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Chapter 8 - Small Pelagic Fishwhich the surveys are conducted. These “snapshots” donot provide information about what is happening the restof the year. When this aspect of the data is combined withthe fact that these species undertake extensive migrations,a question arises as to the overall accuracy of the determinationof areas of importance or persistence. As researchcontinues, other sources of data need to be used to corroboratethese findings, and would also be useful in verifyingobservations of spawning aggregations.Maps, Analysis, and Areas of ImportanceAmerican Sand LanceAmerican sand lance is found mostly inshore of the trawlsurvey area. As such, American sand lance was not sampledadequately in the NMFS trawl survey.Important Areas for American Sand Lance:Not enough data to determineAtlantic HerringDistribution maps to correspond to what is known aboutthe species from other studies (Figure 8-1a, b). In thespring, herring are found in high persistence in southernNew England waters; other areas of persistence are quitelocalized, including Georges Bank, the area from CapeAnn to southeast of Nantucket, and very close to shore inDowneast Maine (Figure 8-2a). Less persistent, but significantconcentrations are found nearshore from New Jerseyto Cape Hatteras. In the fall, the fish appear to congregatein high abundances further north and east, in cooler waterof the Gulf of Maine, completely outside of Mid-AtlanticBight and Southern New England except for the area eastof Nantucket near Great South Channel (Figure 8-2b).Significantly increasing trends support other data thatdemonstrate that this Georges Bank stock has recoveredfrom the collapse of several decades ago (Figure 8-1c, d).ABFigure 8-2. Areas with high persistence and abundance over 40 years for Atlantic herring during the spring and fallseasons.Northwest Atlantic Marine Ecoregional Assessment • Phase 1 Report 8-