2. The quantitative distribution of each of 

 the species by season and area for 1 to 2 years; 

 all participants are to sample simultaneously 

 for the minimunn period April 1, 1967, through 

 March 31, 1969. 



3. The value of harvested species that live 

 in estuaries during part or all of their lives. 



4. The correlation between hydrological 

 characteristics and relative abundance of se- 

 lected organisms, mainly with respect to 

 salinity and temperature. 



All participants are using 30.4-m. seines, 

 4.9-m. flat otter trawls, and 1/2-m. plankton 

 nets that are fitted with No. 2 plankton netting 

 and flow meters. 



The west coast of the Florida peninsula is 

 sampled once each nnonth at five locations 

 from Chokoloskee, in the Ten Thousand Islands, 

 to the St. Marks River estuary (fig. 13). We 

 chose the stations because they are physically 

 and hydrologically similar. The five sampling 

 stations are on 644 km. of coast, which is 

 sannpled in 5 days whereas previous studies 

 of this kind have been confined to single or 

 adjacent estuaries. 



The seasonal and geographic variations in 

 the species and numbers of fish are marked. 

 From January through May, total number of 

 fish were in the ratio 1:3:3:5:5 for January, 

 February, March, April, and May, respectively 

 (table 8). More fish were caught at the three 

 more southerly stations than at the two 

 northerly stations. Grand totals of abundance 

 were in the ratio 4:4:7:1:1 from southernmost 

 to northernmost locations. 



Seventy-eight species were identified. 

 Twelve occurred universally along the 644 km. 

 of coast; 8 at either the three northernmost 

 or the three southernnnost locations only; and 

 the rest at only one or two adjacent locations. 

 As the waters warmed in the spring, many 

 species increased their distribution, especially 

 northward. 



Although it is too soon to attempt to evaluate 

 biological results, it appears that a new con- 

 ception will emerge of the seasonal and 

 geographical population dynamics of fishes-- 

 especially of commercial species which inhabit 

 the estuaries as young. 



Table 8. — Numbers of fish caught by seine and trawl nets at five locations on the Gulf of Mexico coast 



of Florida, January through May 1968 



Month 



Locations and principal species 



January 



Grand 



February March April May total 



Number 



Chokoloskee 



Anchoa mitchilli (bay anchovy) 



Lagodon rhomboides (pinfish) 



Others 



Total 

 Bokeella 



Anchoa mitchilli (bay anchovy) 



Lagodon rhomboides (pinfish) 



Menidla beryllina (tidewater silverside) 



Others 



Total 

 Maximo Point 



Anchoa mitchilli (bay anchovy) 



Lagodon rhomboides (pinfish) 



Menidia beryllina (tidewater silverside) 



Others 



Total 



3,851 



3,900 



6,807 



17 



