Cruise 6 of the N. B. Scofield for 1953. Cruise Report 53-S-6
Item Type monograph
Publisher State of California Department of Fish and Game, Marine Fisheries Branch
Download date 26/09/2021 13:27:42
Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/1834/20094 state of California DEPART11ENT OF FISH A~lD Q;~J~
MAR:rnE FISHERIES BRANCH - M. V. N. B. SCOFIELD
Cruise: Cruise 6 of the N.B. SCOFIELD for 1953. .53-5-6 Sailed: October 5, 1953 from Los Angeles Harbor. Returned: October 23, 19.53 to Los Angeles Harbor.
Locality: Between the one thousand and two thousand fathom curves off the coast of Central California from Point Sur to the Farallon Islands including Davidson Seamount, Guide Seamount and Pioneer Seamount.
Purpose: 1. To continue the tagging of albacore using the experimental type "F" and JIG" tags, with the emphasis on smaller fish. 2. To colleot scale samples from the tagged and released albacore for the purpose of aiding in age analysis studies. 3. To collect such specimens and data as requested by other members of the stafr for further study. Results: This cruise was designed to tag the smaller fish near the end of the fishing season -- a time when the fish are more scattered in area and the fishery had progressed to its more northern limits.
Approximately two thirds of the 362 fish tagged were under 700 nun. in fork length and were released as follows:
Species Tag type "F" Tag type "G n Total
Albacore 182 180
The majority of the fish were captured during the early part of the cruise southwest 0 f the Pioneer Seamount. The albacore responded well to live bait fishing in this area, where the water was a deep blue with an average temperature of 60.$° F. Activities were curtailed after one and a half days due to adverse weather conditions. The rest of the fish were tagged farther south in the Vicinity of Guide and Davidson Seamounts. In these areas the fish responded poorly to live bait fishing and therefore most 0 f them were taken by trolling in the early mornihgs and late afternoons.
Scale samples were collected from some"of the tagged fish before they were released. The scales were taken from an area between the sixth and seventh dorsal finlets and above the lateral line. It is hoped that some of these fish will be returned at a later date so that we can see what actually happens to the scales as tl1ey erow older.
Examinations of the gonads of the smaller fish indicated that they were in an immature stage of development.
Collecting stations were occupied at night while the vessel was drifting and numerous sauries were caught under the night light at every station. Hand lines and sportfishing gear were also used at these stations for collecting purposes and the following specimens were taken for U.C. L.A.
1. 10 blue sharks 2. 12 rockfish (species as yet undetermined) 3. 1 lingcod
Scientific Personnel: Harold B. Clemens, Biologist in Charge, Dept. of Fish and Game FNC:nc 110-11-16-53 . < 38° \ ,J ALBACORE TAGGt-NG CRUfS-E
N. B. SCOFIELD (53-5-6)
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