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OCT. I NOV. I DEC I JAN. | FEB | MAR. | APR 



1968 



1969 



Figure 14. — The range and mean size of pink shrimp taken in weekly samples from the enclosure in Coot Bay, 

 Everglades National Park, from October 1968 to April 1969. 



close coordination with BSFW (Bureau of 

 Sport Fisheries and Wildlife) and the Texas 

 Parks and Wildlife Department. 



We also spent considerable time on the 

 Gulf of Mexico Estuarine Inventory in coopera- 

 tion with the Gulf States Marine Fisheries 

 Commission. Material under the headings 

 "Geology," "Fish and Wilflife Resources, " and 

 "Vegetation" were completed for all seven of 

 the Texas estuarine systems. The Texas Parks 

 and Wildlife Department offered much needed 

 assistance in supplying data and information. 



Studies were begun on Galveston Island to 

 determine ecological differences between a 

 natural estuarine area and adjacent areas 

 altered by channelization, bulkheading, and 

 landfilling for housing sites. Frona each area 

 we took samples of fishes, crustaceans, benthic 

 organisms, and plankton, plus concurrent hy- 

 drological measurements, during a 24-hour 

 period every other week. Also, the growth and 

 setting rates of the American oyster, basic 

 productivity of phytoplankton, and stomach 



contents of selected finfish species were conn- 

 pared between the two areas. 



Richard J. Hoogland, Acting Program 

 Leader 



Evaluation of Engineering Projects and 

 Estuarine Data 



The western Gulf coast is experiencing ex- 

 ceptional economic growth, and many estuarine 

 areas are being destroyed or altered exten- 

 sively. The effects of water- resource develop- 

 ment on fish and wildlife resources have re- 

 ceived some national recognition, and 

 legislation has been enacted to provide a 

 means for considering fish and wildlife aspects 

 in all Federally planned and Federally author- 

 ized water-development projects. Implementa- 

 tion of this legislation authorized and obligated 

 the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to assist 

 and cooperate with other Federal, State, and 



22 



