Population Studies of Fin-Fish on Artificial Shell Reefs in Corpus Christi Bay and the Upper Laguna Madre - Analysis of Populations of Sports and Commercial Fin-Fish

Perch traps, rods and reels and trammel nets were used to sample vertebrate and invertebrate populations on artificial shell reefs, none of these were found to be effective in regular sampling. A small trawl did not catch any large commercial fish, but did indicate the relative abundance of organisms on which these fish might feed. In Corpus Christi Bay, Breakwater Reef contained more organisms than Oso Reef and was probably a better feeding ground for fin-fish. It appears; however, that this reef was placed in an area already populated with marine fauna and did not actually improve the bottom habitat for commercial fish as much as did Oso Reef. In the Upper Laguna Madre, Green Hill Reef seems to have improved the ecology of the area in which it was placed more so than has Oil Channel Reef, which is in an area already suitable for feeding grounds. Some fishermen claim that the fishing is better near both reefs.