NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-NE-144

Essential Fish Habitat Source Document:

Bluefish, Pomatomus saltatrix,

Life History and Habitat Characteristics

U. S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

National Marine Fisheries Service

Northeast Region

Northeast Fisheries Science Center

Woods Hole, Massachusetts

September 1999
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:

Bluefish, Pomatomus saltatrix,

Life History and Habitat Characteristics

Michael P. Fahay, Peter L. Berrien, Donna L. Johnson,

and Wallace W. Morse

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

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-144
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 ......................................................................................................................................................................3

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

Status of the Stock.............................................................................................................................................................................7

Research Needs .................................................................................................................................................................................7

Acknowledgments.............................................................................................................................................................................8

References Cited ...............................................................................................................................................................................8

Tables

Table 1. Dietary items of bluefish from several study areas ..........................................................................................................12

Table 2. Summary of life history and habitat characteristics for bluefish, Pomatomus saltatrix...................................................13

Table 3. Sampling in 1979 for bluefish larvae in the Charleston Bump area ................................................................................14

Table 4. Distribution of early life history stages of bluefish, Pomatomus saltatrix, in estuaries from Maine to Florida ..............15

Table 5. Unpublished records of juvenile bluefish in waters of coastal Maine .............................................................................17

Figures

Figure 1. The adult bluefish, Pomatomus saltatrix (from Goode 1884) .......................................................................................19

Figure 2. The pelagic juvenile bluefish, 24.3 mm SL (from Able and Fahay 1998).....................................................................20

Figure 3. Distribution and abundance of bluefish eggs collected during MARMAP surveys in the Mid-Atlantic Bight .............21

Figure 4. Abundance of bluefish eggs relative to water temperature and depth based on Mid-Atlantic Bight surveys ................23

Figure 5. Distribution and abundance of bluefish larvae collected in the Mid-Atlantic Bight and South Atlantic Bight.............24

Figure 6. Distribution and abundance of bluefish larvae collected with a bongo net in the South Atlantic Bight........................25

Figure 7. Distribution and abundance of bluefish larvae collected in a neuston net in the South Atlantic Bight .........................27

Figure 8. Distribution and abundance of bluefish larvae collected during MARMAP surveys in the Mid-Atlantic Bight...........29

Figure 9. Abundance of bluefish larvae relative to water temperature and depth based on Mid-Atlantic Bight surveys..............32

Figure 10. Reported occurrences of juvenile bluefish along the east coast of the United States (Clark 1973)...............................33

Figure 11. Abundance (number/tow) of young-of-the-year bluefish in seine and trawl surveys by state and by year....................34

Figure 12. Distribution and abundance of juvenile and adult bluefish collected in Massachusetts coastal waters.........................35

Figure 13. Abundance of juvenile/adult bluefish relative to water temperature and depth based on Massachusetts surveys ......... 37

Figure 14. Distribution and abundance of juvenile and adult bluefish collected in Narragansett Bay............................................38

Figure 15. Seasonal length frequency distributions of bluefish collected in Narragansett Bay during Rhode Island surveys........40

Figure 16. Seasonal abundance of juvenile/adult bluefish relative to temperature/depth based on Rhode Island surveys .............41

Figure 17. Distribution, abundance, and length frequency distributions of bluefish in Long Island Sound...................................43

Figure 18. Abundance of bluefish relative to water temperature based on Connecticut trawl surveys in Long Island Sound........44

Figure 19. Seasonal distribution and abundance of juvenile and adult bluefish collected in the Hudson-Raritan estuary .............45

Figure 20. Abundance of juvenile/adult bluefish relative to environmental variables based on Hudson-Raritan surveys..............47

Figure 21. Distribution and abundance of bluefish in the South Atlantic Bight collected during SEAMAP trawl surveys ...........48

Figure 22. Length frequency distribution of bluefish in the South Atlantic Bight collected during SEAMAP trawl surveys........49

Figure 23. Monthly distribution, abundance, and length frequency distribution of bluefish in the South Atlantic Bight ..............50

Figure 24. Seasonal length frequency distributions used to determine bluefish size and age cutoffs in NEFSC trawl surveys......52

Figure 25. Distribution and abundance of bluefish collected off the east coast of the U.S. during NEFSC trawl surveys.............53

Figure 26. Distribution and abundance of bluefish collected off the east coast during winter NEFSC trawl surveys ....................54

Figure 27. Length frequency distribution of bluefish caught in the winter off North Carolina during winter................................55

Figure 28. Distribution and abundance of four size classes of bluefish collected off the east coast during spring surveys............56

Figure 29. Abundance of large and small bluefish relative to water temperature and depth based on spring NEFSC surveys ......57

Figure 30. Distribution and abundance of four size classes of bluefish collected off the east coast during summer surveys .........59

Figure 31. Distribution and abundance of four size classes of bluefish collected off the east coast during fall surveys ................60

Figure 32. Abundance of YOY and age 1+ bluefish relative to water temperature and depth based on fall NEFSC surveys ........61
Page vi

Figure 33. Commercial landings, spawning stock biomass, and CPUE for bluefish along the east coast of the United States...... 63

Figure 34. Distribution/abundance of juvenile/adult bluefish during high and low abundance periods from autumn surveys ...... 64

Appendices

Appendix 1..................................................................................................................... ................................................................. 65
Page 1

INTRODUCTION

The bluefish, Pomatomus saltatrix (Figure 1), ranges

in the western North Atlantic from Nova Scotia and

Bermuda to Argentina, but it is rare between southern

Florida and northern South America (Robins et al. 1986).

They travel in schools of like-sized individuals and

undertake seasonal migrations, moving into the Middle

Atlantic Bight (MAB) during spring and south or farther

offshore during fall. Within the MAB they occur in large

bays and estuaries as well as across the entire continental

shelf. Juvenile stages have been recorded from all

estuaries surveyed within the MAB, but eggs and larvae

occur in oceanic waters (Able and Fahay 1998). Bluefish

growth rates are fast and they may reach a length of 1.1 m

(3.5 ft) and a weight of 12.3 kg (27 lbs) (Bigelow and

Schroeder 1953). They may live to age 12.

A bimodal size distribution of young-of-the-year

(YOY) bluefish during the summer in the New York Bight

suggests that there are two spawning events along the east

coast. Recent studies suggest that spawning is a single,

continuous event, but that young are lost from the middle

portion resulting in the appearance of a split season. As a

result of the bimodal size distribution of juveniles, young

are referred to as the spring-spawned cohort or summerspawned cohort in the habitat discussion and distribution

maps presented below.

LIFE HISTORY

EGGS

Eggs from the MAB are pelagic and spherical with a

diameter of 0.95-1.00 mm. They have a smooth,

transparent shell and a homogeneous yolk. The single oil

globule is 0.26-0.29 mm in diameter and the perivitelline

space is narrow (Fahay 1983). Incubation times depend

on temperature. At 18.0-22.2o

C, hatching occurs after 46-

48 h (Deuel et al. 1966). Eggs from the South Atlantic

Bight (SAB) have not been described.

LARVAE AND PELAGIC-JUVENILES

Larvae are 2.0-2.4 mm long when they hatch; the eyes

are unpigmented and the mouth parts are undeveloped.

Characteristic pigment includes parallel lines of

melanophores along the dorsal fin base, body midline, and

anal fin base. Teeth are well developed at 4.3 mm and fin

rays are complete at a size of about 13-14 mm (Fahay

1983). Larvae rarely occur deeper in the water column

than 15 m; most are concentrated at a depth of about 4 m

during the day, but they are about equally distributed

between that depth and the surface at night (Kendall and

Naplin 1981). The bluefish transforms from a larva to a

"pelagic-juvenile" stage that is specially adapted for an

oceanic, near-surface existence after completion of fin ray

development (Figure 2). This specialized stage is

characterized by a silvery, laterally compressed body, with

dark blue counter-coloration on the dorsum. This

transition occurs at an age of 18-25 d and at a size of 10-

12 mm SL (Hare and Cowen 1994). Scales begin to form

at about 12 mm on the posterior part of the lateral line

region, then proceed forward, until the head is completely

scaled at about 37 mm (Silverman 1975). Swimming

ability in many fish species dramatically improves during

this transformation (e.g. Hunter 1981; Stobutzki and

Bellwood 1994; Leis et al. 1996) and this improvement

presumably applies to bluefish as well. It is during this

stage that bluefish arrive at nursery areas in the central

part of the MAB, after advection via the Gulf Stream from

spawning areas in the SAB and after crossing the Slope

Sea (Hare and Cowen 1996; Hare et al., in prep.) and the

continental shelf (Cowen et al. 1993). This transport

(active or passive) is crucial to the recruitment of these

progeny to vital estuarine nursery areas, and therefore this

life history stage might be considered a critical bottleneck.

JUVENILES (INCLUDING YOUNG-OFTHE-YEAR)

Juveniles have a usual fish shape without unusual

features. The caudal fin is forked and the body is

somewhat laterally compressed, with a silvery,

unpatterned color. The mouth is large and oblique and all

fin spines are strong. Two distinct dorsal fins touch at

their bases; the second dorsal fin is about the same length

as the anal fin base (Able and Fahay 1998). The springspawned cohort is 60-76 d old with a mean size of 60 mm

when they recruit to estuarine habitats in the MAB in late

May to mid-June (McBride and Conover 1991; Cowen et

al. 1993). The summer-spawned cohort either remains in

coastal nursery areas (Kendall and Walford 1979; Able

and Fahay 1998) or enters estuarine nurseries in mid- to

late August when they are 33-47 d old with a mean length

of 46 mm (McBride and Conover 1991). Juveniles of

both cohorts depart MAB estuaries and coastal areas in

October and migrate to waters south of Cape Hatteras,

North Carolina. At this time, members of both cohorts

range from 4 to 24 cm long (Able and Fahay 1998).

During most years, the spring-spawned cohort dominates

in the emigrating young-of-the-year.

ADULTS

Adult bluefish are blue-green above, silvery below,

moderately stout-bodied, and armed with stout teeth along

both jaws. The snout is pointed and the mouth is large

and oblique. The caudal fin is large and forked. The fin

ray formulae are first dorsal: 7-9 spines; second dorsal: 1
Page 2

spine and 23-26 rays; anal: 2-3 spines and 25-28 rays.

Vertebrae number 26. The maximum length is about 115

cm and maximum weights are 4.5-6.8 kg, although an

occasional heavier fish has been taken. The maximum age

is 12 years. The sex ratio is 1:1 for all age groups

(Boreman 1982), although Lassiter (1962) reported a ratio

of two females per male in North Carolina and Hamer

(1959) found a ratio of three females to two males in New

Jersey.

REPRODUCTION

A seminal study, based largely on the distribution of

eggs and larvae, concluded that there were two discrete

spawning events in western Atlantic bluefish. The first

occurs during March-May near the edge of the continental

shelf of the SAB. The second occurs between June and

August in the MAB (Kendall and Walford 1979). Recent

studies have re-examined this conclusion and refined our

knowledge of a complex reproductive pattern, and support

the concept of a single, migratory spawning stock (Hare

and Cowen 1993; Smith et al. 1994).

Sexual maturity and gonad ripening occur in early

spring off Florida, early summer off North Carolina, and

late summer off New York (Hare and Cowen 1993). In

the New York Bight, gonadosomatic studies indicate that

both sexes are ripe or ripening between June and

September with a strong peak in July (Chiarella and

Conover 1990). Larvae re-occur in the SAB in the fall

(Collins and Stender 1987) and there are also indications

that gonads reach a second peak in ripeness in fishes off

Florida in September. Most bluefish are mature by age 2

(Deuel 1964). It is not known whether individuals spawn

serially or what the contributions of individuals are to

observed spawning patterns of the population. In South

Africa, individuals may spawn repeatedly over a period of

5-6 months (Van der Elst 1976), but there is no

comparable information for the U.S. population.

FOOD HABITS

During their oceanic larval stage, bluefish primarily

consume copepods. Fishes begin to be included in their

diet at sizes of 30 mm, and by 40 mm, fishes are the major

diet item. Soon after this shift in diet, juveniles migrate

inshore to occupy estuarine habitats (Marks and Conover

1993).

The results of several studies suggest that bluefish

juveniles and adults eat whatever taxa are locally

abundant (Table 1). The components of young-of-theyear bluefish diet in Sandy Hook Bay, New Jersey and the

effects of those components on condition were studied

over a three-year period (Friedland et al. 1988). Fishes

dominated the diet during 1981, while crustaceans and

polychaetes were more important during 1983 and 1984.

Weight-length relationships indicated that weight at length

was significantly greater in 1981 than in the other two

years. Thus, not only does the quality of diet differ

between estuaries, but the method of foraging may also

differ; more benthic foraging was evident in bluefish from

Sandy Hook Bay than in bluefish sampled in estuaries in

Delaware (Grant 1962) and North Carolina (Lassiter

1962). Depending on age class, diets might change

through a season. In Chesapeake Bay, diets of three age

classes differed through the summer (Table 1), but all

three concentrated on Brevoortia tyrannus in the fall

(Hartman and Brandt 1995a, b).

PREDATION

Sharks, tunas, and billfishes are the only predators

large and fast enough to prey on adult bluefish. They are

a major component in the diet of shortfin mako shark,

composing 77.5% of the diet by volume (Stillwell and

Kohler 1982). This study estimated that this shark may

consume between 4.3 and 14.5% of the bluefish resource

between Georges Bank and Cape Hatteras. Bluefish also

ranked fourth in number and occurrence and third in

volume in swordfish diets, especially off the Carolinas

(Stillwell and Kohler 1985). Blue sharks and sandbar

sharks also prey on bluefish (Kohler 1988; Medved et al.

1985). Young-of-the-year are preyed upon by four

oceanic bird species, the Atlantic puffin, Arctic tern,

common tern, and roseate tern (Creaser and Perkins 1994;

Safina et al. 1990). Cannibalism has only rarely been

reported, but occurs in age 1 and older year classes in

North Carolina (Lassiter 1962), and bluefish compose a

minor component of the diet of larger bluefish collected

during Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC)

bottom trawl surveys on the continental shelf (NEFSC,

unpublished data).

MIGRATIONS

Bluefish are warm water migrants and do not occur in

MAB waters at temperatures < 14-16°C (Bigelow and

Schroeder 1953). They generally move north in springsummer to centers of abundance in the New York Bight

and southern New England and south in autumn-winter to

the waters in the SAB as far as southeastern Florida.

There is a trend for larger individuals to occur farther

north during the summer (Wilk 1977). Anecdotal reports

suggest that larger adults truncate their southward

migration and spend the winter on the outer part of the

continental shelf of the MAB. One report witnessed a

single fish landed from about 100 m deep off Martha’s

Vineyard during mid-January 1950 and several hauls of

80-640 kg from the vicinity of Hudson Canyon during

early February of the same year (Bigelow and Schroeder

1953). Another study simply reported “boats engaged in
Page 3

the winter trawl fishery for fluke and scup along the outer

margin of the continental shelf often bring in a few

bluefish” (Hamer 1959). These reports have been

perpetuated since (Lund 1961; Miller 1969; Lund and

Maltezos 1970; Hardy 1978). However, recent winter

trawl surveys do not indicate, nor are fisheries or other

data available to support, the presence of bluefish in the

MAB during winter, except for a few occurrences near the

shelf edge off Cape Hatteras (see Geographical

Distribution).

STOCK STRUCTURE

The bluefish is presently managed as a single stock

(MAFMC 1997). Although there is evidence of separate

spawning events (see Reproduction), fish from these

spawning groups mix extensively during their lives, and

recent conclusions have ascertained that bluefish year

classes are composed of seasonal cohorts (Chiarella and

Conover 1990). Recent studies have re-examined this

conclusion and refined our knowledge of a complex

reproductive pattern, supporting the concept of a single,

migratory spawning stock (Hare and Cowen 1993; Smith

et al. 1994). A mitochondrial DNA study of spring- and

summer-spawned bluefish also concluded that bluefish

along the east coast of the United States comprise a single

genetic stock (Graves et al. 1992).

HABITAT CHARACTERISTICS

The habitat characteristics for eggs, larvae, pelagicjuveniles, juveniles, and adults based on results of this

compendium and pertinent published reports are presented

in Table 2. Included are observations of habitat use by

young-of-the-year in estuaries. When studies of juvenile

abundance have been related to environmental variables,

such as eelgrass presence/absence or a substrate type, they

have usually been conducted with seines where catch-perunit-of-effort is difficult to establish. Comparing the

results of these studies between locations is usually not

possible, and further details of essential habitats are

therefore not yet available. Appendix 1 contains more

complete data from various studies reported in the

literature.

EGGS

In the MAB, bluefish eggs are found in the open

ocean at temperatures 18-22o

C and salinities > 31.0 ppt.

Peak spawning occurs in the evening (Norcross et al.

1974). Eggs in the southern part of the MAB may be

advected south and offshore (Norcross et al. 1974).

LARVAE AND PELAGIC-JUVENILES

Larvae in the MAB occur in open oceanic waters,

near the edge of the continental shelf in the southern Bight

and over mid-shelf depths farther north (Norcross et al.

1974; Kendall and Walford 1979). Most larvae occur in

temperatures of 18-24o

C and salinities of 30-32 ppt. They

migrate vertically in the water column, occurring near the

surface at night, but centered at about 4 m during daylight

(Kendall and Naplin 1981). Larvae spawned in the SAB

(spring-spawned cohort) are subject to advection north

via the Gulf Stream (Hare and Cowen 1996; Kendall and

Walford 1979), but some recruit successfully to estuaries

in the SAB (Collins and Stender 1987; McBride et al.

1993).

The transport of pelagic-juveniles was outlined by

Kendall and Walford (1979) and elaborated by Hare and

Cowen (1996). Many are found in the vicinity of Cape

Hatteras as early as April. In May, several have been

collected on the shelf in the SAB (Fahay 1975; Kendall

and Walford 1979). By June, they occur in the MAB

between the shore and the shelf/slope front, actively

crossing the shelf (Hare and Cowen 1996). In both the

SAB and MAB, there is a strong negative correlation

between fish size and depth indicating an offshore origin

and onshore migration with growth.

JUVENILES (INCLUDING YOUNG-OFTHE-YEAR)

Juveniles occur in estuaries, bays, and the coastal

ocean of the MAB and SAB, where they are less common.

They occur in many habitats, but do not use the marsh

surface. The range of physical and structural conditions in

which they are found is summarized in Table 2. Juveniles

begin to depart MAB estuaries in October and migrate

south to spend the winter months south of Cape Hatteras.

ADULTS

Adult bluefish occur in the open ocean, large

embayments, and most estuarine systems within their

range. Although they occur in a wide range of

hydrographic conditions, they prefer warmer temperatures

and are not found in the MAB when temperatures decline

below 14-16o

C. See Table 2 for a summary of habitat

requirements of adult bluefish.

GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION

EGGS

Spring-spawned cohort: The spring spawning

occurs near the edge of the continental shelf in the SAB.
Page 4

However, bluefish eggs have not been collected or

identified from this region.

Summer-spawned cohort: Eggs were collected from

May to August over the MAB continental shelf during the

NEFSC Marine Resources Monitoring, Assessment and

Prediction (MARMAP) program surveys [see Reid et al.

(1999) for methods]. Bluefish eggs were most abundant

in July (Figure 3). Eggs were distributed near Cape

Hatteras in May and their occurrences expanded rapidly

northward during the summer. In July, eggs were

distributed as far as southern New England waters with a

center of abundance off Delaware Bay and New Jersey

(Berrien and Sibunka 1999). Eggs were not collected

after August. Bluefish eggs do not occur in estuarine

waters. During the NEFSC MARMAP surveys, eggs

occurred across the entire shelf, but were most

concentrated in mid-shelf depths (Berrien and Sibunka

1999). In another study, most (80%) eggs collected off

the Chesapeake Bay mouth were > 55 km from shore

(Norcross et al. 1974). Most eggs were collected at

surface temperatures between 17 and 23o

C, and over

depths of 30 to 70 m (Figure 4).

LARVAE

The distribution of all larvae collected in the MAB

and SAB is shown in Figure 5. There has been a critical

lack of sampling in the area immediately south of Cape

Hatteras.

Spring-spawned cohort: Our understanding of the

distribution of larvae in the SAB (corresponding to the

spring-spawned cohort) is limited. The NEFSC

MARMAP ichthyoplankton program sampled there from

1973 through 1980; bluefish larvae generally were

collected in low densities, both in water column sampling

with bongo nets (Figure 6) or Isaacs-Kidd midwater trawls

(Table 3), and at the surface with two types of neuston net

(Figure 7). Most larvae occurred near the 200 m depth

contour, placing them close to the Gulf Stream and

presumably enhancing their chances of advection to the

north as proposed by Kendall and Walford (1979), Powles

(1981), and Hare and Cowen (1993, 1996). The

collection of bluefish eggs in April and May is consistent

with back-calculated birth dates determined from

estuarine recruits in the New York Bight (NYB) (see

Juveniles). The densest concentrations of larvae in

NEFSC MARMAP cruises in the SAB occurred over the

outer half of the continental shelf during April and May.

Currents there flow toward the northeast and are affected

by the Gulf Stream (Lee and Atkinson 1983), while on the

inner shelf, wind-driven currents are important in affecting

the drift of larvae (Powles 1981; Lee and Atkinson 1983).

A secondary concentration of larvae was detected during

late summer/early fall of one year (1976) and may indicate

the existence of an isolated spawning event (Figure 6).

During 1979, all sampling was done by Isaacs-Kidd

midwater trawl and was restricted to the shelf area near

Charleston, South Carolina between February and August

(Table 3). Larvae were collected with this gear in low

densities between February and mid-May; two tows in

April yielded somewhat higher densities.

Summer-spawned cohort: The distribution of larvae

in the MAB is similar to that of the eggs (Figure 8).

Larvae < 11 mm (the size when they become pelagicjuveniles) first occur near Cape Hatteras and along the

shelf edge in the Wilmington Canyon area during May,

and are present through the summer in increasing numbers

throughout the southern and central parts of the MAB.

Although larvae are only rarely collected in estuarine

waters, they have been reported from a few large systems

in the MAB, including one larva, one occurrence in

Narragansett Bay (Herman 1963) and several estuaries in

New York/New Jersey (Table 4). During June, peak

larval abundance occurs between Cape Hatteras and

Chesapeake Bay and off New Jersey. Larvae are most

dense in the central part of the MAB in July and remain

dense during August. Few larvae occur in the MAB

during September. Larvae rarely occur deeper in the

water column than 15 m and most are concentrated at a

depth of about 4 m during the day, but are about equally

distributed between that depth and the surface at night.

Neuston sampling, therefore, is likely to drastically

undersample bluefish when done during the day. In

NEFSC MARMAP sampling, larvae occurred across the

entire shelf but were most concentrated in mid-shelf

depths. Most larvae were collected at surface

temperatures between 17° and 26°C and over water depths

of 30 to 70 m (Figure 9).

PELAGIC-JUVENILES (LARVAL TO

JUVENILE TRANSITION)

There are no available data that adequately describe

the distribution of this transformation stage in bluefish life

history, however, limited observations have been made in

the NYB (Shima 1989; Hare and Cowen 1996). These

observations support the view that temperatures below 13-

15o

C impede the progress of this stage into MAB

estuaries. In early June, these pelagic-juveniles mass at

the shelf-slope temperature front, and resume their inshore

migration when that front dissipates (Hare and Cowen

1996).

JUVENILES

It is presently unknown if bluefish are "estuarine

dependant" since the distribution of juveniles over the

continental shelf has not been described. The distribution

and relative abundance of juveniles has been documented

for estuaries along the east coast of the United States

(Table 4) and for estuaries in Maine (Table 5).
Page 5

A survey of juvenile bluefish published in the early

1970s (Clark 1973) noted that their distribution differed

from historical observations (Figure 10). Bluefish were

not observed south of Daytona Beach through the 1970s,

although juveniles were reported from estuaries as far

south as Palm Beach, Florida in the early part of the

century (Evermann and Bean 1898; Nichols 1913). This

author also suggested that the apparent high densities of

juveniles in certain regions (e.g., New Jersey and South

Carolina) were due to greater sampling effort. Remaining

enigmatic occurrences include those in the freshwaters of

the upper Chesapeake Bay (Mansueti 1955; Lund 1961),

although the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal may play a

role in their presence there.

Several young-of-the-year surveys (or surveys that

adequately sample young stages) are conducted within

MAB states (Figure 11). Several caveats pertaining to

these results prevent these state data from being compared

directly. Some surveys are conducted throughout the

year, while others are limited in their seasonal extent, and

the resultant densities are therefore unequal. Although all

results are expressed as "number per tow," tow lengths

and gear characteristics vary between states, and thus the

basis for this number can be unequal. Finally, the

definition of "juvenile" can vary between states; in some

cases, it is based solely on length frequency distributions,

in some cases it is based on an arbitrary length cutoff. In

most states, all fish < 30 cm are considered juveniles,

although in the Chesapeake Bay region, some of these

could be age 1+ if they were collected early in the year

(Munch 1997).

Despite these caveats, certain trends are evident in the

data. There are signs of strong year classes in each state

data set, but these do not necessarily match temporally. In

general, abundances are greater in states between Rhode

Island and New Jersey, and considerably lower in states in

the southern part of the MAB, further emphasizing the

importance of the former.

Massachusetts Trawl Survey

Juvenile bluefish are collected in twice-yearly otter

trawl sampling in nearshore waters of Massachusetts [see

Reid et al. (1999) for details]. Juveniles are not found

during spring, but are more abundant during fall (Figure

12); most positive collections occur in embayments south

of Cape Cod. In the fall, juveniles occur in the warmest

bottom water temperatures and occur most commonly at

the shallowest stations (Figure 13).

Rhode Island Trawl Survey,

Narragansett Bay

Juveniles were collected during summer and autumn

in a survey of Narragansett Bay (Figures 14, 15) [see Reid

et al. (1999) for details]. Most were collected in depths of

6-15 m and at bottom water temperatures of 17-22o

C

(Figure 16).

Connecticut Trawl Survey, Long Island

Sound

Young-of-the-year appear during June and by midAugust, they compose 93% of the bluefish catches in

Long Island Sound (Figure 17) [see Reid et al. (1999) for

details]. Abundance is highest during mid-summer on the

Connecticut side of the sound in depths < 18 m, but adults

are more widespread than juveniles (Figure 18). Peak

abundance is reached during September when bluefish

(94% juveniles) are found throughout the sound. Juvenile

abundance is highest in depths of 9-27 m over mud

bottoms in three areas: 1) the Connecticut side from New

Haven to Norwalk; 2) across the Western Basin into

Smithtown Bay; and 3) across the Central Basin from

New Haven to Mattituck. Abundance decreases rapidly

after September and juveniles appear to depart before

adults.

NEFSC Hudson-Raritan Trawl Survey

Most bluefish collected in the Hudson-Raritan estuary

and Sandy Hook Bay trawl survey are juveniles (< 35 cm)

[see Reid et al. (1999) for details]. There are no

occurrences during winter and only a few adults are

collected during spring (Figure 19). During summer and

fall, juveniles occur throughout the area in all depths

sampled, at bottom temperatures between 12 and 24o

C

(Figure 20). The largest collections were made near

navigation channels or in a basin near Graves End Bay.

SEAMAP Trawl Survey, South Atlantic

Bight

The Southeast Area Monitoring and Assessment

Program (SEAMAP) surveys sampled the coastal region

between Cape Hatteras, North Carolina and Cape

Canaveral, Florida [see Reid et al. (1999) for details].

After an initial several years when gear and methods were

not standardized, methodology became synoptic and

standardized between 1990 and 1996 (Beatty and Boylan

1997; Boylan et al. 1998). Bluefish collected during the

latter survey period are shown in Figure 21. Length

frequencies of these collections indicate most were youngof-the-year or age 1 (Figure 22). Information on

distributions over the offshore portions of the SAB shelf

are lacking for any size class. Monthly occurrences of

these bluefish are shown in Figure 23. Occurrences

decrease during spring, are at low levels during summer,

and increase during October beginning in the northern
Page 6

part of the bight, which suggests an influx of migrating

young-of-the-year from the MAB.

ADULTS

Massachusetts Trawl Survey

Adult bluefish are collected in twice-yearly otter trawl

sampling in nearshore waters of Massachusetts. During

spring, a few large adults are sometimes found in the

vicinity of Nantucket and Vineyard sounds, when

juveniles are not found (Figure 12). Both juveniles and

adults are more abundant during fall when most

collections occurred in embayments south of Cape Cod

(Figure 12). Adults in spring and fall occur over the

warmest bottom water temperatures and most commonly

in the shallowest stations (Figure 13).

Rhode Island Trawl Survey,

Narragansett Bay

Adults were rarely collected during summer and

autumn in a survey of Narragansett Bay (Figures 14, 15).

Most were collected in depths of 6-21 m (summer) and 9-

43 m (autumn) and at bottom water temperatures of 15-

26o

C (summer) and 17-21oC (autumn) (Figure 16).

Connecticut Trawl Survey, Long Island

Sound

Bluefish adults begin to appear in Long Island Sound

during May (Figure 17) when temperature preferences are

9-18o

C (Figure 18). Abundance is highest during midsummer on the Connecticut side of the sound in depths <

18 m and adults are more widespread than juveniles. Peak

abundance is reached during September when bluefish

(94% juveniles) are found throughout the sound.

Abundance decreases rapidly after September and

juveniles appear to depart before adults.

NEFSC Hudson-Raritan Trawl Survey

Most bluefish collected in Hudson-Raritan estuary

and Sandy Hook Bay are juveniles (< 35 cm). There are

no occurrences during winter and only a few adults are

collected during spring (Figure 19). Their collections

relative to bottom temperature, depth, dissolved oxygen,

and salinity are shown in Figure 20.

JUVENILES AND ADULTS

NEFSC Trawl Surveys

Bluefish are migratory and their distribution varies

seasonally and according to age and size of individuals

composing schools. Length frequencies of trawl-collected

bluefish were examined to determine age and size

composition of catches in the NEFSC bottom trawl survey

(Figure 24). Modes were separable into spawning cohorts

and year classes based on published studies and are the

bases for the distribution maps (Figures 25-32).

The distribution of all lengths during all seasons

(Figure 25) indicates that bluefish occur most densely

along the coast of the MAB and through the central part of

Georges Bank, although these results may reflect the

increased efficiency of the trawl in shallower waters.

Winter occurrences are limited to the outer continental

shelf near Cape Hatteras and these few occurrences are

larger fish (Figures 26, 27). Spring collections include

spring-spawned young-of-the-year off North Carolina,

spring-spawned age 1 restricted to coastal areas south of

Cape Hatteras, age 2 individuals along the continental

shelf edge off North Carolina, and older year classes

distributed between Cape Hatteras and the offing of the

Delmarva Peninsula (Figure 28). The distributions of <

30 cm and > 30 cm bluefish relative to depths and

temperatures sampled during these spring surveys are

shown in Figure 29.

Summer surveys collected several age classes,

including summer-spawned young-of-the-year in the New

York Bight; spring-spawned young-of-the-year widely

distributed along the coast between New York and Cape

Hatteras; age 1 fish, especially off North Carolina, but

also in the Chesapeake Bay region; and older year classes,

mostly over Georges Bank (Figure 30).

Fall surveys are most important for measuring relative

year-class strength. Young-of-the-year of both springand summer-spawned cohorts and age 1 individuals are

abundant along the coast between Long Island and Cape

Hatteras. Older year-classes are more abundant in

southern New England and Georges Bank waters (Figure

31). When all lengths are considered, there is a trend for

bluefish to occur on the warmest stations sampled (Figure

32). However, this trend is most pronounced for youngof-the-year when they are separated from older year

classes. The relative occurrences of all year classes by

bottom depths closely mirror the distribution of depths

sampled (Figure 32).

All age classes, in combined spring and fall surveys,

were collected mostly over depths < 20 m. They were

collected at warmer temperatures during spring surveys,

but showed little preference for temperatures during fall

surveys.
Page 7

STATUS OF THE STOCK

Population fluctuations have been common in the

western Atlantic bluefish population since colonial times.

Wide swings in abundance occurred between the 1600s

and the 1950s (Bigelow and Schroeder 1953). In recent

years, the total catch of bluefish (commercial landings

plus recreational catches) peaked in the late 1970s and

early 1980s and has declined since (Figure 33).

Commercial landings decreased about 22% between 1994

and 1995. During 1982-1996, age 1 fishing mortality

increased approximately fourfold, recruitment has

declined from an estimated 75 million fish at age 0 to

about 14 million fish, and estimates of the spawning stock

biomass have decreased from about 300,000 mt to 100+

mt (Stock Assessment Review Committee, Coastal Pelagic

Subcommittee 1996).

There is little difference in the distribution of adults

between a period of relatively high population abundance

(1980-1982) and a period of low abundance (1994-1996)

(Figure 34). However, the same comparison of the

distribution of young-of-the-year indicates a decline in

abundance in the southern part of the MAB. Whether this

is due to year-class failure in estuaries of that region, or

reflects a lack of pelagic-juvenile recruitment to those

estuaries, is unknown.

RESEARCH NEEDS

LIFE HISTORY AND BIOLOGY

We lack information on the reproductive biology of

bluefish. Observed patterns of spawning may be based on

the population level rather than on information on

individual reproductive traits. We presently do not know

whether individuals spawn serially, and if so, how many

times they are capable of spawning in a year. We also do

not know if these reproductive characteristics vary with

age. It is apparent that more study of the distribution of

older stages needs to be correlated with spawning events.

Since bluefish school in like-sized (and supposedly likeaged) groups, we need to know what groups are where and

when, and how those aggregations are associated with the

observed densities of eggs. Simply describing how many

spawning events are occurring can not solve the issue of

the number of manageable stocks.

Our understanding of the "pelagic-juvenile" stage is

limited despite its obvious importance. We need to better

understand the details of transport mechanisms that

provide progeny of reproduction in the SAB to nurseries

in the MAB. Increased sampling of the neuston or nearsurface layers of the ocean between production areas and

estuarine nursery areas, associated with appropriate

oceanographic observations, would provide much-needed

insight into factors affecting transport and estuarine

recruitment.

There has been a tight correlation between population

size and the contribution of the spring-spawned cohort to

fall trawl collections in the last three decades. Yet our

knowledge of reproduction in the SAB is limited to a

brief, under-sampled period in the 1970s when the

population was at a relatively low level of abundance.

Furthermore, larvae produced in June in the southern part

of the MAB appear not to survive [unless recruits to

Maine estuaries result from this output, see Creaser and

Perkins (1994)], the fate of the remaining MAB summer

offspring remains enigmatic, and the relative contribution

of this summer-spawned cohort to year-class success

would seem to be negligible.

There is some evidence for spawning during the fall

in the Cape Canaveral region of Florida that appears to be

discrete, rather than a continuation of spawning in the

MAB. This evidence has been demonstrated in this

document with larval occurrences and a disjunct autumn

distribution of fishes between 26 and 40 cm. Hare and

Cowen (1993) present gonadosomatic data that suggest

the same thing. Admittedly, some of this evidence is

weak and based on incomplete sampling, and should be

improved to determine the origin of these spawning fish,

the magnitude of spawning, and the fate of any progeny.

HABITAT REQUIREMENTS

It is obvious from a review of the literature that we

lack data to address the habitat issue at Tier 3 (habitatspecific growth, reproduction, and survival rates).

Assessing how characteristics of habitat might affect the

quality of young-of-the-year is therefore not feasible.

Results of biological sampling, in estuaries or continental

shelf waters, only rarely report specific characteristics of

sampling sites. Therefore, data accruing from these

studies are likely to be limited to “presence/absence”

value only. According to Miller (1984): “We need a

reasonable schema of estuaries, emphasizing the factors

that have the most significance to the fish. Unfortunately,

the necessary physical data are often lacking for an

accurate characterization. Many are also temporally

unstable. Not even our attempts to classify estuaries

recognize their dynamic nature...we need more complete

descriptions of how biologically relevant abiotic factors

within estuaries affect biologically relevant scales of time

and space. Without this, we cannot hope to untangle the

biological processes or to compare results from different

estuaries. Biologists need to involve more physical

oceanographers and meteorologists in our research.”

Clearly, in the future, more attention to details of

collecting sites needs to be paid, and habitat research

supported, such that the linkages between habitat quality

and year class success can be made.

There are lingering conclusions that the summerspawned cohort in the MAB uses nearshore coastal zones

as nurseries, more so than estuaries. To some extent, this
Page 8

view may be based on the relative paucity of this cohort

compared to the spring-spawned cohort in estuaries.

Increased sampling of the near-coastal environment with

appropriate gear should be encouraged to assess the

relative value of this region.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The author thanks L. Cargnelli and S. Griesbach for

transforming the drafts into publication format.

REFERENCES CITED

Able, K.W. and M.P. Fahay. 1998. The first year in the

life of estuarine fishes in the Middle Atlantic Bight.

Rutgers University Press, New Brunswick, NJ. 342 p.

Able, K.W., D.A. Witting, R.S. McBride, R.A. Rountree,

and K.J. Smith. 1996. Fishes of polyhaline estuarine

shores in Great Bay-Little Egg Harbor, New Jersey: a

case study of seasonal and habitat influences. In K.F.

Nordstrom and C.T. Roman eds. Estuarine shores:

environments and human alterations. p. 335-355.

John Wiley and Sons, Ltd. NY.

Beatty, H.R. and J.M. Boylan. 1997. Results of the

Southeast Area Monitoring and Assessment Program

- South Atlantic (SEAMAP-SA) nearshore, day/night

trawl sampling in the coastal habitat of the South

Atlantic Bight during 1987 and 1988. Marine

Resources Research Institute, Atlantic States Marine

Fisheries Commission, Special Report No. 65. South

Carolina Dept. Natural Resources, Marine Resources

Division. 120 p.

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.

Boreman, J. 1982. Status of bluefish along the Atlantic

coast, 1982. U.S. Natl. Mar. Fish. Serv. Northeast

Fish. Cent. Woods Hole Lab. Ref. Doc. No. 83-28.

35 p. + tables.

Boylan, J., P. Webster, J. Adriance, and R. Beatty. 1998.

Results of trawling efforts in the coastal habitat of the

South Atlantic Bight, FY-1997. SEAMAP-SA annual

report. A report of the South Carolina Department of

Natural Resources pursuant to National Oceanic

Atmospheric Administration Award No.

NA77FS0012. 63 p. + appendices.

Buckel, J.A. and D.O. Conover. 1997. Movements,

feeding periods, and daily ration of piscivorous

young-of-the-year bluefish, Pomatomus saltatrix, in

the Hudson River estuary. Fish. Bull. (U.S.) 95(4):

665-679.

Chiarella, L.A. and D.O. Conover. 1990. Spawning

season and first-year growth of adult bluefish from

the New York Bight. Trans. Am. Fish. Soc. 119(3):

455-462.

Clark, J.R. 1973. Bluefish. In A.L. Pacheco ed.

Proceedings of a workshop on egg, larval, and

juvenile stages of fish in Atlantic coast estuaries. p.

250-251. U.S. Dep. Commer., NOAA, NMFS, MidAtl. Coastal Fish. Cent., Tech. Publ. No. 1.

Collins, M.R. and B.W. Stender. 1987. Larval king

mackerel (Scomberomorus cavalla), Spanish

mackerel (S. maculatus), and bluefish (Pomatomus

saltatrix) off the southeast coast of the United States,

1973-1980. Bull. Mar. Sci. 41: 822-834.

Cowen, R.K., J.A. Hare, and M.P. Fahay. 1993. Beyond

hydrography: Can physical processes explain larval

fish assemblages within the Middle Atlantic Bight?

Bull. Mar. Sci. 53(2): 567-587.

Creaser, E.P. and H.C. Perkins. 1994. The distribution,

food, and age of juvenile bluefish, Pomatomus

saltatrix, in Maine. Fish. Bull. (U.S.) 92(3): 494-508.

de Sylva, D.P., F.A. Kalber, Jr., and C.N. Shuster. 1962.

Fishes and ecological conditions in the shore zone of

the Delaware River estuary, with notes on other

species collected in deeper water. University of

Delaware Marine Laboratory, Information Series,

Publ. No. 5. University of Delaware, Newark, DE.

164 p.

Deuel, D.G. 1964. Evidence of spawning of tagged

bluefish. Underwat. Nat. 2(2): 24.

Deuel, D.G., J.R. Clark, and A.J. Mansuetti. 1966.

Description of embryonic and early larval stages of

bluefish, Pomatomus saltatrix. Trans. Am. Fish. Soc.

95(3): 264-271.

Evermann, B.W. and B.A. Bean. 1898. Indian River and

its fishes. Rep U.S. Comm. Fish., Fish.. 22: 227-262.

Fahay, M.P. 1975. An annotated list of larval and juvenile

fishes captured with surface-towed meter net in the

South Atlantic Bight during four R/V Dolphin cruises

between May 1967 and February 1968. NOAA Tech.

Rep. NMFS-SSRF. 685: 1-39.

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.

Festa, P.J. 1979. Analysis of the fish forage base in the

Little Egg Harbor estuary. New Jersey Dep. Environ.

Prot., Div. Fish, Game Shellfish. Bur. Fish., Nacote

Creek Res. Station. Tech. Rep. No. 24M. 271 p.

Friedland, K.D., G.C. Garman, A.J. Bejda, A.L.

Studholme, and B. Olla. 1988. Interannual variation

in diet and condition in juvenile bluefish during

estuarine residency. Trans. Am. Fish. Soc. 117(5):

474-479.

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,
Page 9

DC. Plates.

Grant, G.C. 1962. Predation of bluefish on young Atlantic

menhaden in Indian River, Delaware. Chesapeake

Sci. 3(1): 45-47.

Graves, J.E., J.R. McDowell, A.M. Beardsley, and D.R.

Scoles. 1992. Stock structure of the bluefish,

Pomatomus saltatrix, along the Mid-Atlantic coast.

Fish. Bull. (U.S.) 90(4): 703-710.

Hamer, P.E. 1959. Age and growth studies of the bluefish

(Pomatomus saltatrix Linnaeus) of the New York

Bight. M.S. thesis, Rutgers, The State University.

New Brunswick, NJ. 27 p.

Hardy, J.D., Jr. 1978. Development of fishes of the MidAtlantic Bight: An atlas of egg, larval and juvenile

stages. Vol. 3: Aphredoderidae through

Rachycentridae. U.S. Fish Wildl. Serv. Biol. Serv.

Prog. FWS/OBS-78/12. 394 p.

Hare, J.A. and R.K. Cowen. 1993. Ecological and

evolutionary implications of the larval transport and

reproductive strategy of bluefish, Pomatomus

saltatrix. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 98: 1-16.

Hare, J.A. and R.K. Cowen. 1994. Ontogeny and otolith

microstructure of bluefish Pomatomus saltatrix

(Pisces: Pomatomidae). Mar. Biol. 118: 541-550.

Hare, J.A. and R.K. Cowen. 1996. Transport mechanisms

of larval and pelagic juvenile bluefish (Pomatomus

saltatrix) from South Atlantic Bight spawning

grounds to Middle Atlantic Bight nursery habitats.

Limnol. Oceanogr. 41(6): 1264-1280.

Hare, J.A., M.P. Fahay, and R.K. Cowen. In preparation.

Springtime ichthyoplankton of the Slope Sea: larval

assemblages, relationship to hydrography and

implications for larval transport.

Hartman, K.J. and S.B. Brandt. 1995a. Comparative

energetics and the development of bioenergetics

models for sympatric estuarine piscivores. Can. J.

Fish. Aquat. Sci. 52(8): 1647-1666.

Hartman, K.J. and S.B. Brandt. 1995b. Trophic resource

partitioning, diets, and growth of sympatric estuarine

predators. Trans. Am. Fish. Soc. 124: 520-537.

Herman, S.S. 1963. Planktonic fish eggs and larvae of

Narragansett Bay. Limnol. Oceanogr. 8: 103-109.

Hunter, J.R. 1981. Feeding ecology and predation of

marine fish larvae. In R. Lasker ed. Marine fish

larvae: morphology, ecology and relation to fisheries.

p. 34-77. University of Washington Sea Grant

Program. University of Washington Press, Seattle,

WA.

Jury, S.H., J.D. Field, S.L. Stone, D.M. Nelson, and M.E.

Monaco. 1994. Distribution and abundance of fishes

and invertebrates in North Atlantic estuaries. ELMR

Rep. No. 13. NOAA/NOS Strategic Environmental

Assessments Division, Silver Spring, MD. 221 p.

Kendall, A.W., Jr. and N.A. Naplin. 1981. Diel-depth

distribution of summer ichthyoplankton in the Middle

Atlantic Bight. Fish. Bull. (U.S.) 79(4): 705-726.

Kendall, A.W., Jr. and L.A. Walford. 1979. Sources and

distribution of bluefish, Pomatomus saltatrix, larvae

and juveniles off the east coast of the United States.

Fish. Bull. (U.S.) 77(1): 213-227.

Kohler, N. 1988. Aspects of feeding ecology of the blue

shark, Prionace glauca, in the western North

Atlantic. Ph.D. dissertation, Univ. Rhode Island,

Kingston, RI. 163 p.

Lassiter, R.R. 1962. Life history aspects of the bluefish,

Pomatomus saltatrix (Linnaeus), from the coast of

North Carolina. M.S. thesis, North Carolina State

College. Raleigh, NC. 103 p.

Lee, T.N. and L.P. Atkinson. 1983. Low-frequency

current and temperature variability from Gulf Stream

frontal eddies and atmospheric forcing along the

southeast U.S. outer continental shelf. J. Geophys.

Res. 88: 4541-4567.

Leis, J.M., H.P. Sweatman, and S.E. Reader. 1996. What

the pelagic stages of coral reef fishes are doing out in

blue water: Daytime field observations of larval

behavioural capabilities. Aust. J. Mar. Freshw. Res.

47: 401-411.

Lund, W.A., Jr. 1961. A racial investigation of the

bluefish, Pomatomus saltatrix (Linnaeus) of the

Atlantic coast of North America. Bol. Inst. Oceanog.

Univ. Oriente. 1(1): 73-129.

Lund, W.A., Jr. and G.C. Maltezos. 1970. Movements and

migrations of the bluefish, Pomatomus saltatrix,

tagged in waters of New York and southern New

England. Trans. Am. Fish. Soc. 99(4): 719-725.

[MAFMC] Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council.

1997. Amendment 1 to the bluefish Fishery

Management Plan. June 1997. MAFMC. [Dover,

DE.] 128 p. + appendices.

Mansueti, R.J. 1955. Young bluefish found in fresh tidal

water of the upper Patuxent River. Maryland

Tidewater News 12(3): 3.

Marks, R.E. and D.O. Conover. 1993. Ontogenetic shift in

the diet of young-of-year bluefish Pomatomus

saltatrix during the oceanic phase of the early life

history. Fish. Bull. (U.S.) 91(1): 97-106.

McBride, R.S. and D.O. Conover. 1991. Recruitment of

young-of-the-year bluefish Pomatomus saltatrix to

the New York Bight: variation in abundance and

growth of spring- and summer-spawned cohorts. Mar.

Ecol. Prog. Ser. 78: 205-216.

McBride, R.S., J.L. Ross, and D.O. Conover. 1993.

Recruitment of bluefish Pomatomus saltatrix to

estuaries of the U.S. South Atlantic Bight. Fish. Bull.

(U.S.) 91: 389-395.

McBride, R.S., M.D. Scherer, and J.C. Powell. 1995.

Correlated variations in abundance, size, growth, and

loss rates of age-0 bluefish in a southern New

England estuary. Trans. Am. Fish. Soc. 124: 898-910.

Medved, R.J., C.E. Stillwell, and J.J. Casey. 1985.

Stomach contents of young sandbar sharks,

Carcharhinus plumbeus, in Chincoteague Bay,

Virginia. Fish. Bull. (U.S.) 83: 395-402.
Page 10

Miller, J.M. 1984. Habitat choices in estuarine fish: Do

they have any? In B.J. Copeland et al. eds. Research

for managing the nation’s estuaries: proceedings of a

conference in Raleigh, North Carolina, March 13-15,

1984. p. 337-352. University of North Carolina, Sea

Grant College Publication UNC-SG-84-08. North

Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC.

Miller, R.V. 1969. Continental migrations of fishes.

Underwater Nat. 6(1): 15-23.

Milstein, C.B., D.L. Thomas and Associates. 1977.

Summary of ecological studies for 1972-1975 in the

bays and other waterways near Little Egg Inlet and in

the ocean in the vicinity of the proposed site for the

Atlantic generating station, New Jersey.

Ichthyological Associates Bull. No. 18.

Ichthyological Associates Inc., Ithaca, NY. 757 p.

Munch, S.B. 1997. Recruitment dynamics of bluefish,

Pomatomus saltatrix, on the continental shelf from

Cape Fear to Cape Cod, 1973-1995. M.S. thesis,

State University of New York at Stony Brook. Stony

Brook, NY. 127 p.

Nelson, D.M. and M.E. Monaco. 1994. Distribution and

abundance of fishes and invertebrates in the southeast

estuaries. ELMR Rep. No. 9. NOAA/NOS Strategic

Environmental Assessments Division, Silver Spring,

MD. 167 p.

Nichols, J.T. 1913. Concerning young bluefish. Trans.

Am. Fish. Soc. 43: 169-172.

Norcross, J.J., S.L. Richardson, W.H. Massmann, and

E.B. Joseph. 1974. Development of young bluefish

(Pomatomus saltatrix) and distribution of eggs and

young in Virginian coastal waters. Trans. Am. Fish.

Soc. 103(3): 477-497.

Nyman, R.M. and D.O. Conover. 1988. The relation

between spawning season and the recruitment of

young-of-the-year bluefish, Pomatomus saltatrix, to

New York. Fish. Bull. (U.S.) 86(2): 237-250.

Olla, B.L. and A.L. Studholme. 1971. The effect of

temperature on the activity of bluefish Pomatomus

saltatrix L. Biol. Bull. (Woods Hole). 141(2):

337-349.

Olla, B.L., A.L. Studholme, A.J. Bejda, C. Samet, and

A.D. Martin. 1975. The effect of temperature on the

behavior of marine fishes: a comparison among

Atlantic mackerel, Scomber scombrus, bluefish,

Pomatomus saltatrix, and tautog, Tautoga onitis. In

International Atomic Energy Agency ed. Combined

effects of radioactive, chemical and thermal releases

to the environment. p. 299-308. International Atomic

Energy Agency. Vienna.

Powles, H. 1981. Distribution and movements of

neustonic young of estuarine dependent (Mugil spp.,

Pomatomus saltatrix) and estuarine independent

(Coryphaena spp.) fishes off the southeastern United

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

life history of fish: Recent studies. p. 207-210. Rapp.

P.-V. Reun. Cons. Int. Explor. Mer, 1978.

Pristas, P.J. and L. Trent. 1977. Comparisons of catches

of fishes in gill nets in relation to webbing material,

time of day, and water depth in St. Andrew Bay,

Florida. Fish. Bull. (U.S.) 75(1): 103-108.

Reid, R., F. Almeida, and C. Zetlin. 1999. Essential fish

habitat source document: Fishery independent

surveys, data sources, and methods. NOAA Tech.

Mem. NMFS-NE-122. 39 p.

Robins, C.R., G.C. Ray, J. Douglass, and R. Freund.

1986. A field guide to Atlantic coast marine fishes.

Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston, MA. 354 p.

Rountree, R.A. and K.W. Able. 1992a. Fauna of

polyhaline subtidal marsh creeks in southern New

Jersey: composition, abundance and biomass.

Estuaries. 15(2): 171-185.

Rountree, R.A. and K.W. Able. 1992b. Foraging habits,

growth, and temporal patterns of salt-marsh creek

habitat use by young-of-year summer flounder in New

Jersey. Trans. Am. Fish. Soc. 121: 765-776.

Safina, C., R.H. Wagner, D.A. Witting, and K.J. Smith.

1990. Prey delivered to roseate and common tern

chicks: composition and temporal variability. J. Field

Ornithol. 61(3): 331-338.

Shima, M. 1989. Oceanic transport of the early life history

stages of bluefish, Pomatomus saltatrix from Cape

Hatteras to the Mid-Atlantic Bight. M.S. thesis, State

University of New York at Stony Brook. Stony

Brook, NY. 69 p.

Silverman, M.J. 1975. Scale development in the bluefish,

Pomatomus saltatrix. Trans. Am. Fish. Soc. 104(4):

773-774.

Smith, B.A. 1971. The fishes of four low-salinity tidal

tributaries of the Delaware River estuary. M.S. thesis,

Cornell University. Ithaca, NY. 304 p.

Smith, W., P. Berrien, and T. Potthoff. 1994. Spawning

patterns of bluefish, Pomatomus saltatrix, in the

northeast continental shelf ecosystem. Bull. Mar. Sci.

54(1): 8-16.

Stillwell, C.E. and N.E. Kohler. 1982. Food, feeding

habits, and estimates of daily ration of the shortfin

mako (Isurus oxyrinchus) in the northwest Atlantic.

Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 39: 407-414.

Stillwell, C.E. and N.E. Kohler. 1985. Food and feeding

ecology of the swordfish Xiphias gladius in the

western North Atlantic Ocean with estimates of daily

ration. Mar. Ecol. Progr. Ser. 22: 239-247.

Stobutzki, I.C. and D.R. Bellwood. 1994. An analysis of

the sustained swimming abilities of pre- and postsettlement coral reef fishes. J. Exp. Mar. Biol. Ecol.

175: 275-286.

Stock Assessment Review Committee, Coastal Pelagic

Subcommittee. 1996. Assessment of bluefish

(Pomatomus saltatrix). SARC Working Paper C1,

Report. November 7, 1996. 94 p.

Stone, S.L., T.A. Lowery, J.D. Field, C.D. Williams, D.M.

Nelson, S.H. Jury, M.E. Monaco, and L. Andreasen.

1994. Distribution and abundance of fishes and
Page 11

invertebrates in Mid-Atlantic estuaries. ELMR Rep.

No. 12. NOAA/NOS Strategic Environmental

Assessments Division, Silver Spring, MD. 280 p.

Texas Instruments Incorporated. 1976. Predation by

bluefish in the lower Hudson River. Prepared for

Consolidated Edison Co. of New York, Inc. by Texas

Instruments Inc., Ecological Services, Consolidated

Edison Co. of New York, Inc. 17 p. + appendices.

Van der Elst, R. 1976. Game fish of the east coast of

southern Africa. I. The biology of the elf Pomatomus

saltatrix (Linnaeus), in the coastal waters of Natal.

Oceanogr. Res. Inst. (Durban) Investig. Rep. 44: 1-

59.

Wilk, S.J. 1977. Biological and fisheries data on bluefish,

Pomatomus saltatrix (Linnaeus). U.S. Natl. Mar.

Fish. Serv., Northeast Fish Cent. Sandy Hook Lab.

Tech. Ser. Rep. 11: 1-56.
Page 12

Table 1. Dietary items of bluefish from several study areas.

Source Life History Stage and

Study Location

Diet Items (in order of importance)

Texas

Instruments

Incorporated

1976

Young-of-the-year,

Hudson River (tidal)

Anchoa mitchilli (dominated diet through summer),

Clupeidae, Microgadus tomcod, Alosa sapidissima,

Notropis hudsonius, Cyprinodontidae

Festa 1979 11-20 cm, Little Egg

Harbor estuary, NJ

Fundulus spp., Atherinidae, Anchoa spp., Callinectes

sapidus, Brevoortia tyrannus, Crangon septemspinosa

Friedland et al.

1988

Juvenile, Sandy Hook,

NJ

1981: Teleosts, Crustacea, Polychaeta

1982: Crustacea, Teleostei, Polychaeta

1983: Crustacea, Teleostei, Polychaeta

(weight at length significantly greater in 1981)

Hartman and

Brandt 1995a, b

Age 0, Age 1, and Age 2,

Chesapeake Bay

(Diets of all age classes

changed through season)

Age 0: Anchoa mitchilli, Menidia menidia, Brevoortia

tyrannus

Age 1: Leiostomus xanthurus, A. mitchilli, M. menidia,

B. tyrannus

Age 2: Micropogonias undulatus, A. mitchilli, B.

tyrannus

(B. tyrannus becomes important in diets of all age

classes in Sep-Oct.)

Buckel and

Conover 1997

Young-of-the-year,

Hudson River estuary

Unidentified fish, Anchoa mitchilli, Alosa spp., Morone

saxatilis, Morone americana

NEFSC, Trawl

Survey Diet

Data

All ages (mean size 35.6

mm FL), continental

shelf, Georges Bank and

Middle Atlantic Bight

1973-1980: Unidentified fishes, Illex spp., Etrumeus

teres, Loligo spp., Peprilus triacanthus, Cephalopoda

1981-1990: Unidentified fishes, Ammodytes dubius,

Peprilus triacanthus, Loligo spp., Clupea harengus
Page 13

Table 2. Summary of life history and habitat characteristics for bluefish, Pomatomus saltatrix. See Appendix 1 for a

more complete listing of habitat variables.

Life

History

Stage

Habitat (Spatial

and Temporal)

Temperature Salinity Light/Vertical

Distribution

Currents/

Circulation

Prey Estuarine

Use

Eggs 1

spring cohort:

unknown.

summer cohort:

occurs across

continental shelf,

southern New

England to Cape

Hatteras. Most in

mid-shelf waters.

spring cohort:

unknown.

summer cohort:

most in 18-22°C.

spring cohort:

unknown.

summer cohort:

31.0 ppt or more

(minimum 26.0

ppt).

spring cohort:

unknown.

summer cohort:

peak spawning

in the evening

(1900-2100

hrs).

spring cohort:

unknown.

summer cohort:

in southern MAB,

surface currents

transport eggs

south and

offshore.

-- None

Larvae 2 spring cohort:

near edge of

continental shelf,

Cape HatterasCape Canaveral,

FL. Peak AprilMay.

summer cohort:

most 30-70 m

depths, May-Sept,

peak in July.

spring cohort:

smallest larvae in >

24°C.

summer cohort:

near Cape Hatteras

22.1-22.4°C; in

MAB 18-26°C.

spring cohort:

smallest larvae in >

35 ppt.

summer cohort: in

MAB in 30-32 ppt.

spring cohort: >

4 mm strongly

associate with

surface.

summer cohort:

near surface at

night, mostly at

about 4 m

during day.

spring cohort:

subject to

northward

advection by Gulf

Stream. Some

retained in SAB

by southerly

counter-current.

summer cohort:

southwest winds

in MAB may

facilitate crossshelf transport.

summer

cohort:

mostly

copepod life

history

stages. Guts

full during

day.

None

Pelagic

Juveniles 3

spring cohort:

smallest near 180

m contour; larger

near shore. AprilMay.

summer cohort:

cross MAB shelf

from Slope Sea to

shore, early- to

mid-June.

spring cohort:

19.0-24.0°C (or

higher well

offshore).

summer cohort: in

MAB 15.0-20.0°C

(most > 18.0°C).

As low as 13.0°C

when cross shelf.

spring cohort:

Near 180 m

contour, > 35.0

ppt.

summer cohort:

During June, range

36.0-31.0 ppt.

both cohorts:

strongly

associated with

the surface.

spring cohort:

shoreward

movement with

growth unless

advected north.

summer cohort:

move shoreward

with growth.

Currents

important, but

active swimming

indicated.

-- both

cohorts:

enter

estuarine

nurseries

during this

stage

Juveniles 4

(summer

cohort

only)

Several estuarine

study areas

between

Narragansett Bay,

RI and Delaware

Bay and

Delaware River.

In most studies,

arrive > 20°C,

remain in

temperatures up to

30°C, emigrate

when declines to

15°C. Can not

survive below

10°C or above

34°C. Fall

migration in 18-

22°C on inner

continental shelf.

Usually 23.0-33.0

ppt but can intrude

to as low as 3.0

ppt.

Day: usually

near shorelines

or in tidal

creeks.

Night: usually in

open bay or

channel waters.

Can occur in surf

zone or clear to

turbid backestuarine zones.

Atlantic

silversides,

clupeids,

striped

bass, bay

anchovy,

others.

Mostly

sand, but

some mud,

silt, clay.

Also uses

Ulva,

Zostera

beds, and

Spartina or

Fucus.

Adults 5 Generally

oceanic,

nearshore to well

offshore over

continental shelf.

Warm water,

usually > 14-16°C.

Can tolerate 11.8-

30.4°C but are

stressed at either

extreme.

Oceanic salinities. -- -- Sight

feeders,

prey on

other fishes

almost

exclusively.

Not

uncommon

in bays,

larger

estuaries, as

well as

coastal

waters.

1

 Norcross et al. 1974; Berrien and Sibunka 1999; Data from present report 2

 Norcross et al. 1974; Kendall and Walford 1979; Kendall and Naplin 1981; Powles 1981; Collins and Stender 1987; Hare and Cowen 1996; Data from

 present report

3

 Fahay 1975; Kendall and Walford 1979; Powles 1981; Collins and Stender 1987; Hare and Cowen 1996 4

 Lund and Maltezos 1970; Olla et al. 1975; Milstein et al. 1977; Nyman and Conover 1988; Rountree and Able 1992a, b; McBride et al. 1995; Able et al.

 1996; Buckel and Conover 1997

5

 Bigelow and Schroeder 1953; Olla and Studholme 1971
Page 14

Table 3. Sampling in 1979 ("Southern MARMAP") for bluefish larvae in the Charleston Bump area (32°37’ N - 32°80’ N

x 78°42’ W - 79°00’ W). Isaacs Kidd MWT only.

Date Sampling Depth Sampling Duration Volume Sampled Bluefish No./10m2

February 9 15 5 308

 “ 37 27 641

 “ 84 33 816

February 28 31 26 693 0.89

 “ 54 25 1085

 “ 110 35 1052

March 13 30 22 580

 “ 74 29 995

March 17 114 38 1258 0.91

March 18 28 20 700

March 27 18 20 742 1.16

 “ 58 27 1002 0.78

 “ 98 34 1261

March 28 30 26 965

April 6 32 25 875 0.71

 “ 62 25 875 41.48

 “ 132 40 1400 0.38

April 18 27 20 700

 “ 38 21 735 2.22

 “ 128 33 1155

April 19 42 22 770 1.45

April 30 28 22 770 36.99

May 1 76 27 945 21.16

 “ 134 38 1330

 “ 50 25 875 3.97

May 16 34 22 770 2.65

 “ 58 25 875 9.55

 “ 130 35 1225 0.36

June 5 28 22 770

 “ 58 31 1085

June 30 37 26 910

July 1 58 29 1015

 “ 124 47 1645

August 12 42 24 890

August 13 127 31 1150

 “ 50 22 816

 “ 22 20 742
Page 15

Table 4. Distribution of early life history stages of bluefish, Pomatomus saltatrix, in estuaries from Maine to Florida.

Occurrences are not quantitative and may be based on one or very few specimens. Estimates of relative abundance after

Nelson and Monaco (1994), Jury et al. (1994), Stone et al. (1994). Some Middle Atlantic Bight estuaries after Able and

Fahay (1998).

Estuary Eggs Larvae Juveniles

Passamaquoddy Bay, ME None None Rare

Englishman/Machias Bay, ME None None Rare

Narraguagus Bay, ME None None Rare

Blue Hill Bay, ME None None Rare

Penobscot Bay, ME None None Common

Muscongus Bay, ME None None Common

Damariscotta River, ME None None Common

Sheepscot River, ME None None Common

Kennebec/Androscoggin Rivers, ME None None Common

Casco Bay, ME None None Common

Saco Bay, ME None None Common

Wells Harbor, ME None None Common

Great Bay, ME/NH None None Common

Merrimack River, NH None None Rare

Massachusetts Bay, MA None None Common

Boston Harbor, MA None None Common

Cape Cod Bay, MA None None Common

Nauset Marsh, MA None None None

Buzzards Bay, MA None Rare Abundant

Narragansett Bay, RI None Rare/common Abundant

Connecticut River, CT None None Abundant

Long Island Sound, NY None None Abundant

Gardiners Bay, NY Rare Rare Abundant

Great South Bay, NY None None Abundant

Hudson River, Raritan/Sandy Hook Bays, NY/NJ Rare Rare Abundant

Barnegat Bay, NJ None Rare Abundant

Great Bay, NJ None Rare Common

Southern Inland bays, NJ None Rare Abundant

Delaware Bay, NJ/DE None rare Abundant

Delaware Inland bays, DE None None Common

Eastern Shore, MD/VA None Rare Common

Chesapeake Bay mainstem, MD/VA None None Abundant

Chester River, MD None None Common

Choptank River, MD None None Common
Page 16

Table 4. cont’d.

Estuary Eggs Larvae Juveniles

Patuxent River, MD None None Common

Potomac River, MD/VA None None Abundant

Tangier/Pocomoke Sound, VA None None Abundant

Rappahannock River, VA None None Abundant

York River, VA None None Abundant

James River, VA None None Abundant

Albemarle Sound, NC None None Common

Pamlico Sound, NC None None Abundant

Pungo River, NC None None Common

Neuse River, NC None None Common

Bogue Sound, NC None None Common

New River, NC None None Common

Cape Fear River, NC None None Abundant

Winyah Bay, SC None None Common

Santee Rivers (N&S), SC None None Common

Charleston Harbor, SC None None Common

St. Helena Sound, SC None None Common

Broad River, SC None None Common

Savannah River, SC/GA None None Common

Ossabow Sound, GA None None Common

Sapelo Sound/ St. Catherine, GA None None Common

Altamaha River, GA None None Common

St. Andrew/St. Simon Sound, GA None None Common

St. Johns River, FL None None Common

Indian River, FL None None Rare

Biscayne Bay, FL None None Rare
Page 17

Table 5. Unpublished records of juvenile bluefish in waters of coastal Maine. Collection locations are ordered from

north to south (after Creaser and Perkins 1994).

Location Date of Collection O/E1 Number

Collected

Size (mm TL) Method2

Marston Pt. August 25, 1983 O 3 100-130 HW

Seal Island July 1991 O 1 50 AT

Matinicus Rock July 24-30, 1991 O 4 50-60 RT

 " July 9-17, 1991 O 14 40-50 AT

 " Mid-July 1990 O 2 30-40 AT

 " July 5, 1989 O 2 85-90 AP

 " July 18, 1986 O 1 77 AP

Foot Bridge (Boothbay

Harbor)

Summer 1970-1974 O --- Juveniles (2 modes) HS

DMR Dock July 4, 1984 O 3 40-50 HL

 " August 25, 1978 O 1 86 DN

 " September 14, 1971 O 5 95-105 ---

Townsend Gut September 5, 1985 O 1 Juvenile HL

Lobster Cove August 11, 1991 O 4 162-192 HL

 " August 30, 1990 O 1 145 HL

Sheepscot River August 2, 1989 E 1 140 HL

Sheepscot Falls August 1967 E --- 150-200 HL

Marsh River July 17-Sept 17, 1991 E 60 101-217 GN

 " August 1-Sept 26, 1990 E 149 89-218 GN

 " August 8-28, 1989 E 102 92-194 GN

 " August 26, 1987 E 6 129-163 GN

 " August 14, 1986 E 28 93-121 GN

The Eddy July 9, 1991 E 3 80-85 HS

Cross River August 8, 1991 E 1 115 HS

Berry Island September 8, 1974 E 4 125-140 HS

 " August 29, 1973 E 2 132-141 HS

 " August 30, 1972 E 1 112 HS

Kennebec Pt. August 10-22, 1990 O 29 39-70 HS
Page 18

Table 5. cont’d.

Location Date of Collection O/E1 Number

Collected

Size (mm TL) Method2

Mouth of Abagadasset

River

July 18, 1991 E 2 84-94 HS

 " July 3, 1991 E 6 112-115 HS

 " August 3, 1989 E 8 52-76 HS

 " September 11, 1987 E 2 142-150 HS

 " July 17, 1986 E 5 70-77 HS

Mouth of Androscoggin

River

August 5, 1983 E 2 82-86 HS

Bath Bridge Summer 1982 E 90 < 100 OT

Winnegance Bay Summer 1988-1990 E --- 50-150 HL

Atkins Bay Summer 1981 E --- 80-90 HS

Howard Point August 1988 E 3 70-130 FK

Jenny Island July 16, 1991 E 1 40 CT

Merepoint Bay September 26, 1991 E 97 150-174 GN

Royal River Summer 1988 E --- Juvenile ---

SMVTI Dock September 1986 O --- 130-150 HL

Union Wharf September 1984 O 6 150-200 HL

Dunston, Libby,

Nonesuch Rivers

(confluence)

Summer 1987 E --- Juvenile HL

1 mi. off amusement pier,

Old Orchard Beach

Summer 1961-1964 O --- Juvenile HL

Wells Harbor August 1991 E 1 68 FN

1

 O = oceanic; E = estuarine

2

 Collection methods: OT = otter trawl; FN = fyke net; HL = hook and line; HS = haul seine; AP = Atlantic puffin;

 GN = gill net; AT = Arctic tern; DN = dip net; CT = common tern; HW = herring weir; RT = roseate tern
Page 19

Figure 1. The adult bluefish, Pomatomus saltatrix (from Goode 1884).
Page 20

Figure 2. The pelagic juvenile bluefish, 24.3 mm SL (from Able and Fahay 1998).
Page 21

Figure 3. Distribution and abundance of bluefish eggs collected during NEFSC MARMAP ichthyoplankton surveys in

the Mid-Atlantic Bight from 1978-1987 [survey also covered the Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank; see Reid et al.

(1999) for details].

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

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

(Pomatomus saltatrix)

MARMAP Ichthyoplankton Surveys

61-cm Bongo Net; 0.505-mm mesh

1978 to 1987

Eggs / 10m2

1 to <10

10 to <100

100 to <1000

1000 to 4533

Number of tows = 3438, with eggs = 215

Bluefish

(May, Jun, Jul, Aug)

Eggs
Page 22

Figure 3. 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

(Pomatomus saltatrix)

MARMAP Ichthyoplankton Surveys

61-cm Bongo Net; 0.505-mm mesh

May; 1978 to 1987

Eggs/10m2

None

1 to 24

25 to 199

200 to 499

500 to 999

1000 to 2361

Bluefish

Number of tows = 1085, with eggs = 2

Monthly mean density = 2.18 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

(Pomatomus saltatrix)

MARMAP Ichthyoplankton Surveys

61-cm Bongo Net; 0.505-mm mesh

June; 1978 to 1987

Eggs/10m2

None

1 to 24

25 to 199

200 to 499

500 to 999

1000 to 1786

Bluefish

Number of tows = 709, with eggs = 28

Monthly mean density = 6.62 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

(Pomatomus saltatrix)

MARMAP Ichthyoplankton Surveys

61-cm Bongo Net; 0.505-mm mesh

July; 1978 to 1987

Eggs/10m2

None

1 to 24

25 to 199

200 to 499

500 to 999

1000 to 4534

Number of tows = 781, with eggs = 132

Monthly mean density = 44.15 eggs/10m2

Bluefish

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

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

(Pomatomus saltatrix)

MARMAP Ichthyoplankton Surveys

61-cm Bongo Net; 0.505-mm mesh

August; 1978 to 1987

Eggs/10m2

None

1 to 24

25 to 199

200 to 499

500 to 999

1000 to 3984

Number of tows = 863, with eggs = 53

Monthly mean density = 10.14 eggs/10m2

Bluefish
Page 23

Figure 4. Abundance of bluefish eggs relative to near-surface water column temperature and depth based on NEFSC

MARMAP ichthyoplankton surveys in the Mid-Atlantic Bight (May- August 1978-1987, all years combined).

0

20

95

100

0

20

80

90

Percent

0

10

20

30

40

50

Depth Interval Midpoint

0 10 30 50 70 110 150 190 230 270 325 450 1250 2000

0

20

40

60

80

Percent Distributions of Depths

 Stations Densities of Bluefish Eggs

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

0

20

40

60

80

100

Percent

0

20

40

0

20

40

Temperature (C) - Surface to 15 m

0 5 10 15 20 25 30

0

20

40

60

80

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Percent Distributions of Temperatures

 Stations Densities of Bluefish Eggs
Page 24

Figure 5. Distribution and abundance of bluefish larvae collected during NEFSC MARMAP ichthyoplankton surveys of

both the Mid-Atlantic Bight (1977-1987) and South Atlantic Bight (1973-1978) [survey also covered the Gulf of Maine

and Georges Bank; see Reid et al. (1999) for details].

82 80 78 76 74 72 70 68 66

28

30

32

34

36

38

40

42

44

200m

Bluefish Larvae

(Pomatomus saltatrix)

MARMAP Ichthyoplankton Surveys,

Middle Atlantic Bight and South Atlantic Bight

61-cm Bongo Net; 0.505-mm mesh

MAB: 1977-1987; SAB: 1973-1978

/DUYDHP

None

1 to 9

10 to 99

100 to 999

1000 to 2664

No.

Tows

With

Larvae

MAB

SAB

5659 461

243 28
Page 25

Figure 6. Distribution and abundance of bluefish larvae collected with a bongo net in the South Atlantic Bight during

NEFSC MARMAP ichthyoplankton surveys [see Reid et al. (1999) for details].

82 81 80 79 78 77 76 75

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

200m

Larvae / 10m2

Apr 6 - May 7, 1974

None

1 to <10

10 to 48

(Pomatomus saltatrix)

Larvae; size range = 4 to 17 mm

MARMAP Ichthyoplankton Survey

61-cm Bongo Net; 0.505-mm mesh

Bluefish

82 81 80 79 78 77 76 75

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

200m

(Pomatomus saltatrix)

Larvae; size range = 3 to 12mm

MARMAP Ichthyoplankton Survey

May 15 - May 27, 1973

Larvae / 10m2

100 to 107

1 to <10

10 to <100

None

61-cm Bongo Net; 0.505-mm mesh

Bluefish

82 81 80 79 78 77 76 75

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

200m

Oct 24 - Nov 16, 1973

(Pomatomus saltatrix)

Larvae; size range = 5 to 6mm

MARMAP Ichthyoplankton Survey

61-cm Bongo Net; 0.505-mm mesh

Bluefish

Larvae / 10m2

1 to 7

None

82 81 80 79 78 77 76 75

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

200m

Larvae / 10m2

Apr 1 - Apr 10, 1975

100 to 213

None

1 to <10

10 to <100

(Pomatomus saltatrix)

Larvae; size range = 2 to 8 mm

MARMAP Ichthyoplankton Survey

61-cm Bongo Net; 0.505-mm mesh

Bluefish
Page 26

Figure 6. cont’d.

82 81 80 79 78 77 76 75

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

200m

Larvae / 10m2

(Pomatomus saltatrix)

Jan 18 - Mar 8, 1977

None

1 to 6

1 Larva; size = 16 mm

MARMAP Ichthyoplankton Survey

61-cm Bongo Net; 0.505-mm mesh

Bluefish

82 81 80 79 78 77 76 75

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

200m

(Pomatomus saltatrix)

Aug 29 - Sep 20, 1976

Larvae; size range = 2 to 3 mm

MARMAP Ichthyoplankton Survey

61-cm Bongo Net; 0.505-mm mesh

Bluefish

Larvae / 10m2

1 to <10

10 to 14

None

82 81 80 79 78 77 76 75

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

200m

(Pomatomus saltatrix)

Sep 6 - Sep 18, 1978

1 Larva; size = 3 mm

MARMAP Ichthyoplankton Survey

61-cm Bongo Net; 0.505-mm mesh

Bluefish

Larvae / 10m2

1 to 2

None
Page 27

Figure 7. Distribution and abundance of bluefish larvae collected in a neuston net in the South Atlantic Bight during

NEFSC MARMAP ichthyoplankton surveys [see Reid et al. (1999) for details].

82 81 80 79 78 77 76 75

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

200m

1XPEHUP

(Pomatomus saltatrix)

Length range = 4 to 35 mm

MARMAP Ichthyoplankton Survey

May 15 - May 27, 1973

2m x 1m Neuston Net; 0.947-mm mesh

None

0.001 to 1.490

Bluefish

82 81 80 79 78 77 76 75

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

200m

(Pomatomus saltatrix)

Length range = 3 to 34 mm

MARMAP Ichthyoplankton Survey

Apr 1 - May 7, 1974

2m x 1m Neuston Net; 0.947-mm mesh

1XPEHUP

None

0.001 to 1.405

Bluefish

82 81 80 79 78 77 76 75

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

200m

1XPEHUP

(Pomatomus saltatrix)

Length range = 4 to 27 mm

MARMAP Ichthyoplankton Survey

Oct 24 - Nov 16, 1973

2m x 1m Neuston Net; 0.947-mm mesh

None

0.001 to 0.058

Bluefish

82 81 80 79 78 77 76 75

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

200m

(Pomatomus saltatrix)

Length = 15 mm

MARMAP Ichthyoplankton Survey

Jan 21 - Feb 1, 1975

2m x 1m Neuston Net; 0.947-mm mesh

Number / 10m2

None

0.001 to 0.003

Bluefish
Page 28

Figure 7. cont’d.

82 81 80 79 78 77 76 75

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

200m

(Pomatomus saltatrix)

Length range = 4 to 22 mm

MARMAP Ichthyoplankton Survey

Mar 31 - Apr 10, 1975

2m x 1m Neuston Net; 0.947-mm mesh

Number / 10m2

None

0.001 to 1.257

Bluefish

82 81 80 79 78 77 76 75

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

200m

(Pomatomus saltatrix)

Length range = 3 to 4 mm

MARMAP Ichthyoplankton Survey

Aug 29 - Sep 20, 1976

1m x 0.5m Neuston Net; 0.505-mm mesh

Number / 10m2

None

0.001 to 0.132

Bluefish

82 81 80 79 78 77 76 75

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

200m

(Pomatomus saltatrix)

Length range = 3 to 6 mm

MARMAP Ichthyoplankton Survey

Aug 17 - Sep 2, 1977

1m x 0.5m Neuston Net; 0.505-mm mesh

Number / 10m2

None

0.001 to 0.044

Bluefish

82 81 80 79 78 77 76 75

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

200m

(Pomatomus saltatrix)

Length = 4 mm

MARMAP Ichthyoplankton Survey

Sep 6 - Sep 18, 1978

1m x 0.5m Neuston Net; 0.505-mm mesh

1XPEHUP

None

0.001 to 0.015

Bluefish
Page 29

Figure 8. Distribution and abundance of bluefish larvae collected during NEFSC MARMAP ichthyoplankton surveys in

the Mid-Atlantic Bight from 1977-1987 [survey also covered the Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank; see Reid et al.

(1999) for details].

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

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

(Pomatomus saltatrix)

MARMAP Ichthyoplankton Surveys

Larvae <11.0mm length

1977 - 1987

61-cm Bongo Net; 0.505-mm mesh

/DUYDHP

1 to <10

10 to <100

100 to <1000

1000 to 2664

Number of tows = 5659, with larvae = 461

Bluefish

(May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Jan)
Page 30

 Figure 8. 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

(Pomatomus saltatrix)

MARMAP Ichthyoplankton Surveys

Larvae <11.0mm length

January, 1977 - 1987

61-cm Bongo Net; 0.505-mm mesh

/DUYDHP

None

1 to 3

Number of tows = 434, with larvae = 1

Monthly mean density = 0.01 larvae / 10m2

Bluefish

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

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

(Pomatomus saltatrix)

MARMAP Ichthyoplankton Surveys

Larvae <11.0mm length

May, 1977 - 1987

61-cm Bongo Net; 0.505-mm mesh

/DUYDHP

None

1 to 9

10 to 49

50 to 91

Number of tows = 1472, with larvae = 5

Monthly mean density = 0.11 larvae / 10m2

Bluefish

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

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

(Pomatomus saltatrix)

MARMAP Ichthyoplankton Surveys

Larvae <11.0mm length

June, 1977 - 1987

61-cm Bongo Net; 0.505-mm mesh

/DUYDHP

None

1 to 24

25 to 199

200 to 499

500 to 999

1000 to 2664

Number of tows = 893, with larvae = 40

Monthly mean density = 10.22 larvae / 10m2

Bluefish

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

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

/DUYDHP

None

1 to 24

25 to 199

200 to 499

500 to 999

1000 to 1833

(Pomatomus saltatrix)

MARMAP Ichthyoplankton Surveys

Larvae <11.0mm length

July, 1977 - 1987

61-cm Bongo Net; 0.505-mm mesh

Number of tows = 938, with larvae = 218

Monthly mean density = 23.86 larvae / 10m2

Bluefish
Page 31

Figure 8. 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

(Pomatomus saltatrix)

MARMAP Ichthyoplankton Surveys

Larvae <11.0mm length

August, 1977 - 1987

61-cm Bongo Net; 0.505-mm mesh

/DUYDHP

None

1 to 24

25 to 199

200 to 499

500 to 920

Number of tows = 1148, with larvae = 194

Monthly mean density = 10.03 larvae / 10m2

Bluefish

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

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

(Pomatomus saltatrix)

MARMAP Ichthyoplankton Surveys

Larvae <11.0mm length

September, 1977 - 1987

61-cm Bongo Net; 0.505-mm mesh

/DUYDHP

None

1 to 4

5 to 7

Number of tows = 774, with larvae = 3

Monthly mean density = 0.02 larvae / 10m2

Bluefish
Page 32

Figure 9. Abundance of bluefish larvae relative to near-surface water column temperature and depth based on NEFSC

MARMAP ichthyoplankton surveys in the Mid-Atlantic Bight (May-September 1977-1987, all years combined).

0

30

60

0

20

40

Percent

0

20

40

0

20

40

Adjusted Temperature (C) Near Surface (0-15m) 

0 5 10 15 20 25

0

25

50

Percent Distributions of Temperatures

 Stations Densities of Bluefish Larvae

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

0

30

60

0

30

60

Percent

0

30

60

0

30

60

Depth Interval Midpoint (m)

10 50 90 130 170 210 250 290 375 750 1750

0

30

60

Percent Distributions of Depths

 Stations Densities of Bluefish Larvae

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep
Page 33

Figure 10. Reported occurrences of juvenile bluefish along the east coast of the United States (Clark 1973).
Page 34

Figure 11. Abundance (number/tow) of young-of-the-year bluefish in seine and trawl surveys by state and by year.

0

20

40

0

20

40

0

2

4

0

40

80

Number per Tow

0

30

60

0.0

0.4

0.8

0.0

0.4

0.8

0.0

0.1

0.2

0.3

1975 1980 1985 1990 1995

0.0

0.2

0.4

Rhode Island

 Trawl, Narragansett Bay, RI Sound, Fall

 Seine, Narragansett Bay,

 Jun-Oct

Connecticut, Trawl

 Fall (Sep-Oct)

New York, Hudson R., Seine

New York,

Western Long Island,

Seine

New Jersey, Seine

Delaware Bay, Trawl

 Jun-Oct

Maryland,

Chesapeake

Bay, Seine

VIMS, Chesapeake Bay

 Trawl

 Seine

North Carolina, Trawl

 Juvenile Fish Survey, May-Jun

 Pamlico Sound Only
Page 35

Figure 12. Distribution and abundance of juvenile and adult bluefish collected in Massachusetts coastal waters during

spring (adults only) and autumn (both juveniles and adults) Massachusetts inshore trawl surveys [1978-1996, all years

combined; see Reid et al. (1999) for details].

Bluefish

Mass. Inshore Trawl Survey

 Autumn 1978 - 1996

 Juveniles (<35cm)

Number/Tow

 1 to 10

 10 to 25

 25 to 50

 50 to 100

 100 to 212
Page 36

Figure 12. cont’d.

Bluefish

Mass. Inshore Trawl Survey

 Spring 1978 - 1996

 Adults (>=35cm)

Number/Tow

 1 to 2

 2 to 2

Bluefish

Mass. Inshore Trawl Survey

 Autumn 1978 - 1996

 Adults (>=35cm)

Number/Tow

 1 to 2

 2 to 3

 3 to 4

 4 to 5

 5 to 12
Page 37

Figure 13. Abundance of juvenile and adult bluefish relative to bottom water temperature and depth based on

Massachusetts inshore bottom trawl surveys (spring and autumn 1978-1996, all years combined).

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

10

20

30

40

0

5

10

15

20

25

0

20

40

60

0

10

20

30

40

0

20

40

60

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

0

5

10

15

20

25

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

0

10

20

30

40

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

Bluefish

No Fish

No Fish
Page 38

Figure 14. Distribution and abundance of juvenile and adult bluefish collected in Narragansett Bay during 1990-1996

Rhode Island bottom trawl surveys. The numbers shown at each station are the average catch per tow rounded to one

decimal place [see Reid et al. (1999) for details].

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0 0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0 0.0

0.0

0.6

44.4

2.3

3.3

2.3

0.2

5.6

3.3

6.9

0.0

0.0 4.8

0.1

0.8

2.3

1.8

7.2

3.4

0.0

36.6

12.0

25.2

0.5

2.7 4.6

Spring

Summer Autumn

Winter

Bluefish Juveniles (< 35 cm)
Page 39

Figure 14. cont’d.

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0 0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0 0.0

0.0

0.2

0.0

0.0

0.2

0.0

0.4

0.1

0.3

0.0

0.0

0.1 0.0

0.0

0.2

0.1

0.1

0.2

0.0

0.0

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.4

0.2 0.1

Spring

Summer Autumn

Winter

Bluefish Adults (>= 35 cm)
Page 40

Figure 15. Seasonal length frequency distributions of bluefish collected in Narragansett Bay during 1990-1996 Rhode

Island bottom trawl surveys [all years combined; see Reid et al. (1999) for details].

0

1

0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1

0

100

200

300

400

0

100

200

300

Total Length (cm)

Winter

Spring

Summer

Autumn
Page 41

Figure 16. Seasonal abundance of juvenile and adult bluefish relative to bottom water temperature and depth based on

Rhode Island Narragansett Bay trawl surveys (1990-1996, all years combined).

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

0

20

40

60

80

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

0

20

40

60

80

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

0

4

8

12

16

20

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

0

4

8

12

16

20

Bottom Temperature (C)

Winter

Spring

Summer

Autumn

Bluefish

Juveniles (< 35 cm) Stations

Catches

10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 0

10

20

30

10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 0

5

10

15

20

25

10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 0

20

40

60

10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120

0

20

40

60

Bottom Depth (ft)

Winter

Spring

Summer

Autumn

Bluefish

Juveniles (< 35 cm) Stations

Catches
Page 42

Figure 16. cont’d.

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

0

10

20

30

40

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

0

10

20

30

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

0

4

8

12

16

20

-1 1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 0

4

8

12

16

20

Bottom Temperature (C)

Winter

Spring

Summer

Autumn

Bluefish

Adults ($ 35 cm) Stations

Catches

10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 0

10

20

30

10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120

0

5

10

15

20

25

10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 0

10

20

30

10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120

0

10

20

30

Bottom Depth (ft)

Winter

Spring

Summer

Autumn

Bluefish

Adults ($ 35 cm) Stations

Catches
Page 43

Figure 17. Distribution, abundance, and length frequency distributions of bluefish in Long Island Sound collected during

spring and autumn Connecticut bottom trawl surveys [1992-1997, all years combined; see Reid et al. (1999) for details].

Number/Tow

 1 to <2

 2 to <3

 3 to <4

 4 to <5

 5 to <7

Number/Tow

 1 to <50

 50 to <100

 100 to <500

 500 to <1000

 1000 to <2617

State of Connecticut DEP

Fisheries Division

Long Island Sound Trawl Survey

SPRING 1992 - 1997

State of Connecticut DEP

Fisheries Division

Long Island Sound Trawl Survey

AUTUMN 1992 - 1997

Bluefish

Bluefish
Page 44

Figure 18. Abundance of bluefish relative to bottom water temperature based on spring and autumn Connecticut bottom

trawl surveys in Long Island Sound (1992-1997, all years combined).

Bottom Temperature (C)

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24

Percent

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

Autumn

Connecticut DEP

Long Island Sound

Bottom Trawl Survey

1992-1997

Percent Distributions of Temperatures

 Stations

 Bluefish Catches

Bottom Temperature (C)

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24

Percent

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

Spring

Percent Distributions of Temperatures

 Stations

 Bluefish Catches

Connecticut DEP

Long Island Sound

Bottom Trawl Survey

1992-1997
Page 45

Figure 19. Seasonal distribution and abundance of juvenile and adult bluefish collected in the Hudson-Raritan estuary

during Hudson-Raritan trawl surveys [1992-1997, all years combined; see Reid et al. (1999) for details].

No/Tow

 1 - 4

10 - 24

25 - 49

 5 - 9

 50 - 110

NEW

YORK

NEW

JERSEY

Staten

Island

Bluefish

Juveniles ( 35 cm) <

Hudson-Raritan Estuary

Fall 1992 - 1996

No/Tow

 1 - 4

10 - 24

25 - 49

 5 - 9

Bluefish

Juveniles ( 35 cm) <

Hudson-Raritan Estuary

Winter 1992 - 1997

 50 - 110

No Catches

NEW

YORK

NEW

JERSEY

Staten

Island

No/Tow

 1 - 4

10 - 24

25 - 49

 5 - 9

 50 - 110

NEW

YORK

NEW

JERSEY

Staten

Island

Bluefish

Juveniles ( 35 cm) <

Hudson-Raritan Estuary

Spring 1992 - 1997

No/Tow

 1 - 4

10 - 24

25 - 49

 5 - 9

 50 - 110

NEW

YORK

NEW

JERSEY

Staten

Island

Bluefish

Juveniles ( 35 cm) <

Hudson-Raritan Estuary

Summer 1992 - 1996
Page 46

Figure 19. cont’d.

NEW

YORK

NEW

JERSEY

Staten

Island

No/Tow

 1 - 4

10 - 24

25 - 49

 5 - 9

 50 - 110

Bluefish

Adults ( 35 cm) >

Hudson-Raritan Estuary

Fall 1992 - 1996

No/Tow

 1 - 4

10 - 24

25 - 49

 5 - 9

Bluefish

Hudson-Raritan Estuary

Winter 1992 - 1997

Adults ( 35 cm) >

 50 - 110

No Catches

NEW

JERSEY

NEW

YORK

Staten

Island

No/Tow

 1 - 4

10 - 24

25 - 49

 5 - 9

 50 - 110

Bluefish

Adults ( 35 cm) >

Hudson-Raritan Estuary

Spring 1992 - 1997

NEW

YORK

NEW

JERSEY

Staten

Island

NEW

YORK

NEW

JERSEY

Staten

Island

No/Tow

 1 - 4

10 - 24

25 - 49

 5 - 9

 50 - 110

Bluefish

Adults ( 35 cm) >

Hudson-Raritan Estuary

Summer 1992 - 1996
Page 47

Figure 20. Abundance of juvenile and adult bluefish relative to bottom water temperature, depth, dissolved oxygen, and

salinity based on Hudson-Raritan estuary trawl surveys (1992-1997, all years combined).

Temperature (C)

Depth (ft)

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

Stations

Catches

10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

Dissolved Oxygen (mg/l)

Salinity (ppt)

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33 35

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Juveniles ( 35 cm) <

Temperature (C)

Depth (ft)

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Stations

Catches

10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Dissolved Oxygen (mg/l)

Salinity (ppt)

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

0

10

20

30

40

50

15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33 35

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

Adults ( 35 cm) >
Page 48

Figure 21. Distribution and abundance of bluefish in the South Atlantic Bight collected during SEAMAP bottom trawl

surveys [1990-1996, all years combined; see Reid et al. (1999) for details].

82 81 80 79 78 77 76 75

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

36

200m

Bluefish

(Pomatomus saltatrix)

SEAMAP Trawl Surveys

April to December; 1990 to 1996

Total Number of Tows = 1927

Tows with Bluefish = 671

Number / Tow

None

1 to 9

10 to 99

100 to 160

50m
Page 49

Figure 22. Length frequency distribution of bluefish in the South Atlantic Bight collected during SEAMAP bottom trawl

surveys (1990-1996, all years combined).

SEAMAP Bluefish

Length (cm FL)

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Number

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000
Page 50

Figure 23. Monthly distribution, abundance, and length frequency distribution of bluefish in the South Atlantic Bight

collected during SEAMAP bottom trawl surveys (1990-1996, all years combined).

82 81 80 79 78 77 76 75

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

36

50m 200m

Number / Tow

None

1 to 9

10 to 99

100 to 160

Bluefish

(Pomatomus saltatrix)

SEAMAP Trawl Surveys

April, 1990 - 1996

Number of Trawls = 297; with Bluefish = 129

82 81 80 79 78 77 76 75

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

36

50m 200m

Number / Tow

None

1 to 9

10 to 69

Bluefish

(Pomatomus saltatrix)

SEAMAP Trawl Surveys

May, 1990 - 1996

Number of Trawls = 437; with Bluefish = 124

82 81 80 79 78 77 76 75

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

36

50m 200m

Number / Tow

None

1 to 9

10 to 34

Bluefish

(Pomatomus saltatrix)

SEAMAP Trawl Surveys

July, 1990 - 1996

Number of Trawls = 394; with Bluefish = 116

82 81 80 79 78 77 76 75

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

36

50m 200m

Number / Tow

None

1 to 9

10 to 37

Bluefish

(Pomatomus saltatrix)

SEAMAP Trawl Surveys

August, 1990 - 1996

Number of Trawls = 152; with Bluefish = 58
Page 51

Figure 23. cont’d.

82 81 80 79 78 77 76 75

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

36

50m 200m

Number / Tow

None

1 

Bluefish

(Pomatomus saltatrix)

SEAMAP Trawl Surveys

September, 1990 - 1996

Number of Trawls = 4; with Bluefish = 1

82 81 80 79 78 77 76 75

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

36

50m 200m

Number / Tow

None

1 to 9

Bluefish

(Pomatomus saltatrix)

SEAMAP Trawl Surveys

October, 1990 - 1996

Number of Trawls = 505; with Bluefish = 196

10 to 67

82 81 80 79 78 77 76 75

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

36

50m 200m

Number / Tow

None

1 to 9

Bluefish

(Pomatomus saltatrix)

SEAMAP Trawl Surveys

November, 1990 - 1996

Number of Trawls = 138; with Bluefish = 47

10 to 66
Page 52

Figure 24. Seasonal length frequency distributions used to determine bluefish size and age cutoffs in NEFSC bottom

trawl surveys.

0

5

10

Percent Frequency

0

5

10

Length (cm FL)

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90

0

5

10

Spring

N = 1,003

Summer

N = 2,670

Fall

N = 56,803

Bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix)

NEFSC Resource Surveys - All Data

YOY

Springspawned

YOY

Summerspawned

YOY

Summerspawned

YOY

Springspawned

YOY

Springspawned

Age 1

Age 1

Age 1

12.5 cm

Age 2+

Age 2+

Age 2+
Page 53

Figure 25. Distribution and abundance of bluefish (all sizes combined) collected off the east coast of the United States

during NEFSC bottom trawl surveys [all years and seasons combined; see Reid et al. (1999) for details].

Catch / Tow

 1 to < 10

 10 to < 100

 100 to < 1000

 1000 to < 1620

82 80 78 76 74 72 70 68 66

28

30

32

34

36

38

40

42

44 Bluefish

(Pomatomus saltatrix)

All Lengths (FL) included

NMFS Trawl Surveys

All Seasons; All Years

Total Number of Tows = 27829;

With Bluefish = 2217

200m
Page 54

Figure 26. Distribution and abundance of bluefish (all lengths combined) collected off the east coast of the United States

during winter NEFSC bottom trawl surveys [1964-1997, all years combined; see Reid et al. (1999) for details].

Number / Tow

 1 to 9

82 80 78 76 74 72 70 68 66

32

34

36

38

40

42

44 (Pomatomus saltatrix)

All Lengths (4 to 72 cm FL)

NMFS Winter Trawl Surveys

All Years (1964 - 1997)

Bluefish

(Occurred 1993 - 1996)

200m
Page 55

Figure 27. Length frequency distribution of bluefish caught in the winter off North Carolina during winter NEFSC

bottom trawl surveys.

Length (cm FL)

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80

Number

0

1

2

3

Lengths of bluefish trawled during winter

near edge of continental shelf off North Carolina

N = 13
Page 56

Figure 28. Distribution and abundance of four size classes of bluefish collected off the east coast of the United States

during spring NEFSC bottom trawl surveys [1968-1997, all years combined; see Reid et al. (1999) for details].

Number / Tow

 1 to 7

82 80 78 76 74 72 70 68 66

32

34

36

38

40

42

44 (Pomatomus saltatrix)

Length 3 to 9 cm FL

NMFS Spring Trawl Surveys

All Years (1968 - 1997)

Bluefish

YOY, Spring-spawned

200m 200m

82 80 78 76 74 72 70 68 66

32

34

36

38

40

42

44 (Pomatomus saltatrix)

Length 12 to 29 cm FL

NMFS Spring Trawl Surveys

All Years (1968 - 1997)

Bluefish

Age 1, Spring-spawned

Number / Tow

1 to 9

10 to 90

200m

82 80 78 76 74 72 70 68 66

32

34

36

38

40

42

44 (Pomatomus saltatrix)

Length 30 to 50 cm FL

NMFS Spring Trawl Surveys

All Years (1968 - 1997)

Bluefish

Age 2

Number / Tow

1 to 9

10 to 22

82 80 78 76 74 72 70 68 66

32

34

36

38

40

42

44

(Pomatomus saltatrix)

Length 51 to 87 cm FL

NMFS Spring Trawl Surveys

All Years (1968 - 1997)

Bluefish

Age >= 3

Number / Tow

1 to 9

10 to 45

200m
Page 57

Figure 29. Abundance of large (> 30 cm) and small (< 30 cm) bluefish relative to bottom water temperature and depth

based on spring east coast NEFSC bottom trawl surveys.

10 15 20

Percent

0

20

40

Bottom Temperature

10 15 20

Percent

0

25

50

Percent Distributions of Temperatures

Spring Bottom Trawl Surveys

 Stations

 <30 cm

(Age 1)

 30+ cm

(Age 2+)
Page 58

Figure 29. cont’d.

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100110120130140150170200320

Percent

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Midpoint of Depth Interval

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100110120130140150170200320

Percent

0

30

60

90

Percent Distributions of Depths

Spring Bottom Trawl Surveys

 Stations

 <30 cm

(Age 1)

 30+ cm

(Age 2+)
Page 59

Figure 30. Distribution and abundance of four size classes of bluefish collected off the east coast of the United States

during summer NEFSC bottom trawl surveys [1963-1995, all years combined; see Reid et al. (1999) for details].

82 80 78 76 74 72 70 68 66

32

34

36

38

40

42

44

(Pomatomus saltatrix)

Length 3 to 7 cm FL

NMFS Summer Trawl Surveys

All Years (1963 - 1995)

Bluefish

YOY, Summer-spawned

Number / Tow

1 to 9

10 to 69

200m

(Pomatomus saltatrix)

Bluefish

Length 8 to 17 cm FL

NMFS Summer Trawl Surveys

All Years (1963 - 1995)

YOY, Spring-spawned

Number / Tow

1 to 9

10 to 99

100 to 242

82 80 78 76 74 72 70 68 66

32

34

36

38

40

42

44

200m

(Pomatomus saltatrix)

Bluefish

82 80 78 76 74 72 70 68 66

32

34

36

38

40

42

44

Length 18 to 35 cm FL

NMFS Summer Trawl Surveys

All Years (1963 - 1995)

Age 1

Number / Tow

1 to 9

10 to 99

100 to 134

200m

(Pomatomus saltatrix)

Bluefish

82 80 78 76 74 72 70 68 66

32

34

36

38

40

42

44

Length 37 to 82 cm FL

NMFS Summer Trawl Surveys

All Years (1963 - 1995)

Age >= 2

200m

Number / Tow

1 to 9

10 to 31
Page 60

Figure 31. Distribution and abundance of four size classes of bluefish collected off the east coast of the United States

during fall NEFSC bottom trawl surveys [1963-1996, all years combined; see Reid et al. (1999) for details].

82 80 78 76 74 72 70 68 66

32

34

36

38

40

42

44

200m

(Pomatomus saltatrix)

Bluefish

Length 2 to 12 cm FL

NMFS Fall Trawl Surveys

All Years (1963 - 1996)

YOY, Summer-spawned

Number / Tow

1 to 9

10 to 99

100 to 999

1000 to 1468

200m

(Pomatomus saltatrix)

Bluefish

82 80 78 76 74 72 70 68 66

32

34

36

38

40

42

44

Length 26 to 40 cm FL

NMFS Fall Trawl Surveys

All Years (1963 - 1996)

Age 1

Number / Tow

1 to 9

10 to 86

200m

82 80 78 76 74 72 70 68 66

32

34

36

38

40

42

44

(Pomatomus saltatrix)

Length 41 to 88 cm FL

NMFS Fall Trawl Surveys

All Years (1963 - 1996)

Bluefish

Age >= 2

Number / Tow

1 to 9

10 to 32

82 80 78 76 74 72 70 68 66

32

34

36

38

40

42

44

200m

(Pomatomus saltatrix)

Length 13 to 25 cm FL

NMFS Fall Trawl Surveys

All Years (1963 - 1996)

Bluefish

YOY, Spring-spawned

Number / Tow

1 to 9

10 to 99

100 to 999

1000 to 1619
Page 61

Figure 32. Abundance of young-of-the-year (YOY, < 26 cm) and age 1+ (> 26 cm) bluefish relative to bottom water

temperature and depth based on fall east coast NEFSC bottom trawl surveys.

5 10 15 20 25

Percent

0

5

10

15

20

Bottom Temperature

5 10 15 20 25

Percent

0

5

10

15

20

Percent Distributions of Temperatures

Fall Bottom Trawl Surveys

 < 26 cm

(Young-of-the-Year)

 26+ cm

(Age 1+)

Stations
Page 62

Figure 32. cont’d.

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 110 150 240

Percent

0

25

50

75

Midpoint of Depth Interval

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 110 150 240

Percent

0

25

50

75

Percent Distributions of Depths

Fall Bottom Trawl Surveys

 Stations

 < 26 cm

(Young-of-the-year)

 26+ cm

(Age 1+)
Page 63

Figure 33. Commercial landings, spawning stock biomass, and catch per unit effort (CPUE) for bluefish along the east

coast of the United States (NEFSC, unpublished data).

Atlantic Coast

Year

1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998

Metric tons (x1000)

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

Catch/angler (kg)

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

Catch (mt) 

Spawning stock biomass (mt)

CPUE (kg)
Page 64

Figure 34. Distribution and abundance of juvenile (< 30 cm) and adult (≥ 30 cm) bluefish during a period of high

abundance (1980-1982) and during a period of low abundance (1994-1996) based on autumn NEFSC bottom trawl

surveys.

Number/Tow

 1 to <5

 5 to <10

 10 to <15

 15 to <20

 20 to <35

NMFS Trawl Surveys

Autumn 1980 - 82

Age 1+ (>=30cm)

Bluefish

Number/Tow

 1 to <5

 5 to <10

 10 to <15

 15 to <20

 20 to <35

NMFS Trawl Surveys

Autumn 1994 - 96

Age 1+ (>=30cm)

Bluefish

Number/Tow

 1 to <25

 25 to <50

 50 to <100

 100 to <500

 500 to <1620

NMFS Trawl Surveys

Autumn 1980 - 82

Juveniles (<30cm)

Bluefish

Number/Tow

 1 to <25

 25 to <50

 50 to <100

 100 to <500

 500 to <1620

NMFS Trawl Surveys

Autumn 1994 - 96

Juveniles (<30cm)

Bluefish
Page 65

Appendix 1. Bluefish habitat characteristics. MAB = Middle Atlantic Bight; SAB = South Atlantic Bight.

Eggs

Authors Study Period

and Area

Habitat (Spatial

and Temporal)

Temperature Salinity Dissolved

Oxygen

Currents Light Prey

Berrien

and

Sibunka

1999

1977-1987,

Continental

Shelf waters,

Gulf of Maine

to Cape

Hatteras

Occur southern

New England to

Cape Hatteras

across entire shelf.

Most in mid-shelf

waters of MAB,

especially off New

Jersey and

Delaware Bay.

May-August.

--- --- --- --- --- ---

Present

Study

1973-1980,

SAB;

1977-1987,

MAB

SAB: No data;

MAB: most found

over depths of 20-

40 m, May-August,

peak in July.

SAB: No

data;

MAB: Most

in 18-22°C

--- --- --- --- ---

Norcross et

al. 1974

1960-1962,

Continental

Shelf waters off

Virginia

Across shelf, from

nearshore to shelf

edge, but most in

outer half of shelf.

June through

August, peak July.

22°C or more.

(Minimum

18°C)

31 ppt or

more.

(Minimum

26.6 ppt)

--- Prevailing

surface

currents

transport eggs

south and

offshore.

Peak

spawning

evening

(1900-2100

hrs.)

---
Page 66

Appendix 1. cont’d.

Larvae

Authors Study

Period and

Area

Habitat (Spatial

and Temporal)

Temperature Salinity Dissolved

Oxygen

Currents Light/Vertical

Distribution

Prey

Norcross

et al. 1974

1960-1962,

Continental

Shelf waters

off Virginia

Surface waters,

most near edge of

shelf.

--- --- --- --- --- ---

Kendall

and

Walford

1979

1965-1967,

Continental

Shelf waters

between

Cape Cod

and Palm

Beach,

Florida

Late April: in and

near Gulf Stream

off Cape

Hatteras; May:

near edge of shelf

off Carolinas;

August: midshelf depths off

New Jersey;

September: few

in New York

Bight; October:

concentration

near shelf edge

off Georgia.

C. Hatteras:

22.1-22.4°C;

MAB: 18-

26°C SAB:

20-26°C

MAB:

30-32 ppt

SAB: 35-

38 ppt

--- Larvae from

spring spawn

advected

north via Gulf

Stream.

--- ---

Kendall

and

Naplin

1981

July 1974,

outer

Continental

Shelf off

Delaware

Bay

Vertical

distribution

study. Most

larvae within 4 m

of surface.

Surface 23°C Surface

33 ppt

--- --- Near surface at

night; mostly at

4 m during

daylight.

Mostly

copepod

life history

stages.

Guts full

during day;

empty

during

night.

Collins

and

Stender

1987

1973-1980,

Cape

Hatteras to

Cape

Canaveral,

Florida.

Mostly in waters

> 40 m, primarily

in spring,

secondarily in

late summer.

--- --- --- Southerly

countercurrent retains

larvae in

SAB.

> 4 mm

strongly

associated with

surface.

---

Powles

1981

1973-1976,

Cape Fear,

North

Carolina to

Cape

Canaveral,

Florida

Peaked AprilMay; smallest

near edge of

shelf; larger

closer to shore or

advected north.

Smallest

larvae > 24°C

Smallest

larvae >

35 ppt

--- Ekman drift

would impede

inshore

migration.

Predominately

neustonic.

---

Present

Study

SAB: 1973-

1980;

MAB: 1977-

1987

SAB: Most AprilMay near edge of

shelf;

MAB: MaySeptember, peak

July, mostly

between depths

of 30-70 m.

SAB: No data

MAB: Most

18-24°C

--- --- SAB: subject

to northward

advection by

Gulf Stream.

--- ---

Hare and

Cowen

1996

March 1990,

1991; April

1989; June

1991; Water

masses off

Cape

Hatteras

Larvae occurred

March through

June; different

sizes occurred in

different water

masses.

March: 20-

25°C; April:

18-25°C;

June: 21-25°C

March:

36+ ppt;

April:

34.5-36.5

ppt; June:

31-36 ppt

--- SW winds in

MAB may

facilitate

cross-shelf

transport of

larvae.

--- ---
Page 67

Appendix 1. cont’d.

Pelagic-Juveniles

Authors Study Period

and Area

Habitat (Spatial and

Temporal)

Temperature Salinity Dissolved

Oxygen

Currents Light/Vertical

Distribution

Prey

Hare

and

Cowen

1996

1988, MAB

shelf edge

Cross shelf from Slope

Sea to shore early to

mid-June.

13.0-15.0°C --- --- Wind-driven

flow may be

important, but

active

swimming

probably more

important.

Surface

oriented

---

Kendall

and

Walford

1979

1965-1972,

East Coast

U.S. (MAB

and SAB

Continental

Shelf into

Slope Sea)

April (late): many near

Cape Hatteras;

May: shelf in SAB,

largest nearshore;

June: MAB between

shore and shelf/slope

front;

Fall: few between

Delaware Bay and

Cape Hatteras;

Winter: few between

St. Johns River and

Cape Canaveral.

April-May:

22.1-24.0°C

Jun: 15.0-

20.0°C (most

> 18.0°C)

Fall: 15.0-

18.0°C

Winter: 13.0-

15.0°C

--- --- Migrate across

shelf from

shelf/slope

front to shore

as shelf waters

warm.

All collected in

near-surface

samplers.

---

Collins

and

Stender

1987

1973-1980,

SAB Cape

Fear-Cape

Canaveral

Seaward of 40 m

isobath, mostly spring,

some fall occurrences.

--- --- --- Strong negative

correlation of

size and depth

during spring,

indicates

shoreward

movement with

growth.

Strongly

associated with

the surface.

---

Fahay

1975

Seasonal,

May 1967-

Feb. 1968.

SAB

Continental

Shelf

14 collected between

North Carolina and

Cape Canaveral,

various depths

between nearshore and

shelf edge. All during

May.

19.0-24.0°C --- --- --- --- ---

Powles

1981

1973-1976;

SAB Cape

fear-Cape

Canaveral

Smallest collected

near 180 m contour;

larger near shore.

180 m

contour: >

24.0°C

180 m

contour:

> 35.0

ppt

--- Weak

association of

size with

proximity to

coast. Most

probably

advected north.

Strongly

associated with

the surface.

---
Page 68

Appendix 1. cont’d.

Juveniles and Older

Authors Study Period

and Area

Habitat (Spatial and

Temporal)

Temperature Salinity Dissolved

Oxygen

Currents/

Tide

Substrate/

Vegetation

Light/ Diel Prey

Nyman

and

Conover

1988

1985-1986, both

shores of Long

Island, New

York

Occur in embayments,

between late May and

October.

Arrive > 20°C;

emigrate ca.

15°C

--- --- --- --- --- ---

Rountree

and Able

1992a, b

1988-1989,

Great South

Bay, New

Jersey

Occur in polyhaline

subtidal marsh creeks

during summer.

> 20.0°C 23.0-30.0

ppt

--- --- --- Day: tidal

creeks

Night: open

bay

Menidia

menidia

Able et

al. 1996

Great Bay, New

Jersey

Most bluefish in

subtidal creeks.

19.0-28.0°C 25.0-33.0

ppt

--- --- 0.3-1.2 m

depth; Ulva

lactuca

--- ---

Milstein

et al.

1977

1972-1974,

Great Bay, New

Jersey

Several distinct

habitats studied;

bluefish most abundant

in mud-sand, high

salinity sites; also

sandy beaches.

--- --- --- Slow to

moderate,

swept by

waves.

Mostly sand,

some gravel,

silt, clay;

Ulva

lactuca,

Spartina

alterniflora,

Fucus

(sometimes).

--- ---

Smith

1971

1969-1970, four

low-salinity

creeks, upper

Delaware Bay

Six YOY occurred in

two of the creeks, June

and July.

24.5-30.0°C 0-5.2 ppt 4.5-7.3 Ebb/flood Sand/gravel Day ---

Pristas

and Trent

1977

1972, St.

Andrews Bay,

Florida

Range of depths

sampled with gill nets,

24 hrs. Bluefish most

dense in shallowest

zone (0.7-1.1 m).

11.4-27.0°C 25.3-34.6

ppt

--- --- > 80% sand;

vegetation

most dense

in shallow

zone.

Bluefish

most

abundant at

night in

shallowest

zone.

---

McBride

et al.

1995

Narragansett

Bay, Rhode

Island

June-October, shallow

beaches.

18.0-28.0°C 25.0-34.0

ppt

--- --- Cobble,

gravel, shell,

sand; Ulva

and some

Zostera

Day

sampling

only.

---

de Sylva

et al.

1962

1958-1960,

Delaware Bay

and River

July and August,

mostly in shore zone of

lower estuary.

--- usually

high, but as

low as 3.0

ppt

--- Surf zone,

clear to

turbid.

Sand --- Collected

with small

clupeids

and

anchovies

Buckel

and

Conover

1997

1992-1993,

Hudson River

estuary

Mid-channel and

nearshore day-night

occurrence and feeding

study.

--- --- --- --- --- Most

abundant

nearshore

during

daylight;

midchannel at

night and

twilight.

Gut

fullness

highest

twilight

and day,

usually

low at

night.

Prey:

striped

bass, bay

anchovy,

clupeids.

Present

Study

1964-1997,

Continental

shelf MAB,

south to Cape

Fear, Cape

Canaveral

Inner shelf (over

depths < 20 m) during

summer and fall.

Most 18-22°C --- --- --- --- ---

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