The calculated total harvest (offshore and inland) 

 of estuarine-dependent fishes and shellfishes per hect- 

 are of inland water (salinity > 5°/oo) in the Chenier 

 Plain showed that the Chenier Basin had the highest 

 production (table 3.20). Vermihon Basin values were 

 derived from Hydrologic Unit VII; Chenier Basin 

 values, from Hydrologic Unit VIII; and Calcasieu and 

 Sabine basins values from Hydrologic Unit IX as de- 

 scribed in LindaU et al. (1972). East Bay Basin values 

 were determined from Texas landings for grid zone 

 18, inshore and offshore. The mean 1970 through 

 1975 reported catch for each species was divided by 

 the Galveston Bay inshore estuarine area (mean salin- 

 ities > 5°/oo). Exceptions were blue crab and Gulf 

 menhaden values. Blue crab production for Sabine 

 Lake was calculated directly from landing data because 

 of the high local production (appendix 6.2). No com- 

 mercial menhaden landings occur in Texas although 

 menhaden is a dominant juvenile fish in Galveston 

 Bay and Sabine Lake (Reid 1955). The menhaden in- 

 dustry is based in Louisiana and Mississippi; catches 

 in east Texas waters are reported in Louisiana today. 

 The menhaden value determined for Hydrologic Unit 

 IX (Lindall et al. 1972) was used for all three western 

 basins. 



The total production of each basin was calculated 

 on the basis of unit area values (table 3.21). Calcasieu, 

 Sabine, and East Bay basins had high menhaden pro- 

 duction. Calcasieu and East Bay basins also support 

 important shrimp fisheries. The Sabine Basin shrimp 

 production (as contrasted to the Sabine offshore har- 

 vest) is probably insignificant; the last inshore com- 

 mercial harvests occurred in 1972 (appendix 6.2). 

 Some shrimp are occasionally caught in Sabine 

 Lake, so the basin may make some contribution 

 to the offshore fishery. Similarly, Atlantic croaker 

 and sea trout harvests have fallen to nothing, and 

 the oyster beds are permanently closed because 

 of contamination (part 3.6.6). It should be noted 

 that there is relatively large production of blue crab 

 in Sabine Basin and large production of oysters in East 

 Bay Basin. In effect, the Me rmentau Basin is fresh- 

 water, having Uttle exchange with the nearshore zone. 

 It had been assumed to support no marine fishery, 

 but recent water management practices may have 

 changed this (part 3.6.3). 



Table 3.20. Estimated commercial catch per hectare of inshore area in 1963 - 1973 for 

 estuarine-dependent fishes and shellfishes. 



^Based on 1963-1973 average Louisiana production and inshore juvenile density. From table 31, Fish and Wildlife Study 

 (Lindall et al. 1972). The densities were reported by hydrologic unit for Louisiana. The value used for Vermilion was 

 that of Unit VII; Cheniar and Mermentau, Unit VIII; and Calcasieu and Sabine, Unit IX. 



Mermentau Basin has no salinity greater than 5%o. 

 "^Mean inshore and offshore Grid 18 yield 1970-1976 divided by estuarine water area of Galveston Bay. 

 "^This value is based on the 1963-73 production mean and 1967 trawl data. Since that time, commercial production has 



ceased in Sabine Lake and trawl catches showed low densities of shrimp. 



43 



