tidal bays, sounds, and coastal areas primarily north of Maryland at depths within the 38 m (<
Page 6 EGGS during July and August 1988, nor were they common in bays or estuaries south of Long Island (Pearson 1932; Scup eggs have been collected primarily in coastal Massman et al. 1961; de Sylva et al. 1962; Dovel 1967, waters off southern New England where abundance can 1981; Scotton 1970; Pacheco and Grant 1973; Himchak range up to 1000 eggs/10 m2 of sea surface (Berrien and2 1982; Morse 1982; Olney 1983; Berg and Levinton 1985; Sibunka 1999) but samples containing > 100 eggs/10 m Monteleone 1992; Stone et al. 1994) or in the surf zone were rare during the NEFSC MARMAP survey (Figure (D. Clark, U.S. Army Corps Engineers, Vicksburg, MS,
- 10) when stock abundance was relatively low (MAFMC personal communication). This is surprising since some 1996). Eggs were collected primarily during June and of these areas; e.g., Delaware Bay, are important juvenile July from inshore waters off southern New England; few nurseries (de Sylva et al. 1962).
eggs were collected on the continental shelf from May to Clayton et al. (1978) reported the occurrence of August (Berrien and Sibunka 1999). Patchy occurrences larvae in Rocky Point in northwestern Cape Cod Bay, were recorded from mid-shelf in the Chesapeake Bight which, as with eggs, could have been transported through from May through August (Figure 10). the Cape Cod Canal from Buzzards Bay (Scherer 1984).
Since the NEFSC MARMAP surveys did not sample Based on the presence of eggs and larvae, there is a waters < 10 m and excluded most coastal bays, it is possibility that scup can spawn in Massachusetts Bay probable that eggs are more abundant and widely (MAFMC 1996).
distributed in nearshore areas. Wheatland (1956) reported that in eastern Long Island Sound and nearby bays, eggs were variably abundant from year to year from May to JUVENILES August with peaks in June and July. According to Stone et al. (1994), scup eggs were common or abundant in the In contrast with the conflicting reports and saline parts of coastal bays from southern Cape Cod to uncertainty in the spatial extent and abundance of scup Long Island Sound, eastern Long Island, and the Hudson- eggs and larvae, juveniles have been collected inshore and Raritan estuary. In contrast, Merriman and Sclar (1952) offshore from New England to the Chesapeake Bay area.
did not find eggs in Block Island Sound, along the south In fact, the saline areas of Narragansett Bay, Long Island shore of Long Island, or in coastal waters or bays to the Sound, Raritan Bay, and Delaware Bay are important south. Interestingly, Able and Fahay (1998) note that nursery areas (Richards 1963a; Abbe 1967; Oviatt and there has not been a verified collection of scup eggs Nixon 1973; Werme et al. 1983; Michelman 1988; Gray within southern New England estuaries since Sisson 1990; MAFMC 1996; Wilk et al. 1997; Gottschall et al.,
(1974). in review).
North of Cape Cod, scup eggs have been recorded in Reports of the coastal occurrence of juvenile scup southern Cape Cod Bay from June to August (1974- date back to the last century. Smith (1894) reported that 1976), possibly transported from Buzzards Bay through they were abundant from Hyannis, Massachusetts to the Cape Cod Canal (Scherer 1984). There have, been Barnegat, New Jersey in 1891 and Moore (1894) other reports of eggs in Massachusetts Bay suggesting indicated they were common only as far south as New that spawning occurs there (MAFMC 1996). Jersey. More recent reports indicate that during warmer months, juvenile scup were common from the intertidal zone to about 30 m in more saline (> 15 ppt) portions of LARVAE bays and estuaries and along the inner continental shelf of the Middle Atlantic Bight from about May to November Larval distribution is also limited and even more (Smith 1898; Breder 1922; Kendall 1973; Werme et al.
conjectural than for eggs. Although Kendall (1973) noted 1983; Bowman et al. 1987; Szedlmayer and Able 1996; the offshore occurrence of larvae from Virginia to Cape Gottschall et al., in review).
Cod and in estuaries from Delaware Bay to Buzzards Bay, The changes in seasonal distribution are reflected in the NEFSC MARMAP surveys collected < 5 larvae/tow, the results of the NEFSC bottom trawl surveys in which mostly inshore (about 30 m) off Rhode Island in July juveniles occurred offshore in winter and spring, inshore (Figure 11). However, larvae can be more abundant in in summer, and were concentrated in near-coastal waters shallow, nearshore waters since Stone et al. (1994) through fall (Figure 12). Young-of-the-year fish are reported them in the same areas as eggs; i.e., from locally abundant north of Cape Cod (Clayton et al. 1978),
southern Cape Cod to Long Island Sound and in the especially in the fall (Lux and Kelly 1982). However, this.
Hudson-Raritan estuary. is not reflected in the Massachusetts trawl survey that Despite these reports, Able and Fahay (1998) noted indicated higher concentrations south of the Cape in that like the eggs there has been no verified collection of spring and fall (Figure 13). Juveniles were common in scup larvae in southern New England estuaries since Narragansett Bay (Figure 14) and Long Island Sound Sisson (1974). Cowen et al. (1993) did not collect scup (Figure 16) in summer and fall. Zawacki and Briggs larvae in coastal or shelf waters of the New York Bight (1976) routinely seined juveniles on the north shore of
Page 7 Long Island from July through October. Gottschall et al. They migrate from offshore winter habitats into coastal (in review) reported that YOY scup (approximately 4 cm waters from Chesapeake Bay to southern New England FL) were first collected in Long Island Sound in August where they reside from spring to fall (Bigelow and and became numerically dominant in the catch by Schroeder 1953; Richards 1963a; Scott and Scott 1988; September; 1 year old juveniles were collected in April. Morse 1978; Chang 1990). These migration patterns are However, other surveys of Long Island estuaries or surf reflected in the results of the NEFSC bottom trawl zones did not support these findings (Schaefer 1967; surveys (Figure 12) and in the Massachusetts inshore Briggs 1975b). survey (Figure 13). During warm months, larger scup The occurrence of juveniles in coastal bays and occur in or near the mouths of larger bays, such as estuaries south of Long Island is temporally and spatially Narragansett Bay (Figures 14, 15) and Long Island Sound variable. In Raritan Bay, juveniles were abundant, in (Figure 16), and along the coast within the 38 m contour spring and summer; a few were collected in the fall and (Morse 1978).
were not collected in winter (Figure 17). While juveniles Distribution and abundance of adult scup off New occur in the larger bays; e.g., Raritan and Delaware Bays England is temperature dependent (Mayo 1982; Gabriel (de Sylva et al. 1962; Werme et al. 1983), they seldom 1992). Smaller fish are found in more saline (> 15 ppt) occur in smaller coastal lagoons such as Barnegat Bay shallow bays and parts of estuaries including the Hudson-(New Jersey), tributaries of the Hudson-Raritan estuary, Raritan estuary and Hereford Inlet (New Jersey) (Figures or the ocean surf zone (Marcellus 1972; Howells and 6, 17; Allen et al. 1978; Morse 1978; Werme et al. 1983; Brundage III 1977; Vouglitois 1983; Wilk et al. 1997; D. Wilk et al. 1997). However, they may not be abundant in Clark, personal communication). all bays; e.g., they have not been reported in Barnegat Varying numbers have been collected in New Jersey Bay (Marcellus 1972; Vouglitois 1983; Tatham et al.
estuaries south of Barnegat Bay; i.e. within Hereford Inlet 1984), Maryland bays (MAFMC 1996), or in New York (Allen et al. 1978). Although formerly relatively Harbor (Stoecker et al. 1992; Will and Houston 1992).
abundant, juvenile scup have not occurred in large Adult scup usually arrive offshore in December and numbers in vegetated sites in lower Chesapeake Bay winter in deeper water from Nantucket Shoals to Cape (Orth and Heck 1980; MAFMC 1996). However, in fall Hatteras to depths of about 240 m (Figures 5 and 12; they are still collected in relatively large numbers by the Pearson 1932; Neville and Talbot 1964; Morse 1978).
NEFSC trawl surveys at the mouth of the bay (Figure 12). Scup density and distribution during the winter are related While juveniles do not occur to any great extent in seaside to the location of the 70 C bottom isotherm, their lower bays of Maryland and Virginia (Arve 1960; Schwartz preferred limit (Neville and Talbot 1964). Nesbit and 1961, 1964), Richards and Castagna (1970) did find them Neville (1935) indicated that this band of warmer, outer in their survey of Virginia's seaside bays. continental shelf water is influenced mainly by the Gulf The NEFSC groundfish surveys (1963-1997) mostly Stream just off the shelf. During warm winters, scup can post-date the last period of high scup abundance, be found across most of the continental shelf south of approximately 1950-1965 (Northeast Fisheries Science New Jersey (Nesbit and Neville 1935). As coastal waters Center 1997). The NEFSC bottom trawl survey results warm above the 7VC threshold in spring, scup return for 1963-1964 (not shown) indicated that juveniles were inshore and to the north.
widespread and distribution was similar to the present.
The only apparent change in this general coastal distribution pattern was in the late 1960s (during the STATUS OF THE STOCKS period of relatively low abundance) when the largest collections of juveniles were clustered off southern New Commercial landings of scup in the Middle, Atlantic England, Virginia, and North Carolina. This distribution Bight have declined substantially since peak landings in pattern raised the question of whether there were two. the 1950s and early 1960s; although there was a minor stocks in the Middle Atlantic Bight (Hamer 1970). peak in landings in the early 1980s (Figure 18; Northeast Fisheries Science Center 1997). Recreational landings have also declined (MAFMC 1996).
ADULTS Groundfish surveys by the NEFSC indicated cycles in abundance of scup of about 3-4 years and an overall Adults have been reported as far north as the Bay of decline since the 1950-1960s (Figure 18; Gabriel 1998).
Fundy, southern Nova Scotia, and Sable Island Bank (east Currently, the stock is composed primarily of fish < 3 of Nova Scotia) as summer visitors (Scott and Scott 1988) years old and the age distribution is truncated (MAFMC and at least as far south as Cape Hatteras. As part of a 1996). The abundance of scup eggs off southern New temperate, migrant guild, scup have even been collected England has been low recently (Gray 1990; Able and occasionally on the southern Grand Banks (Brown et al. Fahay 1998). According to Jeffries and Terceiro (1985),
1996). slightly warmer average summer temperatures (+I°C) in Scup occur primarily in the Middle Atlantic Bight. coastal waters off southern New England are related to an
Page 8 increase in scup abundance. loans of material. Assistance was also provided by EFH The Middle Atlantic Bight stock is currently team members (S. Griesbach, D. Packer, D. Sheehan, W.
considered overfished because the stock is near record Morse, D. McMillan, R. Pikanowski, and J. Vitaliano) low abundance levels and catches exceed Fmax (Gabriel and others who supplied data for map development and 1998; National Marine Fisheries Service 1997; Northeast text. W. Gabriel and F. Almeida led us to unpublished Fisheries Science Center 1997). information and commented on earlier drafts of this document.
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Page 14 Table I. Summary of life history and habitat characteristics for scup, Stenotomus chrysops. MAB = Middle Atlantic Bight, SNE = southern New England, GOM = Gulf of Maine.
Life Time of Year Size and Geographic Habitat Substrate Temperature Stage Growth Location Eggs May-Aug, 0.8-1.0 mm Coastal Virginia Water Buoyant in 11-23°C; most south to north - SNE, southern column, < 30 water column common 12-14'C progression GOM m in depth Larvae May-Sept, Hatch at -2.0 MAB and Water In water 14-22°C; peak south to north mm; stage southern GOM, column, < 20 column until densities at 15-lasts to near shore; m until transition 20oC 30 mm mostly SNE juvenile transition YOYand May-Nov. YOY: 15-30 MAB-GOM; Estuarine and Sand, mud, Greater than older south to north mm to 10 cm in estuaries coastal; from mussel, and 27'C; mostly 16-juveniles by Nov; spring to fall intertidal to eel grass beds 22oC juveniles: to about 38 m 16 cm by end of 1+ yr Winter Nov-Apr/ 13 cm; Most move Mostly > 38 Poorly Greater than -7°C juveniles May growth rate offshore and m depth; mid known, found reduced south of New and outer over various Jersey to continental sand warmer, deeper shelf; substrates waters; some sometime in overwinter in deep estuaries Long Island Sound Summer Apr-Dec > 15.5 cm FL Coastal from 38 m Fine to silty- 25°C; can adults Delaware to sand, mud, acclimate to GOM mussel beds, 35.6'C rock, artificial reefs, wrecks, and other structures Winter Jan-Mar > 15.5 cm FL Most move Mostly 38- Poorly > 7°C adults offshore and 185 m depths; known, found south of New mid/outer over various Jersey to continental sands.
warmer, deeper shelf.
waters.
Spawning May-Aug, > 15.5 cm Inshore from < 30 m, Weedy to > 9-24°C adults peak in June FL; mature at Delaware Bay during sandy about age 2 north to SNE: inshore mostly in SNE migration
Page 15 Table 1. cont'd.
Life Salinity Prey, Predators Notes Stage Eggs > 15 ppt Most planktivores Eggs hatch in 70-where the eggs are 75 hrs at 18'C, found, and in 40-54 hrs at 21 C Larvae > 15 ppt Can use yolk Most planktivores Benthic settlement for -3 days; where the larvae and juvenile at -2.8 mm are found, transition occurs feeding on at 30 mm FL zooplankton must begin YOYand > 15 ppt Small benthic Bluefish, cod, Diurnal schooling older invertebrates, hake, summer feeders. Most juveniles fish eggs and flounder, migrate to larvae weakfish, striped deeper/warmer bass, and others waters to the south in winter Winter Mostly > 30 Poorly Cod during SNE Migrate offshore juveniles ppt. except in known; migration as temperatures estuaries possibly fall below 8-9°C small benthic and inshore and invertebrates, north as water but feeding warms to > 7°C; may be early arrivals can reduced be affected by late cold spell Summer > 15 ppt Benthic and Sharks, stingrays, Usually found in adults near bottom dogfish, bluefish, schools of invertebrates, silver hake, black similarly sized and small fish sea bass, and individuals.
others Possibly tolerant or avoid hypoxic conditions Winter > 30 ppt Poorly Sharks, stingrays, 7'C isotherm adults known, but dogfish, bluefish, greatly influences feeding may silver hake. black distribution be reduced sea bass, and others Spawning > 15 ppt Poorly Sharks, stingrays, Spawning is often adults known, but dogfish, bluefish, in AM; fish may feeding may silver hake, black avoid hypoxic be reduced sea bass, and areas others
Page 16 Op-Figure 1. The scup, Stenotomus chrysops (from Goode 1884).
Page 17 a) 1973-1980 1-10cm 11-40cm (n=239) (n=795)
Arthropoda 54.9%/
AllOther Prey 5.0% All Other Prey 4.6%
Misoellaneouis Materials 5.1%
Unknown Animal Remains 5.6%
Echinodermata 5.5%
Annelida 11.1% Mollusca 13.1%
18.39/o b) 1981-1990 1-10 cm 11-40 cm (n=50) (n=330)
.nnelida 17.0%
Arthropoda 31.1%.
AllOther Prey 9.8%
Unknown Animal Remains 10.8%
Unknown Animal Remains 51.9-/6 Arthropoda 17.89%
Figure 2. Abundance of the major items in the diet of juvenile (1-10 cm) and adult (11-40 cm) scup collected during NEFSC bottom trawl surveys from 1973-1980 and 1981-1990. Abundance in the 1973-1980 samples is defined by mean percent prey weights, and in the 1981-1990 samples as mean percent prey volume. The "Arthropoda" are almost entirely crustacea; see text for discussion of specific taxa involved. The category "animal remains" refers to unidentifiable animal matter. Methods for sampling, processing, and analysis of samples differed between the time periods [see Reid et al. (1999) for details].
Page 18 Scup Eggs, May to August 60 3,
I 50 Eggs vs. Temperature 20 ~Stations
,tCatch 10 0 III I I I I I I 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 -20 22 24 26 28 Mean Water-Column Temperature (0-200m, C)
Inn 90 I Eggs vs. Depth 20 10 0oL Depth Interval (m), Midpoint Figure 3. Abundance of scup eggs relative to water column temperature (to a maximum of 200 m) and bottom depth from NEFSC MARMAP ichthyoplankton surveys (May to August 1978-1987, all years combined). Open bars represent the proportion of all stations surveyed, while solid bars represent the proportion of the sum of all standardized catches (number/10 M 2 ).
Page 19 Scup Larvae, July & August 100 90 Larvae vs. Temperature __
20 Stations 10 0
4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22" 24 26 28 U
Mean Water-Column Temperature (0-200m, C) 100 90 I Larvae vs. Depth 30 20 10 0
Depth Interval (m), Midpoint Figure 4. Abundance of scup larvae relative to water column temperature (to a maximum of 200 m) and bottom depth from NEFSC MARMAP ichthyoplankton surveys (July and August 1977-1987, all years combined). Open bars represent the proportion of all stations surveyed, while solid bars represent the proportion of the sum of all standardized catches (number/lO m2).
Page 20 Juveniles: _<15 cm TL FALL WINTER 16-
' STATIONS N=1879 14- N CATCHES N=384403 12.
10-
,,o 8-E.,
I- 6-4.
2-n L
- mmmm 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 BOTTOM TEMPERATURE (C) BOTTOM TEMPERATURE (C)
SPRING SUMMER 35 o STA1Ii'E N-643 30
- CATCHESN=106979 25
~20 W L 15 w
- 0. IL 10 5
16Mfh 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 7 9 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 25 BOTTOM TEMPERATURE (C). BOTTOM TEMPERATURE (C)
FALL WINTER 50-O STATIONS N=-1879 45,
- CATCHES N=384404 40-35-S30.
1 25-(W
- 0. 20- uJ 0.
15-10.
5-Ln O
L,
- 8 8 8 o* S DEPTH (m) DEPTH (m)
SPRING SUMMER 35-O STAT1OINN=643 a STATONS N=109 30- ECATCH-ESN,-106979 U CATCHES N= 18508 25-20-0) 5 15-0.
10-5-
0 10 20 30 40 50 DEPTH (i) DEPTH (m)
Figure 5. Seasonal abundance of juvenile and adult scup relative to bottom water temperature and depth based on NEFSC bottom trawl surveys (1963-1997, all years combined). Open bars represent the proportion of all stations surveyed, while solid bars represent the proportion of the sum of all standardized catches (number/lO0 M2 ).
Page 21 Adults: >15 cm TL FALL WINTER 18t 80- 13STATIONS N=133 D STATIONS N1=1879 16 m CATCHES N=490 70-
- CATCHES N=7063 14- 60-12 -
~50-10-R040 S8-0.30-0-
4.
2- 10
- 0. 201 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 BOTTOM TEMPERATURE (C) BOTTOMTEMPERATURE (C)
SPRING SUMMER 0Z 0i 4 5 6 7 8 91011121314151617181920 7 9 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 25 BOTTOM TEMPERATURE (C) BOTTCMTEMPERATURE (C)
FALL WINTER 60 40- 51 [0 STATIONS N=1879 501r [ STAMiONS N=133 45
- CATCHES N-=49202 50 " a CATCHES N=7063 35- 40 RJ25- 0 30 uJ 20- wL 15- 20.
10
- 5. 10.
0 O
DEPTH (m) DEPTH(m)
SPRING SUMMER 20 oSTATIONSN1=643 o STATIONS W=109 18- 0 CATCHES N-=3855 16- m CATCHES W-42311 14 6
4 2
0 0 10 20 30 40 50 70
,DEPn-H DEPTH (m)
(in)
Figure 5. cont'd.
Page 22 Juveniles (* 15 cm) 20' 35.
IFIlrný 18' C Stationss]
30 16" S14' Cace 25 20 lil iFJ 15 S
64 2"
^
0 2 4 6 II I 10'
- 5. -Fir 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 0 I 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Temperature (C) Dissolved Oxygen (mg/I)
I 16 14 2-Q) 1 0
V 8 6
4L 2"
o i-q 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 15 17 .19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33 35 Depth (ft) Salinity (ppt)
Adults (>15 cm) 25" 45' I
20 Li Stations 40
- Catches 35' a) 30 15 25 50*
U 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 Temperature (C) 20 15 10 5
0*
0 1 2 3 4 IF fIr, 5 6 7 8 Dissolved Oxygen (mg/I) 9 nnn 10 11 12 13 35- 8-30- 6-25- 1)4-Fh 0 2 20' 0-C) 15- 8 6-
- 2 10-5-
V I1 ill 1F11l-Jt _-,--
10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 8085 I
4-2-
15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33 35 Depth (ft) Salinity (ppt)
Figure 6. Abundance of juvenile and adult scup relative to bottom water temperature, depth, dissolved oxygen, and salinity, based on Hudson-Raritan estuary trawl surveys (1992-1997, all years combined).
Page 23 Scup Mass. Inshore Trawl Surveys I Stations Juveniles A diuIts 1 Catches 50- 30' 40-Spring I Spring 20" 20-di 10" 10-vI{
I FF Ann rHH 3 5 7 nNIJ IL.N 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 2.3 o0 1 3 5 I
7 11 9 11 q
13 15 17 19 21 23 Bottom Temperature (C) Bottom Temperature (C) 20" Autumn 16"2 12-4" 1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 C 1 3 5 7 9 II 13 15 17 19 21 23
- 4. Bottom Temperature (C) Bottom Temperature (C) 4)
50 40-40 Spring 40" Spring 30 20 10" I0 0- V'* -
Bottom Depth (m) Bottom Depth (m) 40" Autumn Autumn 30 - 30 20" I0" 10 Bottom Depth (m) Bottom Depth (m)
Figure 7. Abundance of juvenile and adult scup relative to bottom water temperature and depth based on Massachusetts inshore bottom trawl surveys (spring and autumn 1978-1996, all years combined). Open bars represent the proportion of all stations surveyed, while solid bars represent the proportion of the sum of all standardized catches (number/10 m2).
Page 24 Scup Scup Juveniles (< 16 cm) Juveniles (< 16 cm) 80" 80 60" 60 Winter 40' 20'
- InI 40 El SmFion 20 Winter r~*y-I*I'v-I ..
U.. . . . . . . . . . . .
-1 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 40" 50 30 ' Spring 40 Spring 30 20 nS[ HH nHlll 20 10 0.
7 9 I11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 10 0'
II010 20 30 FFL 40 LL -0, 1i 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 40' Summer 30' 20' 10" nJ.
U FL 14 FJ m 0
-1 I 3 5 7 9 II 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 301 30-H Autumn Autumn 20" 20" 10" n nlI nrL 1 1 1L ). . .. . .. . .. . .. .
U
-I I 3 5 7 9 '1 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 8. Seasonal abundance of juvenile and adult scup relative to mean bottom water temperature and bottom depth from Rhode Island Narragansett Bay trawl surveys, 1990-1996. Open bars represent the proportion of all stations surveyed, while solid bars represent the proportion of the sum of all catches.
Page 25 Scup Adults (>_16cm) Adults Scup
(>!16 cm) Ct.h.
20' 30 Winter 201 /inter 10"
'1 3 5 7 9 I IY 3 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 I
U' 10 I0 2 20 Hpin 0
30 4
40 0
50 6
60 nFlILiI 0
70 0 9 80 90 0 1 2 11000I100 11200 40' 50' Spring 40 30' Spring
-j 30" 20' 20' 10" 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 80 90 100 110 120 1 : 1 1 *3 5 10' C-' 30- C 60-
- ),n,n~ r nl-l Summer Summer 20" 40 10" 20 20 nni ni
-I I 3 5 7 9 II 13 15 17 19 21 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 23 25 27 50' 50' 40 40 Autumn 30 30 20 20"
[Autumn 10' I
H ii ~,[, 10.
-I I 3 5 7 9 II 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 8. cont'd.
Page 26 Figure 9. The distribution of scup from Newfoundland to Cape Hatteras. Data are from the U.S. NOAA/Canada DFO East Coast of North America Strategic Assessment Project (http//:www-orca.nos.noaa.gov/projects/ecnasap/
ecnasaptable I. html).
Page 27 Figure 10. Distribution and abundance of scup eggs collected during NEFSC MARMAP ichthyoplankton surveys, 1978-1987 [see Reid et al. (1999) for details]. The upper left figure is a summary of all months and years;.the remaining figures are by individual month (May, June, July and August) for all years combined.
Page 28
-I - I IL 45--
Scup (Stenotomus chrysops) 44-Eggs MARMAP Ichthyoplankton Surveys 43- 61-cm Bongo Net; 0.505-mm mesh August, 1978 to 1987 Number ot Tow- = 963 w1it6eggs= I 4 42
- Monthly Mean Denity = 0.008 Eggs/lttn' 41-4J None
- toSn 37-i 36-i 3576- - 75 7,-
T 7* -
74 7.
73 72 - 71I 7) 70 6 69 6.
68 6*7 6'7 6 66 Figure 10. cont'd.
Page 29 45- A..1 45- L __________
(Stenntomus chrysops) (Stenotomus chs'sops)
Larvae Larve MARMAP Jchthyoplankton Surveys MARMAP Ichthyoplankton Surveys 61-cm Bongo Net; 0.505-mm mesh 43- 61-cm Bongo Net; 0.505-mm mesh 1977to 1987 /uy 197 to 9 (Jul &Aug) -)- Na.nhnr~o(Tean=30;ithIIeva= II 42- Ntnlhnef T = 20866;with larvae 2 42 Monthly Mean Dennily =0.104 Larvue Om 41-- A;~
40- 40-39- 39 I7- 44
- I IelO LarvaeLarvae/lon
- 7 30
" [ Io<tO 39- 36 76 7'5 7'4 7'3 7'2 71 7'0 659 66 67 66 65 76 75 7'4 7*3 7*2 751 7'0 69 668 67 6'6 65 Auut to 199o7O 1977S 45-i 1 Scup ! i.
- m/_*___
(Stesoftnmus chrvsop~s) *S1*
La Larvae 37" -
- I 36-35 [- -.--
f ..... -ý ----r ... T-7o - ;- - T. .. ... T.*..-- -t-76 7.5 7 " 73 72 71 70 69 68 67 66 65 Figure 11. Distribution and abundance of scup larvae collected during NEFSC MARMAP ichthyoplankton surveys, 1977-1987 [see Reid et al. (1999) for details]. The upper left figure is a summary of all months and years; the remaining figures are by individual month (July and August) for all years combined.
Page 30 760 740 720 700 680 660 760 740 720 70' 680 660 r-- N mu~~Fbr.1 is Absent 0 100- 10000 J
... . ..4--2 *
- c. ' --------- "
38- r. . .. -.
440 t . .4-..0
'- f*- ;.'.",
/
- - * . " / ,
.I:..."...'.
" ..... [ (:VA,,,..,.....:*,
(1/ _i38° *.
Scup-Juveniles (<=15 cm) Scup-Juveniles (=15 cm)
Fall (1963 Winter (1964 1997) 361- ý I NEFSC Bottom Trawl Surveys 36* NEFSC Bottom Trawl Surveys SRh Caught/station (excluding null stations): Fish Caught/station excludin nul stations):
Mean: 316 Min: 1 Max: 11481 Mean:410Min:1 ax:758 Length (ore): Length (cm)
Mean: 11 Min: 1 Max: 16.000000 Mean: 10 MLin: 7 Max: 15.000000 760 740 720 700 680 660 760 740 72* 700 680 660
< /4Prsntr~
Number of Fish 1.10 44w 11 100 /
- 101 1i000 ~'
F--Tlr 42-L --------
001-- ~~100-1 10000* r . ,---
- .. 7-; */ .
F... : .ZT/ L I 1.. 1 I. . - . - . J , . 2.,.
38 I >1
- Spring (1l968-1997) 3 0 { Summer (1964 -1995) jNEFSC Bottom Trawl Surveys J 3* )qNEFSC BottomTrawl Surveys I FishCaughtlslation (ecluding nuli stations): Fish Caughtistation (ecluding null stations):
Mean: 34 Min:1 Max:30174 Mean331 Mi: 2 Mx: 7616 Len- -h(cm; Length
" (cm)'
- n Meanm:11Min 1 Max:15.000000 jMean: 9Min 3Max: 15.000000 34*
Figure 12. Distribution and abundance ofjuvenile and adult scup collected during NEFSC bottom trawl surveys (1963-1997, all years combined). Densities are represented by dot size in spring and fall plots, while only presence and absence are represented in winter and summer plots [see Reid et al. (1999) for details].
Page 31 76' 740 720 700 68-Number lFishi 44r! 11 100 101 - 1000 7 10 1001 DO "I v10DOO0~
40',.>'~~~
Scup-Adults (-s 16 an) 4J Fall (19631996)
NEFSC Bottom Trawl Surveys RFafCaughtfstation (excluding null stations): Fish Caught/statlon (excluding nul stations):
Mean: 35 M n: 1 Max: 1446 Mean: 92 Min: I Max: 3525 Length (cn) Leoglica):
Mean: 18 Min: 16 Max: 41.000000 ean: 18 MIn: 16 Max: 39.000000
.I...
Scup-Adut (- 16 mn)
Summer (1964 - 1995)
NEFSC Bottom Trawl Surveys I Fish Caught/station (excluding nul station$):
Mean: 156 Min: 2 Max: 2826 Lgt(an): 1 Mean: (c Legt 21 Min: 16 Max: 42.000000 1 Figure 12. cont'd.
Page 32 Mass. Inshore Trawl Survey Spring 1978 - 1996 Juveniles (<16cm)
- I i'l In)
- In0to50 1 to 25(o 50
- 2501o I10X)
,I100 l 5233 Figure 13. Distribution and abundance of juvenile and adult scup in Massachusetts coastal waters collected during spring and autumn Massachusetts inshore bottom trawl surveys, 1978-1996 [see Reid et al. (1999) for details].
Page 33 Juveniles ( < 16 cm)
Figure 14. Seasonal distribution and abundance of juvenile and adult scup 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 at. (1999) for details].
Page 34 Adults (>= 16 cm),
Figure 14. cont'd.
Page 35 2-Winter 0 . . .
3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 800" 600 Spring 400 200 0 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 5000 4000-3000- Summer 1000-0 10000" 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 8000 Autumn 6000-4000" 2000 0
3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 Total Length (cm)
Figure 15. Size frequency distribution of scup collected in Narragansett Bay during 1990-1996 Rhode Island bottom trawl surveys.
Page 36 330W -
- o S -u -
10* Oo CO- O, 9000 d
C1 0 _... I ft'I..... .W.
.. . . . . . . . . ..0 . . .
.0 0. . . .
L' - ' C' C CdC 4 Figure 16. Distribution, abundance, and size frequency of scup in Long Island Sound in spring and autumn, from the Connecticut bottom trawl surveys, 1992-1997 [see Reid et al. (1999) for details].
Page 37 Figure 17. Seasonal distribution and abundance of juvenile and adult scup in the Hudson-Raritan estuary collected during Hudson-Raritan estuary trawl surveys, 1992-1997 [see Reid et al. (1999) for details].
Page 38 Figure 17. cont'd.
Page 39 Southern New England and Middle Atlantic 10 4 8
x 6
a.)
0)
C 4 E
~0 _0 C
-j U) 2 0
1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 Year Figure 18. Commercial landings (metric tons, mt) and NEFSC bottom trawl survey indices (stratified mean catch per tow, kg) for scup in southern New England and the Middle Atlantic Bight.
Publishing in NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-NE Manuscript Qualification For in-text citations, use the name-date system. A special effort should be made to ensure that the list of cited works This series represents a secondary level of scientific pub- contains all necessary bibliographic information. For abbrevi-lishing in the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). For ating serial titles in such lists, use the most recent edition of the all issues, the series employs thorough internal scientific review, SerialSourcesfor the BIOSIS Previews Database(Philadelphia, but not necessarily external scientific review. For most issues, PA: Biosciences Information Service). Personal communica-the series employs rigorous technical and copy editing. Manu- tions must include date of contact and full name and mailing scripts that may warrant a primary level of scientific publishing address of source.
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Identical, or fundamentally identical, manuscripts should and 17 (decapod crustaceans) of the American Fisheries Society not be concurrently submitted to this and any other publication (Bethesda, MD). For spelling of scientific and common names series. Manuscripts which have been rejected by any primary of marine mammals, use Special Publication No. 4 of the series strictly because of geographic or temporal limitations may Society for Marine Mammalogy (Lawrence, KS). For spelling in be submitted to this series. general, use the most recent edition of Webster's Third New Manuscripts by Northeast Fisheries Science Center InternationalDictionaryof the English Language Unabridged (NEFSC) authors will be published in this series upon approval (Springfield, MA: G.&C. Merriam).
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Manuscript Submission Manuscript Preparation Authors must submit one paper copy of the double-spaced Organization: Manuscripts must have an abstract, table of manuscript, one magnetic copy on a disk, and original figures (if applicable). NEFSC authors must include a completely signed-contents, and -- if applicable -- lists of tables, figures, and off "NEFSC Manuscript/Abstract/Webpage Review Form."
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script organization for sections: "Introduction," "Study Area,"
required to sign a "Release of Copyright" form.
"Methods & Materials," "Results," "Discussion" and/or "Con-Send all materials and address all correspondence to:
clusions," "Acknowledgments," and "References Cited."
Style: All NEFSC publication and report series are obli-Jon A. Gibson, Biological Sciences. Editor gated to conform to the style contained in the most recent edition of the United States Governnent PrintingOffice Style Manual. Northehst Fisheries Science Center National Marine Fisheries Service That style manual is silent on many aspects of scientific manu-166 Water Street scripts. NEFSC publication and report series rely more on the Woods Hole, MA 02543-1026 USA CBE Style Manual, fifth edition.
NORTHEAST FISHERIES SCIENCE CENTER Dr. Michael P. Sissenwine, Science & Research Director CAPT John T. Moakley, Operations, Management & Information Services Staff Chief Teri L. Frady, Research Communications Unit Chief Jon A. Gibson, Biological Sciences Editor & Laura S. Garner, Editorial Assistant
Research Communications Unit Northeast Fisheries Science Center National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA 166 Water St.
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NOAA TechnicalMemorandum NMFS-NE-- This series is issued irregularly. The series includes: data reports of long-term or large area studies; synthesis reports for major resources or habitats; annual reports of assessment or monitoring programs; documentary reports ofoceanographic conditions or phenomena; manuals describing field and lab techniques; literature surveys ofmajor resource or habitat topics; findings of task forces or working groups; summary reports ofscientific or technical workshops; and indexed and/or annotated bibliographies. All issues receive internal scientific review and most issues receive technical and copy editing. Limited free copies are available from authors or the NEFSC. Issues are also available from the National Technical Information Service, 5285 Port Royal Rd., Springfield, VA 22161.
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