Lengths of 24 saltwater fishes caught in trammel nets in Texas Bays

Date
1985
Authors
Matlock, G.C.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Coastal Fisheries Branch
Abstract

Size (length) composition data for fishes caught in trammel nets in Texas bays are useful to estimate yield model parameters, regulate net fisheries, and assess temporal changes in size distributions of population. Total length (TL) frequency histograms, mean TL (+- 1SD), and maximum TL are presented for 24 fishes most commonly caught during a 40-month period in 7.6-cm (3-inch) stretched mesh trammel nets fished in eight Texas bays. Size of fish caught varied among species from 119 +- 34 mm (4.7 +- 1.3 inches) TL for Atlantic spadefish (Chaetodipterus faber) to 1066 +- 307 mm (42.0 +- 12.1 inches) TL for alligator gar (Lepisosteus spatula). As mean TL of fishes (Y) increased so did SD and maximum TL. The relationships could be expressed as Y= -28 + 0.27 X and Y = -11 + 1.66 x for SD (x) and maximuum TL (X), respectively. Length distributions appeared to be normal for five species, negatively skewed for one, and positively skewed for four species. Distributions appeared to be one, and positively skewed for four species. Distributions appeared to be bimodal for two species, multimodal and positively skewed for eight species, and multimodal and negatively skewed for two species. Distributions were platykurtic for two species. Trammel nets are less selective than gill nets for size of each species because more fish are caught by entanglement in trammel nets.

Description
29 pgs.
Keywords
entangling nets, models, modeling, fisheries, size, size distribution, Atlantic spadefish, Chaetodipterus faber, alligator gar, Lepisosteus spatula
Citation