NOTE Meyer et al.: Effects of live-bait sfirimp trawling on seagrass beds and fish bycatcfi 



197 



et al., 1957) and epiphytic growth from the plants 

 (author's personal observation). 



Trawling may affect associated faunal communi- 

 ties by collecting and redistributing macroalgae and 

 turtlegrass litter. Redistribution can reduce the habi- 

 tat complexity of one area and increase that of an- 

 other. The alteration of habitat can in turn influence 

 species composition and abundance (Gore et al., 1981; 

 Kulczycki et al., 1981; Leber, 1985). 



Fish species were not equally susceptible to mor- 

 tality by exposure or net injury. Regardless of han- 



dling procedures, mojarra were highly susceptible to 

 mortality. At the other extreme, oyster toadfish and 

 striped burrfish, Chilomycterus schoepfi, were much 

 less susceptible to trawl-induced mortality. Because 

 of differential species mortality, fish species diver- 

 sity and composition may be altered in areas of in- 

 tense or long-term trawling. 



Mortality and size were inversely related for nu- 

 merous species, also noted by Jean ( 1963) for cod and 

 American plaice, and by Fritz and Johnson (1987) 

 for freshwater drum, Aplodinotus grunniens. A pos- 



