Population Studies of the Sports and Commercial Fin-Fish of the Aransas Bay System - Analysis of Populations of Sports and Commercial Fin-Fish and of Factors Which Affect These Populations in the Coastal Bays of Texas

In 1963 the estimated population of juvenile trout, Cynoscion nebulosus, in nursery areas (waters less than 4 feet deep) of the Aransas Bay System was 9.7 million compared to 11.7 million in 1964. There was a 43 per cent increase in catch per unit effort for adult trout. Young of year redfish, Sciaenops ocellatus, collections were 24.7 per cent less than 1962 catches compared to a 96.0 per cent decline in 1963. A calculated average redfish juvenile population of 6.3 million fish was derived for 1964. The adult redfish catch per unit effort declined 14 per cent in 1964. Catches of drum, Pogonias cromis, in juvenile seine samples were very good in 1964, giving an average population estimate of 4.9 million. The adult drum population for 1964 was calculated as 1.1 million pounds. Juvenile sheepshead, Archosargus probatocephalus, had an average population of 3.3 million. The adult sheepshead population was calculated as approximately 680,000 pounds in 1964. Commercial landings in the Aransas Bay area declined. Biological catches in closed waters exceeded those in open waters and it is believed that the largest portion of the fish population was unavailable to commercial fishermen.