NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-NE-136

Essential Fish Habitat Source Document:

White Hake, Urophycis tenuis,

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
Recent Issues

105. Review of American Lobster (Homarus americanus) 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 of the 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 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 II 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., 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., 1 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. PB98-112345.

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 (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 onitis) Life History and Habitat Requirements. By Frank W. Steimle and Patricia A. Shaheen. May 1999.

vi + 23 p., 1 fig., 1 table. NTIS Access. No. PB99-165011.

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.
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

Essential Fish Habitat Source Document:

White Hake, Urophycis tenuis,

Life History and Habitat Characteristics

 Sukwoo Chang, Wallace W. Morse, and Peter L. Berrien,

National Marine Fisheries Serv., James J. Howard Marine Sciences Lab., 74 Magruder Rd., Highlands, NJ 07732

This series represents a secondary level of scientifiic publishing. All issues employ

thorough internal scientific review; some issues employ external scientific review.

Reviews are -- by design -- transparent collegial reviews, not anonymous peer reviews.

All issues may be cited in formal scientific communications.

NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-NE-136
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/efh. Also, all web 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/or reprinted issues will retain

the original issue number, but bear a "Revised (Month Year)" label.

Species Names

The NMFS Northeast Regions policy on the use of species names in all technical communications is generally to follow

the American Fisheries Societys lists of scientific and common names for fishes (i.e., Robins et al. 1991a), mollusks (i.e.,

Turgeon et al. 1998b

), and decapod crustaceans (i.e., Williams et al. 1989c), and to follow the Society for Marine

Mammalogy's guidance on scientific and common names for marine mammals (i.e., Rice 1998d). 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

).

a

Robins, C.R. (chair); Bailey, R.M.; Bond, C.E.; Brooker, J.R.; Lachner, E.A.; Lea, R.N.; Scott, W.B. 1991. Common and scientific names of fishes

from the United States and Canada. 5th ed. Amer. Fish. Soc. Spec. Publ. 20; 183 p.

b

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.

c

Williams, A.B. (chair); Abele, L.G.; Felder, D.L.; Hobbs, H.H., Jr.; Manning, R.B.; McLaughlin, P.A.; Pérez Farfante, I. 1989. Common and

scientific names of aquatic invertebrates from the United States and Canada: decapod crustaceans. Amer. Fish. Soc. Spec. Publ. 17; 77 p.

d

Rice, D.W. 1998. Marine mammals of the world: systematics and distribution. Soc. Mar. Mammal. Spec. Publ. 4; 231 p.

e

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 11, 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 fisheryJAMES 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 MidAtlantic 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 occur. 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 NMFSNE series.

JEFFREY N. CROSS, CHIEF

ECOSYSTEMS PROCESSES DIVISION

NORTHEAST FISHERIES SCIENCE CENTER
Page v

Contents

Introduction...............................................................................................................................................................................................1

Life History ...............................................................................................................................................................................................1

Habitat Characteristics ..............................................................................................................................................................................2

Geographical Distribution.........................................................................................................................................................................3

Status of the Stocks ...................................................................................................................................................................................3

Research Needs .........................................................................................................................................................................................4

Acknowledgments.....................................................................................................................................................................................4

References Cited .......................................................................................................................................................................................4

Tables

Table 1. Summary of life history and habitat parameters for white hake, Urophycis tenuis ....................................................................7

Figures

Figure 1. The white hake, Urophycis tenuis (from Goode 1884)............................................................................................................8

Figure 2. Abundance (percent occurrence) of the major prey items of white hake collected during NEFSC bottom trawl surveys.......9

Figure 3. Abundance of hake eggs relative to water temperature and depth from NEFSC MARMAP ichthyoplankton surveys.........10

Figure 4. Abundance of hake larvae relative to water temperature and depth from NEFSC MARMAP ichthyoplankton surveys ......11

Figure 5. Abundance of juvenile and adult white hake relative to bottom temperature and depth based on NEFSC trawl surveys.....12

Figure 6. Abundance of juvenile and adult white hake relative to bottom temperature and depth based on Massachusetts surveys....13

Figure 7. Distribution of juvenile white hake collected during NEFSC bottom trawl surveys .............................................................14

Figure 8. Distribution of adult white hake collected during NEFSC bottom trawl surveys..................................................................15

Figure 9. Distribution and abundance of white hake from Newfoundland to Cape Hatteras during 1975-1994 ..................................16

Figure 10. Distribution of hake (Urophycis and Physcis spp.) eggs collected during NEFSC MARMAP ichthyoplankton surveys.....17

Figure 11. Distribution of white hake and Urophycis spp. larvae collected during NEFSC MARMAP ichthyoplankton surveys ........21

Figure 12. Distribution of juvenile and adult white hake in Massachusetts coastal waters during Massachusetts trawl surveys ...........22

Figure 13. Commercial landings and survey indices for white hake in the Gulf of Maine-Georges Bank region ..................................23
Page 1

INTRODUCTION

The white hake, Urophycis tenuis (Figure 1), is an

eurythemal and eurybathic fish that inhabits the

continental shelf and slope; juveniles occur in estuaries

and nearshore waters. White hake are caught incidentally

and by directed operations for demersal species in mixed

groundfish fisheries. White hake is managed by the New

England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC) under

the Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (NEFMC

1993). This report is a source document for designation

of Essential Fish Habitat in the Multispecies Fishery

Management Plan.

LIFE HISTORY

White hake occur from the Gulf of St. Lawrence to

the Middle Atlantic Bight and from estuaries across the

continental shelf to the submarine canyons along the

upper continental slope and the deep, muddy basins in the

Gulf of Maine (Bigelow and Schroeder 1953; Musick

1974; Beacham and Nepszy 1980; Markle et al. 1982;

Cooper et al. 1987; Scott and Scott 1988). The eggs,

larvae, and early juveniles are pelagic; older juveniles and

adults are demersal (Fahay and Able 1989).

EGGS

The eggs are buoyant and 0.7-0.8 mm in diameter

with a 0.04-0.12 mm perivitelline space and a 0.19-0.28

mm oil globule (Markle and Frost 1985). A key to the

eggs is given in Markle and Frost (1985).

LARVAE

It is difficult to distinguish the larvae of white hake

(4-16 mm) from the larvae of red hake (Urophycis chuss)

and longfin hake [Phycis (= Urophycis) chesteri]. These

species can be identified by differences in caudal fin ray

and epibranchial gillraker counts, body depth, and

pigmentation. A key to larvae is provided by Methven

(1985).

JUVENILES

Estimates of larval and pelagic juvenile growth rates

range from 10-22 to 35 mm per month (Markle et al.

1982; Fahay and Able 1989). Based on otolith analyses,

juveniles (40-80 mm TL) on Georges Bank grew 0.71 mm

per day in June 1986; and juveniles (40-190 mm TL) from

coastal New England grew 0.99 mm per day in 1982

(Lang et al. 1996). Pelagic juveniles become demersal at

50-60 mm TL (Markle et al. 1982) or > 64 mm SL (Fahay

and Able 1989). The pelagic juvenile stage lasts about

two months (Lang et al. 1996).

Demersal juveniles have been reported from the Bay

of Fundy (4-16 cm TL) from June to October (Markle et

al. 1982), in Passamaquoddy Bay and lower Bay of Fundy

(< 15 cm TL) in July-August (MacDonald et al. 1984), in

the Damariscotta River in May (mean 57 mm TL) and

July (94 mm TL; Fahay and Able 1989), in Nauset Marsh

(Massachusetts) in June (56-107 mm TL) and October

(191-295 mm TL) (Fahay and Able 1989), and in Little

Egg Inlet (New Jersey) in June-July (5-10 cm TL) and

November-December (30-32 cm TL) (Thomas and

Milstein 1973).

ADULTS

White hake attain a maximum length of 135 cm and

weigh up to 22 kg; females are larger than males (Hunt

1982; Markle et al. 1982). Ages of 20+ years have been

documented (Langton et al. 1994). Other age-growth

studies of white hake were done by Beacham and Nepszy

(1980), Hunt (1982), Clay and Clay (1991), and Lang et

al. (1996).

REPRODUCTION

The northern stock of white hake spawns in late

summer (August-September) in the southern Gulf of St.

Lawrence and on the Scotian Shelf (Markle et al. 1982).

The timing and extent of spawning in the Georges BankMiddle Atlantic Bight stock has not been clearly

determined. Based on the distribution and abundance of

pelagic juveniles, as well as circulation patterns

throughout the region, Fahay and Able (1989) suggested

that the southern stock spawns in early spring (April-May)

in deep waters along the continental slope, primarily off

southern Georges Bank and the Middle Atlantic Bight

(Lang et al. 1996). The spawning contribution of the Gulf

of Maine population is negligible (Fahay and Able 1989).

Mean lengths at sexual maturity of white hake in the

Gulf of St. Lawrence were 40 cm for males and 43 cm for

females (Beacham and Nepszy 1980). For the Georges

Bank-Middle Atlantic Bight stock, the median age at

sexual maturity (L50) is 1.5 years when females are 35 cm

TL and males are 32 cm TL (O’Brien et al. 1993).

Growth of white hake is sexually dimorphic; females grow

larger and live longer than males (Bigelow and Schroeder

1953).

FOOD HABITS

Demersal juveniles feed primarily on polychaetes,

shrimps, and other crustaceans (Bowman 1981), but adults

feed on fish, including juveniles of their own species
Page 2

(Langton et al. 1994) and shrimps and other crustaceans

(Figure 2).

PREDATION

Data from seabird feeding studies off the coast of

Maine indicate that Atlantic puffin and Arctic tern prey on

pelagic juveniles that occur at the surface during the day

in June-July (Fahay and Able 1989). Smaller juveniles

are eaten by adults of their own and other species.

MIGRATION

Small juveniles occur near the edge of the continental

shelf while the largest juveniles (> 60 mm TL) occur near

the coast, suggesting an inshore migration (Fahay and

Able 1989; Comyns and Grant 1993). In the Gulf of

Maine, white hake of all ages tend to migrate inshore or

shoalward in warmer months and disperse into deeper

waters in colder months (Figures 7, 8; Musick 1974;

MacDonald et al. 1984; Chang 1990; Langton et al.

1994).

STOCK STRUCTURE

White hake are thought to exist as two stocks:

Georges Bank-Middle Atlantic Bight and Gulf of St.

Lawrence-Scotian Shelf, with mixing in the Gulf of Maine

(Musick 1974; Fahay and Able 1989). The stocks are not

clearly separable in commercial landings (Sosebee et al.

1998).

HABITAT CHARACTERISTICS

Information on the habitat characteristics and life

history of all life stages of white hake is summarized in

Table 1. The methods used to collect the fisheryindependent survey data for this characterization are

summarized in Reid et al. (1999).

EGGS

Eggs remain near the surface; hatching occurs in 3-7

days at typical spawning temperatures and new larvae (2

mm TL) are difficult to distinguish from red hake and

spotted hake (Fahay 1983; Able and Fahay 1998). Eggs

of white hake could not be separated from eggs of the

other hakes in the Northeast Fisheries Science Center

(NEFSC) Marine Resources Monitoring, Assessment and

Prediction (MARMAP) ichthyoplankton surveys (1978-

1987). Urophycis-Phycis spp. eggs were collected across

the continental shelf, on Georges Bank and, to a lesser

degree, in the Gulf of Maine. Urophycis-Phycis spp. eggs

were collected from 4-25o

C; most eggs were collected

between 7-20o

C in water depths of 10-250 m (Figure 3;

Berrien and Sibunka 1999).

LARVAE

Small white hake larvae have been collected in early

summer in a Gulf Stream warm core ring seaward of

southern Scotian Shelf and southeast of Georges Bank

(Wroblewski and Cheney 1984; Methven 1985). Recent

studies reported small larvae (< 5.0 mm TL) in slope

waters off the Middle Atlantic Bight during May 1993

providing evidence of spawning offshore (Able and Fahay

1998). The possibility that white hake spawn in nearshore

waters, and that the eggs and larvae escape detection by

ichthyoplankton surveys on the shelf, seems remote

(Fahay and Able 1989).

Most of the hake larvae collected during NEFSC

MARMAP ichthyoplankton surveys were identified as

Urophycis spp. (96%); the remaining larvae were

identified as red hake (3%) and spotted hake (1%).

Urophycis spp. larvae were collected from 8-23o

C; most

larvae were collected at 10-18o

C over water depths from

10-150 m, with some deeper occurrences (Figure 4).

JUVENILES

Most pelagic juveniles that were spawned offshore

cross the shelf and enter Canadian and New EnglandMiddle Atlantic estuarine nursery areas. Some juveniles

may descend to as yet unknown habitats on the shelf

(Thomas and Milstein 1973; Markle et al. 1982; Fahay

and Able 1989).

Larger demersal juveniles were collected offshore at a

wide range of temperatures (4-19o

C) and depths (5-325

m), but were most abundant at 4-9o

C in spring and 7-16oC

in autumn at depths < 225 m (Figure 5). Smaller juveniles

(< 20 cm TL) collected in the Massachusetts inshore trawl

surveys were most abundant at of 4-14o

C in spring and 8-

19o

C in autumn at depths < 75 m (Figure 6).

Eelgrass is an important habitat for demersal

juveniles (Bigelow and Schroeder 1953; Fahay and Able

1989; Heck et al. 1989). Younger fish are spatially

segregated from older year classes by occupying shallow

areas, but they are not tied to eelgrass, other vegetation, or

structured habitats (Markle et al. 1982; Able and Fahay

1998). In nearshore habitats of southwest Nova Scotia,

demersal juveniles collected in an otter trawl survey were

associated with warmer, less saline, more turbid water and

finer grained substrates (Horne and Campana 1989).
Page 3

ADULTS

Adult white hake are demersal and prefer fine

grained, muddy substrates (MacDonald et al. 1984; Scott

1982). During the NEFSC bottom trawl surveys, adults

were caught at temperatures from 6-11o

C in spring and

autumn, and were most abundant at depths of 50-325 m in

spring and of 50-275 m in autumn (Figure 5). During the

Massachusetts inshore trawl surveys, adults were caught at

temperatures from about 5-14o

C in spring and autumn

(Figure 6). In the spring, they were most abundant at

depths of around 15-30 m, with a range of 5-80 m. In the

autumn, they were most abundant at depths of around 35-

75 m, with a range of 15-80 m (Figure 6). In

Passamaquoddy Bay, white hake were caught at salinities

of 29.5-32.5 ppt (MacDonald et al. 1984). The depth

distribution of adults in the Gulf of Maine varies with age

and season; they tend to move inshore in summer-autumn

and disperse to the deeper basins in winter-spring (Figure

8).

Using data from the NEFSC bottom trawl surveys,

Colvocoresses and Musick (1984) found that white hake

commonly occur with two upper slope species, offshore

hake (Merluccius albidus) and blackbelly rosefish

(Helicolenus dactylopterus), during spring. In the fall,

white hake are more widely distributed across the outer

shelf and are associated with goosefish (Lophius

americanus) and witch flounder (Glyptocephalus

cynoglossus). Auster et al. (1995), using video transects

taken from submersibles, observed white hake with

blackbelly rosefish, Jonah crab (Cancer borealis), and

various flounders (Pleuronectiformes) on the outer shelf

off southern New England.

GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION

White hake in the northwest Atlantic are distributed

from the Gulf of St. Lawrence to Cape Hatteras (Figure

9). The areas of highest abundances are the Gulf of St.

Lawrence, the southern edge of the Grand Bank, the

Scotian Shelf, the Gulf of Maine, and Georges Bank.

EGGS

White hake eggs were collected in the southern Gulf

of St. Lawrence in August and September (Markle and

Frost 1985). Eggs collected on the Scotian Shelf in

August and September were assumed to include white and

red hakes (Markle et al. 1982). During the NEFSC

MARMAP ichthyoplankton surveys (1978-1987),

Urophycis-Phycis spp. eggs were collected across the

continental shelf, on Georges Bank, and to a lesser degree,

in the Gulf of Maine (Figure 10).

LARVAE

Collections of white hake larvae have been limited to

the northern stock (Chenoweth 1973; Colton and St. Onge

1974; Bolz et al. 1981; Laroche 1982; Townsend 1984).

Few larval data for white hake are available in the NEFSC

MARMAP ichthyoplankton surveys. The distribution of

Urophycis spp. larvae are summarized in Figure 11.

JUVENILES

Pelagic juveniles were distributed over Georges Bank

and in the Gulf of Maine in May-June (Fahay 1987); they

were collected in the Middle Atlantic Bight in June 1976

and May 1977 (Comyns and Grant 1993).

The NEFSC bottom trawl surveys did not collect

white hake less than about 20 cm TL. Commercial

landings (including discards) do not provide information

on fishes less than about 25 cm TL (Burnett et al. 1984).

Demersal juveniles in the Gulf of Maine and Georges

Bank move inshore in the warmer months (Figure 7). In

Massachusetts inshore waters, there is little difference

between the distribution patterns of juveniles between

spring and autumn (Figure 12).

Despite the reported presence of juvenile white hake

in a southern New Jersey estuary (Thomas and Milstein

1973), they were not collected in recent studies in the

Hudson-Raritan estuary (Wilk et al. 1996) or in Long

Island Sound (Gottschall et al., in review). A few

juveniles (n = 48) were caught in Narragansett Bay during

the 1990-1997 Rhode Island trawl surveys (T. Lynch,

Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management,

Divison of Fish and Wildlife, Marine Fisheries Section,

Wickford, RI, personal communication).

ADULTS

The spatial distribution of adults in the Gulf of Maine

and on Georges Bank indicates pronounced inshore

movement in warmer months (Figure 8). In

Massachusetts inshore waters, there is a difference in the

distribution patterns of adults in spring and autumn

(Figure 12). No white hake were reported in recent

surveys of the Hudson-Raritan estuary (Wilk et al. 1996),

Long Island Sound (Gottschall et al., in review), or

Narragansett Bay (T. Lynch, Rhode Island Department of

Environmental Management, Divison of Fish and

Wildlife, Marine Fisheries Section, Wickford, RI,

personal communication).

STATUS OF THE STOCKS

The NEFSC bottom trawl surveys have been used to

estimate the relative abundance and biomass of white
Page 4

hake. The autumn biomass index of white hake from the

Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank-Middle Atlantic Bight

stock has fluctuated without a consistent trend since the

early 1970s (Figure 13).

The white hake stock is managed by the New England

Fishery Management Council in accordance with the

Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (NEFMC 1993).

The stock is considered overfished when the 3-year

moving average of the autumn index of stock abundance

falls below the lowest quartile of the time series. Thus,

white hake stocks in the Gulf of Maine and Georges

Bank-Middle Atlantic Bight are not currently overfished

(National Marine Fisheries Service 1997). However, the

most recent survey suggests a decline in the index

(Sosebee et al. 1998).

RESEARCH NEEDS

• Studies (e.g., genetics, otolith, cohort analysis, etc.) to

determine whether white hake is a unit stock or

multiple stocks and whether northern and southern

stocks are truly separate.

• Times and locations of white hake spawning on

Georges Bank and in the Middle Atlantic Bight and

the habitat requirements of spawning adults.

• Identification of white hake eggs and larvae.

• Spatial and temporal distribution of white hake eggs

and larvae.

• Habitat requirements for white hake eggs, larvae, and

juveniles.

• Studies (e.g., tagging, more efficient gear to catch

juveniles) to determine seasonal use of estuaries (e.g.,

residency during colder months) and nearshore

waters.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This review was prepared with assistance from

members of the Essential Fish Habitat team. Luca

Cargnelli, Jeffrey Cross, Michael Fahay, Sara Griesbach,

Donna Johnson, Frank Steimle, Anne Studholme and

Joseph Vitaliano provided valuable suggestions, reference

materials, survey maps, histograms, food habit figures,

and figures for fishery resources. Judy Berrien, Rande

Ramsey-Cross, and Claire Steimle searched the reference

literature. Special thanks to Kathy Sosebee and others at

Woods Hole Laboratory, and Michael Pentony and others

at New England Fishery Management Council for

providing critical reviews and comments on an earlier

draft.

REFERENCES CITED

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life of estuarine fishes in the Middle Atlantic Bight.

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Auster, P.J., R.J. Malatesta and S.C. LaRosa. 1995.

Patterns of microhabitat utilization by mobile

megafauna on the southern New England (USA)

continental shelf and slope. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

127: 77-85.

Beacham, T.D., and S.J. Nepszy. 1980. Some aspects of

the biology of white hake, Urophycis tenuis, in the

southern Gulf of St. Lawrence. J. Northwest Atl. Fish.

Sci. 1: 49-54.

Berrien, P. and J. Sibunka. 1999. Distribution patterns of

fish eggs in the United States northeast continental

shelf ecosystem, 1977-1987. NOAA Tech. Rep.

NMFS 145. 310 p.

Bigelow, H.B. and W.C. Schroeder. 1953. Fishes of the

Gulf of Maine. U.S. Fish Wildl. Serv. Fish. Bull. 53.

577 p.

Bolz, G.R., R.G. Lough and D.C. Potter. 1981. Autumn

and winter abundance and distribution of

ichthyoplankton on Georges Bank and Nantucket

Shoals, 1974-76, with special emphasis on dominant

species. In R. Lasker and K. Sherman eds. The early

life history of fish: Recent studies. Rapp. P.-V. Reun.

Cons. Int. Explor. Mer., 178: 168-170.

Bowman, R.E. 1981. Food of 10 species of northwest

Atlantic juvenile groundfish. Fish. Bull. (U.S.) 79:

200-206.

Burnett, J., S.H. Clark and L. O’Brien. 1984. A

preliminary assessment of white hake in the Gulf of

Maine-Georges Bank area. U.S. Natl. Mar. Fish.

Serv., Northeast Fish. Cent., Woods Hole Lab. Ref.

Doc. 84-31. 33 p.

Chang, S. 1990. Seasonal distribution patterns of

commercial landings of 45 species off northeastern

United States during 1977-88. NOAA Tech. Mem.

NMFS-F/NEC-78. 130 p.

Chenoweth, S.B. 1973. Fish larvae of the estuaries and

coast of central Maine. Fish. Bull. (U.S.) 71: 105-

113.

Clay, D. and H. Clay. 1991. Determination of age and

growth of white hake (Urophycis tenuis Mitchill)

from the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence, Canada

(including techniques for commercial sampling). Can.

Tech. Rep. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 1828. 29 p.

Colton, J.B., Jr. and J.M. St. Onge. 1974. Distribution of

fish eggs and larvae in continental shelf waters, Nova

Scotia to Long Island. Serial Atlas of the Marine

Environment, Folio 23. Amer. Geog. Soc., NY.

Colvocoresses, J.A. and J.A. Musick. 1984. Species

associations and community composition of Middle

Atlantic Bight continental shelf demersal fishes. Fish.

Bull. (U.S.) 82: 295-313.
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Comyns, B.H. and G.C. Grant. 1993. Identification and

distribution of Urophycis and Phycis (Pisces:

Gadidae) larvae and pelagic juveniles in U.S. Middle

Atlantic Bight. Fish. Bull. (U.S.), 91: 210-223.

Cooper, R.A., P. Valentine, J.R. Uzmann and R.A. Slater.

1987. Submarine canyons. In R.H. Backus and D.W.

Bourne eds. Georges Bank. p. 52-63. The MIT Press,

Cambridge, MA.

Fahay, M.P. 1983. Guide to the early stages of marine

fishes occurring in the western North Atlantic Ocean,

Cape Hatteras to the southern Scotian Shelf. J.

Northwest Atl. Fish. Sci. 4: 1-423.

Fahay, M.P. 1987. Larval and juvenile hakes (PhycisUrophycis sp.) examined during a study of white hake

(Urophycis tenuis Mitchill), in the Georges BankGulf of Maine area. U.S. Natl. Mar. Fish. Serv.,

Northeast Fish. Cent., Sandy Hook Lab. Rep. No. 87-

03. 22 p.

Fahay, M.P. and K.W. Able. 1989. White hake,

Urophycis tenuis, in the Gulf of Maine: spawning

seasonality, habitat use, and growth in young of the

year and relationships to the Scotian Shelf population.

Can. J. Zool. 67: 1715-1724.

Goode, G.B. 1884. The fisheries and fishery industries of

the United States. Section I: Natural history of useful

aquatic animals. Govt. Print. Office, Washington,

DC. Plates.

Gottschall, K., M.W. Johnson and D.G. Simpson. In

review. The distribution and size composition of

finfish, American lobster and long-finned squid in

Long Island Sound based on the Connecticut

Fisheries Division bottom trawl survey, 1984-1994.

NOAA Tech. Rep.

Heck, K.L. Jr., K.W. Able, M.P. Fahay and C.T. Roman.

1989. Fishes and decapod crustaceans of Cape Cod

eelgrass meadows: Species composition, seasonal

abundance patterns and comparison with unvegetated

substrates. Estuaries 12: 59-65.

Horne J.K. and S.E. Campana. 1989. Environmental

factors influencing the distribution of juvenile

groundfish in nearshore habitats of southwest Nova

Scotia. Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 46: 1277-1286.

Hunt, J.J. 1982. Age determination of white hake

(Urophycis tenuis) in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

CAFSAC (Canadian Atlantic Fisheries Scientific

Advisory Committee) Res. Doc. 82/25. 16 p.

Lang, K.L., F.P. Almeida, G.R. Bolz and M.P. Fahay.

1996. The use of otolith microstructure in resolving

issues of first year growth and spawning seasonality

of white hake, Urophycis tenuis, in the Gulf of

Maine-Georges Bank region. Fish. Bull. (U.S.) 94:

170-175.

Langton, R.W., J.B. Pearce, J.A. Gibson eds. 1994.

Selected living resources, habitat conditions, and

human perturbations of the Gulf of Maine:

Environmental and ecological considerations for

fishery management. NOAA Tech. Mem. NMFS-NE106. 70 p.

Laroche, J.L. 1982. Trophic patterns among larvae of five

species of sculpins (Family: Cottidae) in a Maine

estuary. Fish. Bull. (U.S.) 80: 827-840.

MacDonald, J.S., M.J. Dadswell, R.G. Appy, G.D. Melvin

and D.A. Methven. 1984. Fishes, fish assemblages,

and their seasonal movements in lower Bay of Fundy

and Passamaquoddy Bay, Canada. Fish. Bull. (U.S.)

82: 121-139.

Markle, D.F. and L.-A. Frost. 1985. Comparative

morphology, seasonality, and a key to planktonic fish

eggs from Nova Scotian shelf. Can. J. Zool. 63: 246-

257.

Markle, D. F., D. A. Methven and L. J. Coates-Markle.

1982. Aspect of spatial and temporal co-occurrence

in the life history stages of the sibling hakes,

Urophycis chuss (Walbaum 1792) and Urophycis

tenuis (Mitchill 1815) (Pisces: Gadidae). Can. J.

Zool. 60: 2057-2078.

Methven, D.A. 1985. Identification and development of

larval and juvenile Urophycis chuss, U. tenuis and

Phycis chesteri (Pisces, Gadidae) from the northwest

Atlantic. J. Northwest Atl. Fish. Sci. 6: 9-20.

Musick J.A. 1974. Seasonal distribution of sibling hakes,

Urophycis chuss and U. tenuis (Pisces: Gadidae) in

New England. Fish. Bull. (U.S.) 72: 481-495.

National Marine Fisheries Service. 1997. Report to

Congress. Status of fisheries of the United States.

Report on the status of fisheries of the United States.

September 1997. [Homepage of the National Marine

Fisheries Service]. [Online]. Available: http://www.

nmfs.gov/sfa/Fstatus.html.

[NEFSC] New England Fishery Management Council.

1993. Final amendment #5 to the Northeast

Multispecies Fishery Management Plan incorporating

the supplemental environmental impact statement.

Vol. 1. September 1993. NEFMC. [Saugus, MA.]

361 p.

O’Brien, L., J. Burnett and R.K. Mayo. 1993. Maturation

of nineteen species of finfish off the northeast coast

of the United States, 1985-1990. NOAA Tech. Rep.

NMFS 113. 66 p.

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.

Scott, J.S. 1982. Selection of bottom type by groundfishes

of the Scotian Shelf. Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 39:

943-947.

Scott, W. B. and M. G. Scott. 1988. Atlantic fishes of

Canada. Can. Bull. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 219. 731 p.

Sosebee, K.A., L. O’Brien and L.C. Hendrickson. 1998. A

preliminary analytical assessment for white hake in

the Gulf of Maine-Georges Bank region. U.S. Natl.

Mar. Fish. Serv., Northeast Fish. Sci. Cent., Woods

Hole Lab. Ref. Doc. 98-05. 96 p.

Thomas, D.L. and C.B. Milstein. 1973. Ecological studies
Page 6

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.

Progress report for period January-December 1972.

Ichthyological Associates, Inc., Ithaca, NY. 1065 p.

Townsend, D.W. 1984. Comparison of inshore

zooplankton and ichthyoplankton populations of the

Gulf of Maine. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 15: 79-90.

Wilk, S.J., E.M. MacHaffie, D.G. McMillan, A.L.

Pacheco, R.A. Pikanowski and L.L. Stehlik. 1996.

Fish, megainvertebrates, and associated hydrographic

observations collected in the Hudson-Raritan Estuary,

January 1992-December 1993. U.S. Natl. Mar. Fish.

Serv., Northeast Fish. Sci. Cent. Ref. Doc. 96-14. 95

p.

Wroblewski, J.S. and J. Cheney. 1984. Ichthyoplankton

associated with a warm core ring off the Scotian

Shelf. Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 41: 294-303.
Page 7

Table 1. Summary of life history and habitat parameters for white hake, Urophycis tenuis.

Life Stage Size and

Growth

Geographic

Location

Habitat Substrate Temperature Prey Predators Time of Year

Eggs 1

0.7-0.8 mm Southern Gulf

of St.

Lawrence,

Scotian Shelf

Planktonic; found in

water column at 10-

250 m depth.

not applicable Most abundant

at water column

temperatures of

7-20o

C.

Eaten by own

and other

species.

Aug.-Sept.

Larvae 2

4-16 mm Scotian Shelf,

Georges Bank,

Gulf of Maine,

Middle Atlantic

Bight

Planktonic; found in

water column at 10-

150 m depth.

not applicable Most abundant

at water column

temperatures of

10-18o

C.

Eaten by adults

of own and other

species.

Aug.-Sept.

Aug.-Sept.

May

Pelagic

Juveniles 3

< 60 mm TL Georges Bank,

Gulf of Maine,

Middle Atlantic

Bight

Found in some New

England and

Canadian estuaries.

Located in water

column until

settlement; in upper

water column during

daytime.

not applicable Not available Eaten by adults

of own and other

species, also sea

birds.

May-June

June-Sept.

Demersal

Juveniles 4

< 35 cm TL Little Egg Inlet,

NJ

Gulf of Maine

Georges Bank

Middle Atlantic

Bight

Found in eelgrass

beds in estuaries.

Most abundant

inshore at depths of

5-75 m (spring), and

5-50 m (autumn);

and offshore at 50-

225 m (spring), and

5-175 m (autumn).

Muddy and fine

grained sandy

bottom

sediment.

Most abundant

inshore at 4-

14o

C (spring),

and

8-19o

C

(autumn); most

abundant

offshore at 4-9o

C

(spring), and 7-

16o

C (autumn).

Prey on

polychaetes,

small

shrimps and

other

crustaceans.

Eaten by adults

of own and other

species.

May-June

June-Sept.

Adults 5

> 35 cm TL Gulf of St.

Lawrence,

Scotian Shelf,

Georges Bank,

Gulf of Maine,

Middle Atlantic

Bight

Oceanic current and

circulation are critical

for white hake

distribution and

recruitment. Most

abundant inshore at

depths of 5-45 m

(spring), and 30-75

m (autumn); and

offshore at 50-325 m

(spring), and 50-275

m (autumn).

Muddy and fine

grained sandy

bottom

sediment.

Most abundant

inshore at 5-

14o

C (spring),

and

5-14o

C

(autumn); most

abundant

offshore at 5-

12o

C (spring),

and 6-11o

C

(autumn).

Prey on small

fishes

(including

own species),

shrimps and

other

crustaceans.

Year round

1

 Markle et al. (1982), Markle and Frost (1985) 2

 Markle et al. (1982), Wroblewski and Cheney (1984), Methven (1985), Fahay and Able (1989), Able and Fahay (1998) 3

 Fahay (1987), Fahay and Able (1989), Comyns and Grant (1993), Lang et al. (1996) 4 Thomas and Milstein (1973), Markle et al. (1982), MacDonald et al. (1984), Heck et al. (1989) 5

 Markle and Frost (1985), Fahay and Able (1989), Chang (1990)
Page 8

Figure 1. The white hake, Urophycis tenuis (from Goode 1884).
Page 9

Figure 2. Abundance (percent occurrence) of the major prey items of white hake collected during NEFSC bottom trawl

surveys from 1973-1980 and 1981-1990. The 1/11-30 cm size range corresponds, at least roughly, to juveniles, and the

31-120/130 cm size class corresponds to adults. The category “unknown 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].

Arthropoda 59.5%

Unknown Animal Remains 15.1%

Aschelminths 7.1%

Annelida 6.3%

All Other Prey 11.9%

Arthropoda 46.9%

Fish 24.8%

Unknown Animal Remains 12.7%

Aschelminths 4.5%

Mollusca 3.7%

Annelida 2.6%

All Other Prey 4.8%

Arthropoda 76.3%

Fish 11.4%

Unknown Animal Remains 8.0%

Annelida 2.7%

All Other Prey 1.7%

Arthropoda 48.4%

Fish 40.7%

All Other Prey 0.8%

Mollusca 4.4%

Unknown Animal Remains 3.8%

Annelida 1.8%

a) 1973-1980

b) 1981-1990

1-30 cm

n=84

31-120 cm

n=396

11-30 cm

n=548

31-130 cm

n=2361
Page 10

Figure 3. Abundance of hake (Urophycis and Phycis spp.) eggs relative to mean water temperature (o

C) and depth (m)

from NEFSC MARMAP ichthyoplankton surveys, 1978-1987 (all years combined).

Temperature (C)

-5.0 0.0 5.0 10.0 15.0 20.0 25.0 30.0

Percent Occurrence

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

All Hauls, N = 9478

With Eggs, N = 2971

Water Depth (m), interval midpoint

10 30 50 70 90 110 130 150 170 190 210 230 250 280 400 >500

Percent Occurrence

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

All Hauls, N = 9478 

With Eggs, N = 2971 
Page 11

Figure 4. Abundance of white hake and Urophycis spp. larvae relative to mean water temperature (o

C) and depth (m)

from NEFSC MARMAP ichthyoplankton surveys, 1977-1987 (all years combined).

Temperature (C)

-5.0 0.0 5.0 10.0 15.0 20.0 25.0 30.0

Percent Occurrence

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

All Hauls, N = 11421

With Larvae, N = 1860 

Water Depth (m), interval midpoint

10 30 50 70 90 110 130 150 170 190 210 230 250 280 400 >500

Percent Occurrence

0

5

10

15

20

25

All Hauls, N = 11438 

With Larvae, N = 1860 
Page 12

Figure 5. Abundance of juvenile and adult white hake relative to bottom water temperature (o

C) and depth (m) based on

NEFSC bottom trawl surveys for spring (1968-1997, all years combined) and autumn (1963-1996, 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

).

1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29

0

10

20

30

1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29

0

4

8

12

16

20

0

4

8

12

16

20

0

10

20

30

0

4

8

12

16

20

0

4

8

12

16

20

1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29

0

5

10

15

20

25

1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29

0

10

20

Juveniles 30 Adults

Stations

Catches

Spring Spring

Spring Spring

Autumn Autumn

Autumn Autumn

Bottom Depth (m) Bottom Depth (m)

Bottom Depth (m) Bottom Depth (m)

Bottom Temperature (C) Bottom Temperature (C)

Bottom Temperature (C) Bottom Temperature (C)

NMFS Bottom Trawl Surveys

White Hake

5

15

255075

100125150175

200225250275300325350400500

5

15

255075

100125150175

200225250275300325350400500

5

15

255075

100125150175

200225250275300325350400500

5

15

255075

100125150175

200225250275300325350400500
Page 13

Figure 6. Abundance of juvenile and adult white hake relative to bottom water temperature (o

C) and depth (m) 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

).

1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23

0

3

6

9

12

15

1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23

0

4

8

12

16

20

0

5

10

15

20

25

0

5

10

15

20

25

0

5

10

15

20

25

0

10

20

30

1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23

0

10

20

30

1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23

0

10

20

30

Juveniles Adults

Stations

Catches

Spring Spring

Spring Spring

Autumn Autumn

Autumn Autumn

Bottom Depth (m) Bottom Depth (m)

Bottom Depth (m) Bottom Depth (m)

Bottom Temperature (C) Bottom Temperature (C)

Bottom Temperature (C) Bottom Temperature (C)

Mass. Inshore Trawl Surveys

White Hake

5

10152025

30

3540455055

60

65

70

75

80

5

10152025

30

3540455055

60

65

70

75

80

5

10152025

30

3540455055

60

65

70

75

80

5

10152025

30

3540455055

60

65

70

75

80
Page 14

Figure 7. Distribution of juvenile white hake (< 35 cm) collected during NEFSC bottom trawl surveys during all seasons

from 1963-1997. 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].

Number/Tow

 1 to 10

 10 to 25

 25 to 50

 50 to 100

 100 to 124

NMFS Trawl Surveys

Spring 1968 - 97

Juveniles (<35cm)

White Hake

NMFS Trawl Surveys

Summer 1963 - 95

Juveniles (<35cm)

= Absent

 = Present

White Hake

Number/Tow

 1 to 25

 25 to 50

 50 to 100

 100 to 500

 500 to 864

NMFS Trawl Surveys

Autumn 1963 - 96

Juveniles (<35cm)

White Hake

NMFS Trawl Surveys

Winter 1964 - 97

Juveniles (<35cm)

 = Total Tows

 = Positive Tow

White Hake
Page 15

Figure 8. Distribution of adult white hake (≥ 35 cm) collected during NEFSC bottom trawl surveys during all seasons

from 1963-1997. 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].

Number/Tow

 1 to 10

 10 to 25

 25 to 50

 50 to 100

 100 to 279

NMFS Trawl Surveys

Spring 1968 - 97

Adults (>=35cm)

White Hake

NMFS Trawl Surveys

Summer 1963 - 95

Adults (>=35cm)

= Absent

 = Present

White Hake

Number/Tow

 1 to 25

 25 to 50

 50 to 75

 75 to 100

 100 to 174

NMFS Trawl Surveys

Autumn 1963 - 96

Adults (>=35cm)

White Hake

NMFS Trawl Surveys

Winter 1964 - 97

Adults (>=35cm)

 = Total Tows

 = Positive Tow

White Hake
Page 16

Figure 9. Distribution and abundance of white hake from Newfoundland to Cape Hatteras during 1975-1994. 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/ecnasap_table1.html).
Page 17

Figure 10. Distribution of hake (Urophycis and Physcis spp.) eggs collected during NEFSC MARMAP ichthyoplankton

surveys from January to December, 1978-1987 [see Reid et al. (1999) for details].

76 75 74 73 72 71 70 69 68 67 66 65

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

Hake Eggs

(Incl. Urophycis sp. and Phycis sp.)

MARMAP Ichthyoplankton Surveys

61-cm Bongo Net; 0.505-mm mesh

January; 1978 to 1987

Number of Tows = 433; with eggs = 37

None

1 to <10

10 to <100

100 to 381

Eggs / 10m2

76 75 74 73 72 71 70 69 68 67 66 65

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

Hake Eggs

(Incl. Urophycis sp. and Phycis sp.)

MARMAP Ichthyoplankton Surveys

61-cm Bongo Net; 0.505-mm mesh

January to December; 1978 to 1987

Number of Tows = 9478; with eggs = 2971

Eggs / 10m2

1 to <10

10 to <100

100 to <1000

1000 to <10000

10000 to <29235

76 75 74 73 72 71 70 69 68 67 66 65

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

Hake Eggs

(Incl. Urophycis sp. and Phycis sp.)

MARMAP Ichthyoplankton Surveys

61-cm Bongo Net; 0.505-mm mesh

February; 1978 to 1987

Number of Tows = 459; with eggs = 21

None

1 to <10

10 to <100

100 to 155

Eggs / 10m2

76 75 74 73 72 71 70 69 68 67 66 65

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

Hake Eggs

(Incl. Urophycis sp. and Phycis sp.)

MARMAP Ichthyoplankton Surveys

61-cm Bongo Net; 0.505-mm mesh

March; 1978 to 1987

Number of Tows = 853; with eggs = 77

None

1 to <10

10 to <100

100 to 136

Eggs / 10m2
Page 18

Figure 10. cont’d.

76 75 74 73 72 71 70 69 68 67 66 65

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

Hake Eggs

(Incl. Urophycis sp. and Phycis sp.)

MARMAP Ichthyoplankton Surveys

61-cm Bongo Net; 0.505-mm mesh

April; 1978 to 1987

Number of Tows = 1020; with eggs = 45

None

1 to <10

10 to <100

100 to <1000

Eggs / 10m2

1000 to 1215

76 75 74 73 72 71 70 69 68 67 66 65

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

Hake Eggs

(Incl. Urophycis sp. and Phycis sp.)

MARMAP Ichthyoplankton Surveys

61-cm Bongo Net; 0.505-mm mesh

May; 1978 to 1987

Number of Tows = 1085; with eggs = 131

None

1 to <10

10 to <100

100 to <1000

Eggs / 10m2

1000 to 3131

76 75 74 73 72 71 70 69 68 67 66 65

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

Hake Eggs

(Incl. Urophycis sp. and Phycis sp.)

MARMAP Ichthyoplankton Surveys

61-cm Bongo Net; 0.505-mm mesh

June; 1978 to 1987

Number of Tows = 709; with eggs = 291

None

1 to <10

10 to <100

100 to <1000

Eggs / 10m2

1000 to 5817

76 75 74 73 72 71 70 69 68 67 66 65

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

Hake Eggs

(Incl. Urophycis sp. and Phycis sp.)

MARMAP Ichthyoplankton Surveys

61-cm Bongo Net; 0.505-mm mesh

July; 1978 to 1987

Number of Tows = 781; with eggs = 553

None

1 to <10

10 to <100

100 to <1000

Eggs / 10m2

1000 to <10000

10000 to 11951
Page 19

Figure 10. cont’d.

76 75 74 73 72 71 70 69 68 67 66 65

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

Hake Eggs

(Incl. Urophycis sp. and Phycis sp.)

MARMAP Ichthyoplankton Surveys

61-cm Bongo Net; 0.505-mm mesh

August; 1978 to 1987

Number of Tows = 863; with eggs = 602

None

1 to <10

10 to <100

100 to <1000

Eggs / 10m2

1000 to <10000

10000 to 29235

76 75 74 73 72 71 70 69 68 67 66 65

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

Hake Eggs

(Incl. Urophycis sp. and Phycis sp.)

MARMAP Ichthyoplankton Surveys

61-cm Bongo Net; 0.505-mm mesh

September; 1978 to 1987

Number of Tows = 747; with eggs = 504

None

1 to <10

10 to <100

100 to <1000

Eggs / 10m2

1000 to <10000

10000 to 18837

76 75 74 73 72 71 70 69 68 67 66 65

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

Hake Eggs

(Incl. Urophycis sp. and Phycis sp.)

MARMAP Ichthyoplankton Surveys

61-cm Bongo Net; 0.505-mm mesh

October; 1978 to 1987

Number of Tows = 1044; with eggs = 447

None

1 to <10

10 to <100

100 to <1000

Eggs / 10m2

1000 to 2419

76 75 74 73 72 71 70 69 68 67 66 65

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

Hake Eggs

(Incl. Urophycis sp. and Phycis sp.)

MARMAP Ichthyoplankton Surveys

61-cm Bongo Net; 0.505-mm mesh

November; 1978 to 1987

Number of Tows = 915; with eggs = 244

None

1 to <10

10 to <100

100 to <1000

Eggs / 10m2

1000 to 2552
Page 20

Figure 10. cont’d.

76 75 74 73 72 71 70 69 68 67 66 65

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

Hake Eggs

(Incl. Urophycis sp. and Phycis sp.)

MARMAP Ichthyoplankton Surveys

61-cm Bongo Net; 0.505-mm mesh

December; 1978 to 1987

Number of Tows = 569; with eggs = 19

None

1 to <10

10 to <100

100 to 121

Eggs / 10m2
Page 21

Figure 11. Distribution of white hake and Urophycis spp. larvae collected during NEFSC MARMAP ichthyoplankton

surveys from January to December, 1977-1987 (all months combined) [see Reid et al. (1999) for details].

76 75 74 73 72 71 70 69 68 67 66 65

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

Hake Larvae

(Incl. Urophycis sp. and U. tenuis)

MARMAP Ichthyoplankton Surveys

61-cm Bongo Net; 0.505-mm mesh

January to December; 1977 to 1987

Number of Tows = 11438; with eggs = 1861

Larvae / 10m2

1 to <10

10 to <100

100 to <1000

1000 to <6339
Page 22

Figure 12. Distribution of juvenile and adult white hake in Massachusetts coastal waters during spring and autumn

Massachusetts trawl surveys, 1978-1996 [see Reid et al. (1999) for details].

White Hake

Mass. Inshore Trawl Survey

 Spring 1978 - 1996

 Juveniles (<35cm)

Number/Tow

 1 to 10

 10 to 25

 25 to 50

 50 to 75

 75 to 76

White Hake

Mass. Inshore Trawl Survey

 Autumn 1978 - 1996

 Juveniles (<35cm)

Number/Tow

 1 to 25

 25 to 100

 100 to 500

 500 to 1000

 1000 to 1361

White Hake

Mass. Inshore Trawl Survey

 Spring 1978 - 1996

 Adult (>=35cm)

Number/Tow

 1 to 2

 2 to 5

 5 to 10

 10 to 25

 25 to 61

White Hake

Mass. Inshore Trawl Survey

 Autumn 1978 - 1996

 Adult (>=35cm)

Number/Tow

 1 to 2

 2 to 4

 4 to 8

 8 to 10

 10 to 13
Page 23

Figure 13. Commercial landings (mt), NEFSC autumn bottom trawl survey indices (stratified mean catch per tow), and

smoothed survey indices (3 year moving average of first order autoregression model) for white hake in the Gulf of

Maine-Georges Bank region.

Gulf of Maine - Georges Bank

Year

1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000

Landings (mt x 1000)

0

2

4

6

8

10

Stratified mean catch/tow (kg)

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

Landings (mt)

Autumn survey index (kg)

Smoothed survey index (kg)

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

Publishing in NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-NE

Manuscript Qualification

This series represents a secondary level of scientific publishing in the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). For

all issues, the series employs thorough internal scientific review,

but not necessarily external scientific review. For most issues,

the series employs rigorous technical and copy editing. Manuscripts that may warrant a primary level of scientific publishing

should be initially submitted to one of NMFSs primary series

(i.e., Fishery Bulletin, NOAA Technical Report NMFS, or Marine Fisheries Review).

Identical, or fundamentally identical, manuscripts should

not be concurrently submitted to this and any other publication

series. Manuscripts which have been rejected by any primary

series strictly because of geographic or temporal limitations may

be submitted to this series.

Manuscripts by Northeast Fisheries Science Center

(NEFSC) authors will be published in this series upon approval

by the NEFSC's Deputy Science & Research Director. Manuscripts by non-NEFSC authors may be published in this series if:

1) the manuscript serves the NEFSCs mission; 2) the manuscript meets the Deputy Science & Research Directors approval; and 3) the author arranges for the printing and binding

funds to be transferred to the NEFSCs Research Communications Unit account from another federal account. For all manuscripts submitted by non-NEFSC authors and published in this

series, the NEFSC will disavow all responsibility for the manuscripts contents; authors must accept such responsibility.

The ethics of scientific research and scientific publishing

are a serious matter. All manuscripts submitted to this series are

expected to adhere -- at a minimum -- to the ethical guidelines

contained in Chapter 1 (Ethical Conduct in Authorship and

Publication) of the CBE Style Manual, fifth edition (Chicago,

IL: Council of Biology Editors). Copies of the manual are

available at virtually all scientific libraries.

Manuscript Preparation

Organization: Manuscripts must have an abstract, table of

contents, and -- if applicable -- lists of tables, figures, and

acronyms. As much as possible, use traditional scientific manuscript organization for sections: Introduction, Study Area,

Methods & Materials, Results, Discussion and/or Conclusions, Acknowledgments, and References Cited.

Style: All NEFSC publication and report series are obligated to conform to the style contained in the most recent edition

of the United States Government Printing Office Style Manual.

That style manual is silent on many aspects of scientific manuscripts. NEFSC publication and report series rely more on the

CBE Style Manual, fifth edition.

For in-text citations, use the name-date system. A special

effort should be made to ensure that the list of cited works

contains all necessary bibliographic information. For abbreviating serial titles in such lists, use the most recent edition of the

Serial Sources for the BIOSIS Previews Database (Philadelphia,

PA: Biosciences Information Service). Personal communications must include date of contact and full name and mailing

address of source.

For spelling of scientific and common names of fishes,

mollusks, and decapod crustaceans from the United States and

Canada, use Special Publications No. 20 (fishes), 26 (mollusks),

and 17 (decapod crustaceans) of the American Fisheries Society

(Bethesda, MD). For spelling of scientific and common names

of marine mammals, use Special Publication No. 4 of the

Society for Marine Mammalogy (Lawrence, KS). For spelling in

general, use the most recent edition of Websters Third New

International Dictionary of the English Language Unabridged

(Springfield, MA: G.&C. Merriam).

Typing text, tables, and figure captions: Text, including

tables and figure captions, must be converted to, or able to be

coverted to, WordPerfect. In general, keep text simple (e.g.,

dont switch fonts, dont use hard returns within paragraphs,

dont indent except to begin paragraphs). Especially, dont use

WordPerfect graphics for embedding tables and figures in text.

If the automatic footnoting function is used, also save a list of

footnotes as a separate WordPerfect file. When the final draft is

ready for review, save the text, tables, figure captions, footnotes,

and front matter as separate document files.

Tables should be prepared using all tabs or all spaces

between columnar data, but not a combination of the two.

Figures must be original (even if oversized) and on paper; they

cannot be photocopies (e.g., Xerox) unless that is all that is

available, nor be on disk. Except under extraordinary circumstances, color will not be used in illustrations.

Manuscript Submission

Authors must submit one paper copy of the double-spaced

manuscript, one magnetic copy on a disk, and original figures (if

applicable). NEFSC authors must include a completely signedoff NEFSC Manuscript/Abstract/Webpage Review Form.

Non-NEFSC authors who are not federal employees will be

required to sign a Release of Copyright form.

Send all materials and address all correspondence to:

Jon A. Gibson, Biological Sciences Editor

Northeast Fisheries Science Center

National Marine Fisheries Service

166 Water Street

Woods Hole, MA 02543-1026 USA
Research Communications Unit

Northeast Fisheries Science Center

National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA

166 Water St.

Woods Hole, MA 02543-1026

NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-NE -- This series is issued irregularly. The series includes: data reports of longterm or large area studies; synthesis reports for major resources or habitats; annual reports of assessment or monitoring programs;

documentary reports of oceanographic conditions or phenomena; manuals describing field and lab techniques; literature surveys of major

resource or habitat topics; findings of task forces or working groups; summary reports of scientific 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.

Fishermen's Report and The Shark Tagger -- The Fishermen's Report (FR) is a quick-turnaround report on the

distribution and relative abundance of commercial fisheries resources as derived from each of the NEFSC's periodic research vessel

surveys of the Northeast's continental shelf. There is no scientific review, nor any technical or copy editing, of the FR; copies are available

through free subscription. The Shark Tagger (TST) is an annual summary of tagging and recapture data on large pelagic sharks as derived

from the NMFS's Cooperative Shark Tagging Program; it also presents information on the biology (movement, growth, reproduction, etc.)

of these sharks as subsequently derived from the tagging and recapture data. There is internal scientific review, but no technical or copy

editing, of the TST; copies are available only to participants in the tagging program.

Northeast Fisheries Science Center Reference Document -- This series is issued irregularly. The series

includes: data reports on field and lab observations or experiments; progress reports on continuing experiments, monitoring, and

assessments; background papers for scientific or technical workshops; and simple bibliographies. Issues receive internal scientific review

but no technical or copy editing. No subscriptions. Free distribution of single copies.

The mission of NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is "stewardship of living marine resources for the

benefit of the nation through their science-based conservation and management and promotion of the health of their

environment." As the research arm of the NMFS's Northeast Region, the Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC)

supports the NMFS mission by "planning, developing, and managing multidisciplinary programs of basic and applied

research to: 1) better understand the living marine resources (including marine mammals) of the Northwest Atlantic, and

the environmental quality essential for their existence and continued productivity; and 2) describe and provide to

management, industry, and the public, options for the utilization and conservation of living marine resources and

maintenance of environmental quality which are consistent with national and regional goals and needs, and with

international commitments." Results of NEFSC research are largely reported in primary scientific media (e.g.,

anonymously-peer-reviewed scientific journals). However, to assist itself in providing data, information, and advice to

its constituents, the NEFSC occasionally releases its results in its own media. Those media are in three categories:

Publications and Reports

of the

Northeast Fisheries Science Center

To obtain a copy of a technical memorandum or a reference document, or to subscribe to the fishermen's report,

write: Research Communications Unit, Northeast Fisheries Science Center, 166 Water St., Woods Hole, MA

02543-1026. An annual list of NEFSC publications and reports is available upon request at the above address.

Any use of trade names in any NEFSC publication or report does not imply endorsement.

STANDARD

 MAIL A