Western Gulf Bottomfish Survey- 

 James G. Ragan 



A full year's sampling of bottonnfish populations in the Gulf between 

 Cameron, La. , and Freeport, Tex. , has been completed. This was under- 

 taken to determine the relative composition of bottomfish resources in the 

 area and to provide biological and statistical data on the more common species. 



Five-pound samples of fish were drawn from catches made with 45- 

 foot, 2-|-inch nnesh flat trawls, towed for 1 hour at each of 1 1 strategically lo~ 

 cated stations. These stations ranged in depth from Ij to 45 fathoms and were 

 occupied every 3 weeks. After species identification, each fish was measured 

 for length and weight, and examined for sexual maturity. 



Weighing specimens of Atlantic croaker. 



Combined over the entire year, the sample material revealed the 

 presence of 1 1 1 species, of which the following 6 accounted for an estimated 

 two-thirds (by weight and number) of the overall trawl catch. 



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