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Estimation of Relative Abundance of Recreationally Important Finfish in the Virginia Portion of Chesapeake Bay: Annual Progress Report 1994-1995
Geer, Patrick J. Austin, Herbert M. Hata, David N.
Geer, Patrick J.
Austin, Herbert M.
Hata, David N.
Abstract
Annual indices of juvenile abundance have been generated from trawl survey data for several species of key recreational importance in the Virginia portion of Chesapeake Bay (spot, croaker, weakfish, summer flounder, black sea bass and striped bass, white and channel catfish) and four species of secondary importance (scup, white perch, northern puffer, and silver perch) for the period 1988-1995. No species has shown a continuous trend during the seven year period, although several species have revealed declines (spot, scup y-o-y white perch, northern puffer) or increases (Atlantic croaker and striped bass) in recent years. Spot has shown the largest decline from a high geometric mean catch per trawl of 68 ( 1988) to a low ( 1992) of 2, stabilizing near 9 the past two years. Atlantic croaker showed the greatest variability between years, with the 1989 index of 65 being 4 to 7 times higher than that seen in the other six years. The weakfish estimate declined in 1994 after three years of near constant levels. Striped bass estimates declined significantly in 1994 (1.07 geometric mean catch per trawl), after reaching near record levels in 1993 (3.3). Juvenile summer flounder values increased five fold, reversing a two year trend of historic low values. Black sea bass and scup juvenile recruitment to lower Chesapeake Bay showed no evidence of a trend over the seven year period. The age 1 + values for the catfish species remained relatively stable while y-o-y estimates varies much more. Northern puffer has exhibited a near continuous downward trend since the start of the expanded survey in 1988. Silver perch are characterized by periods of very low abundance followed by several years of high catch rates.
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1995-09-01
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Keywords
Fisheries Science
Juvenile Fish and Blue Crab Trawl Survey
Research and Technical Reports, Fisheries, Management, Abundance, Virgina
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Virginia Institute of Marine Science
DOI
https://doi.org/10.25773/wxe9-jd88