In Brief. ... A Blue Crab Harvest, an Aged Striper, and an Anchovy Plan

. Maryland's 1976 blue crab meat Fisheries report. However, the preliminary pack was 20,885,511 pounds, according to data could be as much as 10 percent under preliminary figures compiled by the Na­ the actual number of salmon harvested, the tional Marine Fisheries Service in coopera­ report cautions. Of the total, sportsmen took tion with the Fisheries Administration of the over 1.3 million fish with the balance taken Maryland Department of Natural Re­ by Indian and non-Indian commercial sources. Though the poundage was down 19 fishermen. For anglers and trollers, coho percent from the 25,901,758 pounds of salmon provided recorded harvests. The 1975, the value was up, at $5,649,968 com­ previous coho catch record was in 1971 pared with 1975's $5,145,514. The 1976 when sport fishermen caught 845,735 fish catch was below the 25 million pound aver­ and trollers took over 1.2 million fish. Last age, but it was above the 1973 figure of year these groups harvested 941,897 and 20,723,486 and well above the disastrous over 1.4 million coho respectively.. yearof 1968 when only 10.3 million pounds were processed. Not tabulated was the sport .... A 30-pound striped bass caught 5 crab catch and the so-called "basket trade" December in the Sacramento River near in which crabs are sold live or steamed. Garcia Bend had carried its tag for 18 years, ... California's Fish and Game 7 months, according to the California De­ Commission has turned down a proposal partment of Fish and Game. The previous by the Department of Fish and Game to raise record was a 33-pounder that had been at this season's anchovy for reducton quota but large for 17 years, 5 months. The new rec­ adopted a DFG-proposed anchovy man­ ord seller was taggl:d in Broad Slough in agement plan, the DFG reports. The de­ May 1958 at an estimated age of 5 years, partment had recommended raising the weighing 7.5 pounds and measuring 25 in­ 115,000 anchovy quota for reduction to ches. Meanwhile, another striper caught in 215,000 tons a year. The management plan Newpon Bay in November 1976, showed accepted by the commission states that an the farthest south movement of a striper annual optimum yield of 439,000 tons is tagged in the Sacramento-San Joaquin es­ possible when the spawning population of tuary. It had been marked 2 April 1974 near the central stock of the northern anchovy Schad Landing on the Sacramento. Most of reaches 2.3 million tons or more. Biologists the bass tagged in the estuary are caught now estimate this spawning biomass at from in the San Francisco Bay area or in the 3.5 to 4 miHion tons.... Sacramento-San Joaquin River sys­ . Raymond Schroeder, 51, ofCar­ tem.... lisle, Ark., was named Catfish Farmer of An Almaco jack tagged and re­ the Year during the annual convention of leased offshore from Charleston, S.C. 2'12 the Catfish Farmers of America in New years ago had tripled its weight when it was Orleans, La. in February, the organization recaptured early this year in almost the same reports. Meanwhile, Leo Ray of Buhl, spot the Wildlife and Marine Resources De­ Idaho, succeeded John Peaster of Yazoo partment reports. The jack weighed about 5 City, Miss. as president of the organization. pounds when first taken on 4 July 1974. It President-elect is S. L. Reed, Belzoni, weighed 15.5 pounds on 4 January Miss.; secretary is Foy Gilbert, Thomaston, 1977. ... Ga.; and treasurer is W. E. Edwards, Win­ .... The U.S. Coast Guard is trying nie, Texas. Mervine Anderson, secretary to out its first hydrofoil, the Flagstaff, to in­ Jim Ayers, fishery marketing specialist at vestigate fisheries violations, offshore oil Erratum the lillie Rock, Ark. office of the National spills and to respond to distress calls, ac­ In the paper entitled "Nitrite Marine Fisheries Service, was presented cording to the U.S. Department of Trans­ Additives-Harmful or necessary?", in the with a Certificate of Merit by the CFA. portation. The agency took possession of April 1976 issue (Vol. 38, No.4) ofMarine ... Over 6.3 million salmon were the vessel 29 September and assigned it to Fisheries Review, author Elinor M. Ravesi caught by sport and commercial fishermen Woods Hole, Mass., for duty as a law en­ points out the following correction: "The in Washington State's waters during 1976, forcement vessel. The Coast Guard is third word of line 3 on page 25 should be according to the Washington Department of operating the 45-knot vessel for one year to 'lower' rather than' higher. .. '

40 Marine Fisheries Review