By-catch of southern flounder and gulf flounder by commercial shrimp trawlers in Texas bays

The by-catch of southern flounder (Paralichthys lethostigma) by commercial shrimp trawlers in Texas bays during April-November 1978 was an estimated 9,740,800 +- 552,860 fish; 195,686 +- 73,350 gulf flounder (P. albigutta) were caught. The mean catch rate of southern flounder was 5.3 +- 1.0 fish/h with no significant differences among the eight monthly mean catch rates. Total length of southern flounder ranged from 82 mm (3.2 inches) to 385 mm (15.2 inches); mean of 176 +- 2 mm (6.9 +- 0.1 inches). Mean monthly catch rates of gulf flounder exceeded 0.1 fish/h only once (May); total length range was 94-311 mm (3.7-12.2 inches).