Monitoring of coastal shellfish resources, January - December 1984

Date

1986

Authors

Benefield, R. L.
Hammerschmidt, P. C.
Hofstetter, R. P.
Bowling, B.

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Coastal Fisheries Branch

Abstract

Trends in relative abundance and size of brown shrimp (Penaeus aztecus), white shrimp (P. setiferus), pink shrimp (P. duorarum), blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) and American oyster (Crassostrea virginica) in Texas bay systems and the Gulf of Mexico (shrimp and crabs only) were monitored during January-December 1984. Bag seines (18.3-m, 60-feet, long) were used to sample along shorelines of bays, 6.1-m (20-feet) wide otter trawls were used to sample the deeper (>1.0-m, 3-feet) portion of bays, passes leading from the bays to the gulf of Mexico and Gulf waters. Gill nets (183-m, 600-feet, long) were used to sample shorelines of bays, and oyster dredges (46-cm, 18-inches, wide) were used to sample oyster reefs within the bay. Shorelines and deeper portions of Galveston, Matagorda, San Antonio, Aransas and Corpus Christi Bays and the upper and lower Laguna Madre were sampled. Passes were sampled in Galveston, Matagorda, Aransas and Corpus Christi Bays and the lower Laguna Madre and Gulf samples were collected along the central coast off Port Aransas. Oyster samples were collected primarily in Galveston Bay with seasonal samples taken in Matagorda, San Antonio and Aransas Bays. Coastwide bag seine catch rates of brown shrimp increased from 1983 to 1984, whereas trawl catch rates were similar during both years. Coastwide bag seine catch rates of white shrimp increased from 1983 to 1984, while trawl catch rates decreased. Coastwide bag seine catch rates of pink shrimp declined from 1983 to 1984, whereas trawl catch rates were similar during both years. Coastwide mean lengths of brown shrimp and white shrimp caught in trawls increased from 1983 to 1984. Coastwide bag seine catch rates of blue crabs declined and trawl catch rates decreased slightly from 1982 to 1984.

Description

130 pgs.

Keywords

brown shrimp, Penaeus aztecus, white shrimp, Penaeus setiferus, pink shrimp, Penaeus duorarum, blue crab, Callinectes sapidus, American oyster, Crassostrea virginica, seine nets, trawl nets, gillnets, trawling, oysters, crabs, catch statistics

Citation