30- 



28- 



26- 



W 56 



CHRIST|Ww-59 ."vJ.|5 

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94" 92° 90° 88° 



Figure 1. — Offshore station pattern for operations of the Shrimp Biology Program. 



Monthly isohaline and isothermal charts 

 were drawn from the temperature and salinity 

 data collected concurrently with biological 

 samples. In addition, we made several 24-hr. 

 current studies in an effort to evaluate the 

 role of water currents in the inshore trans- 

 port of larval shrimp. 



The examination of fish samples collected 

 for the Industrial Fish Program has been 

 completed, providing 3 yr. of data. These 

 data are being analyzed to determine seasonal 

 distribution and abundance of many fish species; 

 particular emphasis is directed toward in- 

 vestigating the possibility of co-occurrence of 

 fish and shrimp populations. 



A new project, "Cultivation of Shrimp in 

 Artificial Ponds," began in December 1964. 

 Although success has varied in our first 

 attempts to rear shrimp in manmade ponds, 

 the resulting information should enable us to 

 assess the factors that affect growth and sur- 

 vival of shrimp reared under seminatural 

 conditions. 



At our Miami Field Station, personnel have 

 been engaged in another relatively new phase 

 of research designed to study the ecology of 

 juvenile pink shrimp in Florida Bay. Consider- 

 able effort was spent in developing a suction 

 dredge that would quantitatively sample shrimp 

 and other fauna. Systematic sampling is now 

 in progress. 



Robert F. Temple, Program Leader 



OCEANOGRAPHIC OBSERVATIONS ON THE 

 CONTINENTAL SHELF OF THE NORTH- 

 WESTERN GULF OF MEXICO 



With the continuation of this project in fiscal 

 year 1965, physical oceanographic measure- 

 ments and meteorological observations were 

 made monthly at 41 stations over the Con- 

 tinental Shelf of the northwestern Gulf of 

 Mexico (fig. 1). About 700 bathythermograph 

 slides and 2,000 water samples have been 

 processed during the year, and the resulting 

 data analyzed and filed. 



Surface Salinities 



The distribution of surface salinities varied 

 slightly during January to March 1964. 

 Isohalines paralleled the Louisiana and Texas 

 coasts and ranged from 30.0 p.p.t. (parts per 

 thousand) along the shoreline to 36.0 p.p.t. out 

 to the 10-fath. contour. Beyond this point, 

 salinities were close to 36.5 p.p.t. Deviations 

 from this general distribution were evident in 

 February when two intrusions of water in 

 excess of 36.8 p.p.t. extended onto the Con- 

 tinental Shelf areas of Texas and Louisiana. 

 Remnants of these intrusions were represented 

 in March by two isolated, high- salinity water 

 masses in about the same areas as the 

 February intrusions. 



Surface salinities changed markedly with 

 increased river discharge in April and June. 



