percentage increased in April and reached 28.4 

 to 24.6 percent in May and June, dropped 

 abruptly to 5.8 to 7.9 from July to September, 

 increased to 16.9 to 13.4 in October and Novem- 

 ber, peaked at 41.4 percent in December, de- 

 clined sharply to 14.1 percent in January and 

 fell to the low in February (table 11). 



Ariidae.--The yearly average catch of sea 

 catfish for the area was 153 per hour of 

 trawling, representing 5.7 percent of the total 

 catch. 



Less than 1 catfish was taken per hour of 

 trawling in May; the number rose slowly over 

 the summer, peaked abruptly at 716 inSeptem- 

 ber, declined to 237 and 227 in October and 

 November, and generally declined over the 

 winter and early spring to the low in May 

 (table 11). 



The family contributed only 0.2 to 0.7 percent 

 of the monthly average catches from May to 

 July; the peak contribution of 18.2 percent 

 was in September; the percentage held at about 

 4 percent in October, November, and January, 

 and declined fronn February to April to the low 

 in May (table 11). 



Species 



Eight species of fish ( Stellifer lanceolatus , 

 Micropogon undulatus, Chloroscombrus chrys - 

 urus, Cynoscion nothus , Menticirrhus spp., 

 Leiostomus xanthurus , Bagre marinus , and 

 Vomer setapinnis --in that order) were 

 captured in greatest nunnbers and together 

 contributed 2,374 of the 2,725 yearly average 

 number per hour of trawling, and 87.2 percent 

 of the yearly average catch. 



STELLIFER LANCEOLATUS . --The yearly 

 average catch of star drum for the Florida 

 area was 774 per hour of trawling, representing 



28.4 percent of the total catch. 



No star drum were captured in May and only 

 13 per hour of trawling in June; the number 

 increased rapidly during the summer to 1,212 

 in September, peaked at 2,169 in October, 

 declined to 1,642 in November and 1,482 in 

 January, and continued to decline in late winter 

 and early spring to the low in May (table 1 2). 



The species was not taken in May, but 

 contributed 3.6 percent of the monthly average 

 catch in June, and 16.4 and 15.4 percent in 

 July and August; it contributed 27.0 to 38,5 

 percent of the monthly average catches in 

 September to November, 42 to 53 percent 

 January to March (peak in March), and then 

 declined abruptly to the low in May (table 12). 



MICROPOGON UNDULATUS. --The yearly 

 average catch of Atlantic croaker for the area 

 was 476 per hour of trawling, representing 



17.5 percent of the total catch. 



Only 16 and 20 croakers were taken per hour 

 of trawling in March and April; the number 

 generally increased during late spring and 



summer to 1,018 in September, peaked at 

 1,198 in November, declined abruptly to 587 

 in December, and continued the decline to the 

 low in March and April (table 12). 



Croakers contributed 1.0 to 1.7 percent of 

 the monthly average catches from Februaryto 

 April, 11.7 to 39.8 percent fronn May to Decem- 

 ber (peak in July and August), declined abruptly 

 in January to the low in February to April 

 (table 12). 



CHLOROSCOMBRUS CHRYSURUS .--T he 

 yearly average catch of bumper was 274 per 

 hour of trawling, representing 10.1 percent of 

 the total catch. 



Only 4 bumpers were taken per hour of 

 trawling in February; the number generally 

 increased over the spring, summer, and fall 

 to 624 and 458 in October and November, 

 peaked at 1,107 in December, declined abruptly 

 to 331 in January, and continued its decline to 

 the low in February (table 12). 



Bumpers contributed only 0.3 to 0.9 percent 

 of the monthly average catches in February 

 and March; they had two widely separated peaks 

 of contributions --one in May and June at 27.8 

 and 21.6 percent and the other in Decennber at 

 29.5 percent; they represented 5.7 to 11.1 

 percent of the catch from July to November 

 and 9.8 percent in January (table 12). 



CYNOSCION NOTHUS .--The yearly average 

 catch of white seatrout for the area was 262 

 per hour of trawling, representing 9.6 percent 

 of the total catch. 



Only 23 white seatrout were taken per hour of 

 trawling in May; the number generally in- 

 creased over late spring, sximmer, and fall, to 

 492 in November, peaked at 611 in December, 

 and generally declined through the winter; a 

 second peak of 500 per hour of trawling 

 occurred in April, followed by an abrupt decline 

 to the low in May (table 12). 



Percentages of the monthly average catches 

 contributed by white seatrout fluctuated from 

 4.5 to 9.7 from July to November, and ranged 

 from 6.3 to 38.4 percent from December to 

 June, with isolated peaks at 16.3 in December, 

 38.4 in April (the highest), and 21.7 in June 

 (table 12). 



MENTICIRRHUS spp . --The yearly average 

 catch of king whiting for the area was 198 per 

 hour of trawling, representing 7.3 percent of 

 the total catch. 



Only 1 to 3 king whiting were taken per hour 

 of trawling in May and June; the number in- 

 creased over the sumnner to 286 inSeptember, 

 peaked at 754 in October, declined to 448 in 

 November, continued to decline over the winter, 

 displayed a secondary peak of 248 in April, 

 and dropped abruptly to the low in May and June 

 (table 12). 



The species contributed only 0.4 percent of 

 the monthly average catchin June; the percent- 

 age fluctuated between 2.8 and 9.1 fronn July to 



15 



