Table 4. — Size and month of collection of smallest 

 specimens for the most abundant species 



DISCUSSION 



Seasonal and spatial trends in the distribution 

 of fishes are evident; however, synoptic dif- 

 ferences in availability are difficult to evaluate 

 because of variations in sampling gear. Change 

 in length of netfrom 7.5 m. to 30 m. in Septem- 

 ber did not increase the number of species 

 sannpled (figure 3), but the possible increased 

 efficiency, reflected by higher catches, prob- 

 ably accounted for the September peak in 

 catch-per-unit-effort (figure 4). DeLacy and 

 English (1954), sampling along an exposed 

 shore, experienced a consistent and innpressive 

 increase in diversity of species and in numbers 

 caught, with a 120-ft. seine as connpared with 

 replicate hauls of a 60-ft. seine. 



In a small tributary, with shores converging 

 upstream, a valid coefficient of relative seine 



efficiency, applicable to all species involved, 

 is difficult to obtain. For example, from seine 

 collections made on 13 sampling dates from 

 July 13 to August 26, the following sequence of 

 catch per haul of Atlantic silversides and men- 

 haden was made in lower (station 1-3) and 

 upper (station 4-6) creek areas (table 5). 

 Unfortunately, we did not attempt a concen- 

 trated effort to connpare efficiencies of the 

 different gear in the same day and in the sanne 

 area. 



Table 5. --Comparative catch per Seine haul of A'^lantic silversides and 

 Atlantic menhaden by different nets 



The Atlantic silverside catch appeared to be 

 related fairly closely to the length of net used. 

 For Atlantic menhaden, the 30-m. net was 

 considerably more effective than either the 

 7.5-m. or 15-m. length. In lower creek stations 

 the 7.5-m. net appeared to be connpletely in- 

 efficient for menhaden. Aside fronn sweep area 

 of a seine, variable factors, such as schooling 

 behavior, distribution, and size of fish, ob- 

 viously must be considered in making seining 

 efforts productive. We made the changeover to 

 a 30-m. seine on this basis, returning to 

 the 7.5-m. net the following spring to pre- 

 vent the decin-iation of larvae through ex- 

 cessive catches. 



These data tend to corroborate the con- 

 clusion of Allen, DeLacy, and Gotshall (1960) 

 that efficiency of gear for one species in one 

 area does not imply equal efficiency for the 

 same species in another area. 



Despite the limitations of sampling, it is 

 evident that White Creek is an important 

 nursery, both for summer nnigrants and resi- 

 dent species. In this respect it is similar to 

 larger tributaries. Comparison of species 

 checklists of DeSylva, Kalber, and Schuster 

 (196Z) and Schwartz (1961) with that of the 

 present study indicated 40 species in common 

 with Delaware Bay, and 29 with Chincoteague 

 and Sinepuxent Bays, Md., and 21 species 

 common to all three locations. Differences in 

 the fish fauna of White Creek and Delaware Bay 

 resulted mainly fronn the variety of fresh- water 

 species in Delaware Bay and the occurrences 

 of incidental species in White Creek. Chinco- 

 teague and Sinepuxent Bays are essentially tidal 



10 



