Harvest by Texas headboat fishermen during September 1982-May 1983

Twelve Gulf and 9 bay headboats (>10 people/boat) in three Texas coastal areas were surveyed from 1 September 1982 to 14 May 1983. The Gulf headboat harvest was approx. 415,000 fish; the majority (85%) were red snapper (Lutjanus campechanus). Mean number of fishermen/trip (+/- 1 SE) for Gulf headboats ranged from 25.3 +/- 3.0 in the lower Laguna Madre area to 50.1 +/- 6.3 in the Galveston-Freeport area. Mean fishing time/trip (h +/- 1 SE) ranged from 3.8 +/- 0.1 in the lower Laguna Madre to 4.5 +/- 0.2 in the Galveston-Freeport area. Bay headboat fishermen harvested approx. 61,000 fish of which 78% were sand seatrout (Cynoscion arenarius). Mean number of fishermen/trip (+/- 1 SE) for bay headboats ranged from 13.6 +/- 1.2 in the lower Laguna Madre area to 21.4 +/- 2.6 in the Galveston-Freeport area. Mean fishing time/trip (h +/- 1 SE) ranged from 2.5 +/- 0.1 in the lower Laguna Madre area to 3.1 +/- 0.1 in the Aransas-Corpus Christi area.