Predicting brown shrimp abundance in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico.

Abstract

Studies to investigate the feasibility of predicting the size of shrimp crops have been underway since the early 1960's at the Bureau of Commercial Fisheries Biological Laboratory in Galveston, Texas. They are based on the premise that the relative abundance of postlarval or juvenile brown shrimp (Penaeus aztecus) is indicative of subsequent commercial supplies. The present paper reviews the development of these studies, discusses sampling problems involved in measuring postlarval abundance, and correlates abundance indices between life history stages. Data are provided to show that predictions of brown shrimp abundance may be applicable to broad geographic areas of the Gulf of Mexico.