Compiling consistent data nationwide limits the amount 

 of information thiat may be compiled for each species 

 and estuary. Also, it would be time and cost prohibitive 

 to map each species by life stage for each estuary 

 (Monaco 1986). The ELMR framework, however, 

 enables a timely, consistent compilation and organiza- 

 tion of available information on the distribution of fishes 

 and invertebrates in estuaries. 



Selection of Species. Four criteria were used to 

 select 61 species that had sufficient available informa- 

 tion for inclusion in the ELMR data base. The four 

 criteria were: 



1) Commercial value: determined by review of catch 

 data and value statistics from NMFS and state agen- 

 cies, e.g., northern quahog (Mercenaria mercenaria), 

 blue crab (Callinectes sapidus), and Atlantic menha- 

 den (Brevoortia tyrannus). 



2) Recreational value: defined as a species that 

 recreational fishermen specifically try to catch, that 

 may or may not be of commercial importance. Recre- 

 ational species were determined by consulting re- 

 gional experts and NMFS reports, e.g., striped bass 

 (MoronesaxaW/s), and bluefish [Pomatomus saltatrix) . 



3) Indicator species of environmental stress: identified 

 from the literature, discussions with fisheries experts, 

 and from monitoring programs such as NOAA's Na- 

 tional Status and Trends Program (O'Connor 1990). 

 These species, e.g., American oyster (Crassostrea 

 virginica), and Atlantic croaker (Micropogonias 

 undulatus), are filter-feeding molluscs or demersal 

 fishes that consume benthic invertebrates or have a 

 strong associationwith bottom sediments. Theirphysi- 

 ological disorders, morphological abnormalities, and 

 bioaccumulation of contaminants indicate episodes of 

 environmental pollution and/or stress. 



4) Ecological value: based on several attributes, 

 including trophic level, relative abundance, and impor- 

 tance as a key predator or prey species, e.g., grass 

 shrimp {Palaemonetes pugio), and bay anchovy 

 {Anchoa mitchilli). 



The selected species are listed in Table 2, p. 4. In some 

 cases, two or more closely related species were con- 

 sidered as a single unit, e.g., skates {Raja species), 

 primarily because of the lack of species-specificfisher- 

 ies data. These cases are described in the Life History 

 Notes section of this report, pp. 13-16. 



Figure 3. ELMR Mid-Atlantic estuaries. 



Waquoit Bay 

 Buzzards Bay 

 Narragansett Bay 

 Connecticut River 

 Gardiners Bay 

 Long Island Sound 

 Great South Bay 

 Hudson River/Raritan Bay 



Barnegat Bay 



New Jersey Inland Bays 



Delaware Bay 



Delaware Inland Bays 



Chincoteague Bay 



Chesapeake Bay - mainstem and eight sub-estuaries: 



1 . Chester River 5. Tangier/Pocomoke Sound 



2. Choptank River 6. Rappahannock River 



3. Patuxent River 7. York River 



4. Potomac River 8. James River 



