Full report - Conservation Gateway

Chapter 7 - Demersal FishWitch flounder were distributed throughout much ofthe Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank, although theirrange does extend south along the Continental Shelf toAlbemarle Sound (Figure 7-19a, b). Highest numberswere found along the coastal shelf in the Gulf of Mainefrom Cape Cod to the Grand Manan Banks, in deeperwaters near Jeffreys Bank and Jordan Basin, along thenorthern perimeter of Georges Bank, and along the shelf/slope break from Sandy Hook, New Jersey to AlbemarleSound. Statistical analyses generally did not identify anysignificant trend over the range during the time series,though increasing trends were observed in some portionsof the central Gulf of Maine and decreasing trends werefound in inshore areas from Massachusetts Bay to CascoBay, Maine and in shelf waters of Southern New Englandsouth to Delaware Bay (Figure 7-19c, d). Weighted persistenceanalyses for witch flounder identified coastal shelfwaters from Massachusetts Bay to Platts Bank, the areaaround Jeffreys Bank into Jordan Basin, and the mouthof the Bay of Fundy in eastern Maine as important(Figure 7-20).ABFigure 7-20. Areas with high persistence and abundance over 40 years for witch flounder during the spring and fallseasons.Northwest Atlantic Marine Ecoregional Assessment • Phase 1 Report 7-25