130 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES 



Page 



Natural history of the croaker {Micropogon undulalus) 194 



Description of adult 194 



Description of young 194 



Spawning and early distribution of young 196 



Growtli and age . 198 



Size and age at maturity 201 



Seasonal distribution and movements 202 



Food habits 203 



Commercial considerations 203 



Summary 203 



Natural history of the spot {Leiostomus xanlhurus) 204 



Description of adult 204 



Description of young 204 



Spawning and early distribution of young 204 



Growth and age 206 



Size and age at maturity 209 



Seasonal distribution and movements 209 



Food habits 210 



Commercial considerations 210 



Summary 210 



Summary of recommendations 211 



Bibliography 214 



INTRODUCTION 

 GENERAL PROBLEM 



In the summer of 1925 the United States Bureau of Fisheries, heeding a demand 

 from Texans for more specific information as to the actual status of their coastal 

 marine fisheries, conducted a short survey of those fisheries. The results of the study 

 were presented in a Preliminary Report on the Marine Fisheries of Texas, by Higgins 

 and Lord (1926), in which the character of the fisheries was discussed in the Ught of 

 their past and present yields. A logical recommendation given in this report was 

 for the immediate initiation of biological investigations that would include primarily 

 extended study of the life histories of various marine food fishes of the State. 



Having complete control of its commercial fisheries, Texas has been alarmed 

 for some time as to the possibility that serious depletion of its shore fisheries would 

 occur before any steps could be taken to insure a permanent supply of food fish. 

 Many prohibitive laws have been passed, unfortunately, without sufficient knowledge 

 of the life histories of the fish to allow rational conservation of the fish stock as well 

 as intelligent utilization and development of the fisheries. The people most interested 

 Lq the future welfare of the marine resources of Texas are beginning to realize that a 

 fundamental prerequisite for adequate fisheries legislation is an accurate, unbiased 

 knowledge of the life histories of the food fish entering into the fisheries. 



