and fall, peaking at over 1,300 in November; 

 catches began to decline in December and 

 continued downward to the low in February 



(fig. 8). 



Star drum contributed only 20 percent of the 

 monthly average catch in February, but this 

 percentage increased rapidly during the spring, 

 summer, and fall to a peak of 52 percent in 

 October; it then declined to 49 percent in 

 November, and continued declining to the low 

 in February (fig, 9). 



1,500 



1,000 - 

 Z 500 -\ 



I oL 



o 



Stellifer lonceolotus 



400 

 350 

 300 

 250 

 200 

 150 



too 



50 



~l 1 1 1 



MicropOQOn undulotus 



1^ Leiostomus 

 ^^ Kanthufus-7 



J 



Figure 8. --Numbers of fish taken per hour of trawling 

 during shrimp fishing, all areas combined, species 

 Stellifer lanceolatus . Micropogon undulatus , Leiostomus 

 xanthurus , and Menticirrhus spp., by months for all 

 years combined. 



jfmamjjasondj 



MONTHS 



Figure 9. — Percentage of the catch of fish taken during 

 shrimp fishing, all areas combined, species Stellifer 

 lanceolatus, Micropogon undulatus , Leiostomus xan- 

 thurus , and Menticirrhus spp., by months for all years 

 combined. 



MICROPOGON UNDULATUS. --The yearly 

 average catch of Atlantic croakers (Sciaenidae) 

 for the region was 171 per hour of trawling, 

 representing 10.5 percent of the total catch. 

 They were most abundant in Florida Outside 

 at 476 per hour of trawling and 17.5 percent 

 of the catch; next in South Carolina Outside, 

 152 per hour of trawling and 7.3 percent of 

 the catch; then Georgia Outside, 140 per hour 

 of trawling and 10.1 percent of the catch; and 

 least abundant in Georgia Inside, 129 per hour 

 of trawling and 8.6 percent of the catch. 



About 5 Atlantic croakers were taken per 

 hour of trawling in February and March; the 

 number increased very rapidly during spring 

 and early summer to peak at 353 to 377 in 

 August and September, and then decreased 

 rapidly during the fall and winter to the low in 

 February and March (fig, 8). 



Atlantic croakers contributed less than 1 

 percent of the monthly average catches in 

 February and March, increased rapidly in April 

 and May, were a major contributor at 17.0 to 

 20.9 percent from June to September, and de- 

 clined abruptly during the fall and winter to 

 the low in February and March (fig. 9). 



LEIOSTOMUS XANTHURUS . --The yearly 

 average catch of spot (Sciaenidae) for the 

 region was 144 per hour of trawling, represent- 

 ing 8.8 percent of the total catch. Spots were 

 most abundant in South Carolina Outside at 

 466 per hour of trawling and 22,3 percent of 

 the catch; next in Florida Outside, 156 per 

 hour of trawling and 5.7 percent of the catch; 

 and least abundant in Georgia, at about 115 

 per hour of trawling and 7.9 percent of the 

 catch. 



About 36 to 39 spots were taken per hour 

 of trawling in September and October; the 

 number increased during November, peaked at 

 377 in December, remained at a high level of 

 202 to 282 from January to April, and declined 

 during spring and summer to the low in the 

 fall (fig. 8). 



Spots contributed 2 percent or less of the 

 monthly average catches from September to 

 November, about 14 percent during December 

 and January, 20 to 24 percent from February to 

 April, and declined rapidly during late spring 

 and summer to the low in the fall (fig. 9). 



MENTICIRRHUS spp . --The yearly average 

 catch of king whiting (Sciaenidae) for the region 

 was 78 per hour of trawling, representing 4.8 

 percent of the total catch. They were most 

 abundant in Florida Outside at 198 per hour of 

 trawling and 7.3 percent of the catch; next in 

 South Carolina Outside, 100 per hour oftrawl- 

 ing and 4.8 percent of the catch; then Georgia 

 Outside, 99 per hour of trawling and 7.1 percent 

 of the catch; and least numerous in Georgia 

 Inside, 34 per hour of trawling and 2.3 percent 

 of the catch. 



Only 12 king whiting were taken per hour of 

 trawling in May and June; the number increased 



