Preliminary Survey of Industrial- Type Bottom Fishes 

 in the Northwestern Gulf of Mexico 



James G. Ragan 



Sampling of demersal fishes off the east Texas coast was under- 

 taken to determine (1) the species occurring in this area, (2) their seasonal 

 distribution and relative density, and, in the case of the more abundant spe- 

 cies, (3) various aspects of their life histories. 



Most samples are being obtained with the cooperation of the Shrimp 

 Fishery Program, which initiated a trawl sampling project in January of this 

 year. Cruises are being made every 3 weeks with two "random" 5-pound sam- 

 ples being taken from 1-hour trawl hauls at each of 1 1 stations. Depths range 

 from li to 45 fathoms (see Station pattern. Early Life History of Commercial 

 and Related Shrimps). A few samples were taken by the M/V OREGON dur- 

 ing exploratory cruises off Texas in the late suramer and fall of I960. 



Data obtained from sampled fishes include: species identity, length, 

 weight, sex, and stage of maturity. Thus far, 205 samples, most of which 

 were taken with 45-foot, 2:|-inch mesh "flat" trawls, have been processed. 

 Data analyses are incomplete, however, the following observations being 

 based on 109 or about one-half of the processed samples. These cover the 

 period August I960 to April 1961. 



Of 94 species identified, 10 constituted about three-fourths of the 

 total catch (by number). In descending order of importance, these were: 



Percentage Mean 



composition total length 

 Common name Scientific name (by number) (mm. ) 



On a percentage composition by weight basis, the longspine porgy, lizardfish, 

 and croaker ranked, in that order of importance, as the leading species. 



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