Trends in relative abundance of selected shellfishes along the Texas coast: January 1977-March 1986

Trends in relative abundance and size of brown shrimp (Penaeus aztecus), white shrimp (P. setiferus), pink shrimp (P. duorarum), blue crab (Callinectes sapidus), and Eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) in Texas marine waters were monitored using a standardized fishery independent sampling program with bag seines along bay shorelines, trawls in bay water >=1.0 m deep and in Gulf water >= 1.8 m deep within the Texas Territorial Sea an oyster dredges in bay reef and non-reef areas. Brown shrimp catch rates generally increased in bag seines during 1977-1985 and in bay trawls during 1982-1985. White shrimp catch rates in both gears generally declined during the same years. Pink shrimp catch rates declined in bag seines but were limilar among years in bay trawls. Catch rates of blue crabs increased in both bag seines and bay trawls. Catch rates of associated finfishes in trawls varied among years. Highest catches of market oysters in Galveston Bay occurred during September-December.