Miller et al : Distribution, abundance, and growth q\ Micropogonias undulatus 



105 



1996 



1997 



1998 



25 50 75 100 125 150 175 200 225 250 275 300 



Total length (mm) 



Figure 4 



Length-frequency distributions of log (« + l) transformed numbers of Atlantic 

 croaker ^Micropogonias undulatus) collected by otter trawl between April and 

 November in Delaware Bay from 1996 to 1998. None were collected in the bay from 

 April to August of 1996. 



creeks in June 1999 (Fig 4). In the bay these were as small 

 as 15 mm in June 1998 and had a mode of 26-30 mm. They 

 were even more abundant in the bay during July 1998 and 

 had a mode of 41-45 mm. Individuals of this cohort were 

 collected at five of the eight zones in the bay during June 

 and July but were rare in subsequent months (Fig. 4). A 

 smaller size cohort of YOY (;!=69 fish) also appeared in 

 the marshes (Fig. 5) and in the associated bay stations in 

 June 1999. 



Distribution, abundance, and habitat use 

 during summer residency 



Young-of-the-year Atlantic croaker were abundant in Del- 

 aware Bay and in the adjacent marsh creeks from April 

 through the fall egress of each year, except in 1996, when 

 trawling in both the marshes and the bay caught no YOY 

 until 26 individuals (115-200 mm) were collected in the 

 bay in September and October (Fig. 4). In contrast, the 



