ALLEN: LITTORAL FISH ASSEMBLAGE 



and was divided into 10 numbered sections of 

 equal size. Selection of the section sampled each 

 month was random in order to satisfy statistical 

 assumptions and minimize the impact of sam- 

 pling on any particular section from month to 

 month. Each station included a tidal creek or 

 pool (panne) which was sampled on the marsh 

 islands. 



Sampling Procedures 



Monthly samples were taken at the three sta- 

 tions during the 13-mo period from January 1978 

 to January 1979 for a total of 39 station samples. 

 Sampling was carried out within ±3 h of daytime 

 neap high tide to minimize tidal level effects. 

 Two days were usually required to sample three 

 stations, stations 1 and 2 the first day and station 

 3 the second. 



Four types of sampling gear were employed at 

 each station as follows: 



1) A 15.2 mX 1.8 mbagseine(BS) with 6.4 mm 

 mesh in the wings and 3.2 mm mesh in the 1.8 X 

 1.8 X 1.8 m bag was used twice at each station. 

 Hauls were made by setting the net parallel to 

 and 15 m off the shore at a depth of 1-2 m. The BS 

 was then hauled to shore using 15 m polypropy- 

 lene lines attached to 1.8 m brails on each end of 

 the net. Each haul sampled an area of 220 m 2 . 



2) A 4.6 m X 1.2 m small seine (SS) with 3.2 mm 

 mesh was pulled 10 m along and 2 m from the 

 shore (at a depth to 1 m) and pivoted to shore. 

 Two hauls were made in the inshore area and one 

 haul in the panne at each station. Each haul sam- 

 pled an area of 62.4 m 2 . [One exception to the 

 sampling routine occurred at station 3 panne in 

 April 1978 when no sample was taken due to a 

 dry panne.] 



3) A 2.45 X 2.45 X 1.0 m dropnet (DN) with 3.2 

 mm mesh was used to sample the water column 

 and bottom at 0.5-1.5 m depth. The DN was sus- 

 pended from a 5.0 X 5.0 X 1.0 m aluminum pipe 

 frame, released by pins at each corner. Two 19 1 

 plastic buckets were attached to each corner of 

 the frame for flotation. The net and frame were 

 maneuvered into position, anchored, and left un- 

 disturbed for 10 min. After release the DN was 

 pursed by the chain line and hauled to shore by 

 nylon line. The DN sampled an area of 6.0 m 2 . 



4) A small, square enclosure (SE) was used in 



conjunction with an anesthetic (quinaldine 

 mixed 1:5 with isopropyl alcohol) with the intent 

 of sampling small burrow inhabiting fishes, 

 especially gobies. The SE was constructed of 

 heavy duck material mounted on a 1.0 X 1.0 X 1.0 

 m collapsible frame of 25.0 mm PVC pipe and 

 sampled 1.0 m 2 of bottom. The SE was set at 

 three randomly chosen positions in an undis- 

 turbed portion of each station section at a depth 

 of 0.5-1.0 m. The bottom of the SE was forced into 

 the upper few centimeters of substrate and the 

 quinaldine mixture added to the enclosed water 

 column. The enclosed volume and shallow sub- 

 strate was then thoroughly searched for 10 min 

 using a long-handled dip net of 1.0 mm mesh. 



A detailed comparison of the effectiveness of 

 these four methods is the subject of a separate 

 paper (Horn and Allen 2 ). 



Ten samples were taken at each of the three 

 stations each month (2 BS samples, 3 SS samples, 

 2 DN samples, 3 SE samples) for a total of 30 

 samples/mo and 289 samples over the study 

 (minus one SS haul in April 1978 at station 3). 



Catches were either frozen on Dry Ice 3 or pre- 

 served in 10% buffered Formalin. Specimens 

 >150 mm SL were injected abdominally with 

 10% buffered Formalin. Subsamples of frozen 

 specimens were oven dried (40°C) for 48-72 h for 

 dry weight determination. Mean dry weights 

 were based on a minimum of 20 individuals/size- 

 class of each common species at each station each 

 month. 



Data on six abiotic factors were recorded or 

 determined for each station: temperature, salin- 

 ity, dissolved oxygen, sediment particle size, 

 depth of capture (by individual samples), and 

 distance into the upper Newport Bay from the 

 Highway 1 bridge (see Fig. 1). 



Production Estimation 



Production is the total amount of tissue pro- 

 duced during any given time interval including 

 that of individuals which do not survive to the 

 end of that time interval (Ivlev 1966). Productiv- 

 ity is the rate of production of biomass per unit of 

 time (Wiley et al. 1972). Production of a fish stock 



2 Horn, M. H., and L. G. Allen. Comparison of methods for 

 sampling shallow-water estuarine fish populations. Manu- 

 scr. in prep. California State University, Fullerton, Fuller- 

 ton. CA 92634. 



3 Reference to trade names does not imply endorsement by 

 the National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA. 



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