Selectivity of gill nets in three Texas bays

Hegen, H.E.

Selectivity of gill nets in three Texas bays

Date

1983

Authors

Hegen, H.E.

Publisher

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Coastal Fisheries Branch

Abstract

Commercial fisherman contend that large mesh gill nets can be used to catch black drum (Pogonias cromis), sheepshead (Archosargus probatocephalus), and southern flounder (Paralichthys lethostigma) without catching red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus) and spotted seatrout (Cynoscion nebulosus). The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department examined this contention in the Corpus Christi Bay and Laguna Madre systems during September - December 1981 with gill nets of 15.2-17.8 cm (6-7 inch) stretch mesh constructed of either monofilament or multifilament webbing. The results of this study, in addition to previous studies, indicate that gill nets cannot be used in Texas bays to select for some species of fish and simultaneously exclude red drum and spotted seatrout.

Description

17 pgs.

Keywords

bays, fishing nets, gillnets, catch/effort, size distribution, commercial fisherman, mesh gill nets, black drum, red drum, spotted seatrout, sheepshead, southern flounder, Corpus Christi, Laguna Madre, economically important finfish, economically important fish species, multifilament, monofilament