106 



Fishery Bulletin 101(1) 



1996 



1997 



1998 



1999 



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

 Total length (mm) 



Figure 5 



Lciiftth-frcquency distributions of log l/i + ll transformed numbers of Atlantic croaker 

 iMkropoffonias undulatus) collected by otter trawl (April to November) in salt marsh 

 creeks along the northern shore of Delaware Bay from 199(t to 1999. None were collected 

 in the marshes from April to August of 1996. 



marsh creek surveys found YOY in both the larfje and 

 small creeks from April to September during 1997, 1998, 

 and 1999. Typically in the years after 1996, the CPUE was 

 greatest from April to June at the lower bay marsh sites 

 and then decreased after July to an almost total absence 

 offish toward the end of the fall egress out of the marshes 



in November (Fig. 6). The overall CPUE at each marsh 

 site for all three year classes combined (April to November 

 in 1997, 1998 and 19991 was highest at Dennis Township 

 and Commercial Township and at Upper Moores Beach 

 in the lower bay and lowest at Lower Moores Beach and 

 at the tipper hay sites iF'ig. 7). As a result, the monthly 



