Study of Commercial Shrimps in Coastal Bays of Texas - Study of the Texas Shrimp Populations

In spring many brown shrimp, Penaeus aztecus, nursery grounds in Texas were adversely affected when fresh water inflow lowered salinities, Brown shrimp abundance trends were relatively high in Aransas, and Corpus Christi Bays, but low in other bays. White shrimp, P. setiferus, were scarce in summer. In fall they were abundant in Sabine Lake and Galveston Bay. Commercial brown shrimp production was high; white shrimp production was low. Total production (43.1 million pounds, headless) decreased 4.6 million pounds from 1965. Factors which influence brown shrimp survival, growth, and average size are discussed.