SUMMARY 



From the foregoing catch records and observations it is evident that East 

 Lagoon is utilized as a nursery area by numerous species of fish and inverte- 

 brates, Sonne of which are of considerable importance to angling and commercial 

 fishing. A number of fish families, notably: Sparidae, Sciaenidae, Engraulidae, 

 Atherinidae, Mugilidae, Ephippidae, and Pleuronectidae occur not only in immature 

 stages but nnay be found as adults throughout the year. Table 6 summarizes the 

 occurrence of these and other fishes captured or observed during the course of 

 study. 



Table 6. --Occurrence of various fishes (and turtle) captured or observed, 



November 1953-May 1958 



Name 



Immature forms 



Adults 



Loggerhead turtle 

 Alligator gar 

 Gafftopsail catfish 



Hardhead catfish 



Spotted snake eel 



Speckled worm eel 

 Ocellated moray 

 Tenpounder 

 Gizzard shad 

 Big-Eyed sardine 

 Thread herring 



Gulf menhaden 

 Bay anchovy 



Striped anchovy 



Lizardfish 



Killifishes 



Sailfin molly 



Needlefish 



Pipefish 



Silversides 



Striped mullet 

 Eight-Fingered threadfin 



Cutlass fish 



Common jack 



Bunnper 



Lookdown 

 Common pompano 

 Leather jacket 

 Bluefish 



none 

 none 

 none 



none 



winter months 



none 



March-mid -May 



none 



May-Nov. 



single juvenile, 



Dec. 1957 



mid -Nov. -May 



mostly late fall-early 



spring 



none 



spring 



spring 



none 



none 



early spring 



fall 



mid -Nov. to mid -Feb. 

 none 



none 



warmer months 



warmer nnonths 



none 



late spring-early fall 



summer 



none 



single capture, Aug. 1957 

 single capture. May 1958 

 infrequently -warmer 

 months 



common-M a y-O c t. Occa- 

 sionally rest of year 

 capture records confined to 

 Oct. 1955 

 none 



single capture, Oct. 1955 

 none 

 sporadic 

 none 

 none 



none 



all year, but very few late 



summer-early fall 



sporadic - 4 occasions - 



March, Sept., Nov., Jan. 



warmer months 



all year 



warmer months 



warmer months 



none 



all year, most abundant in 



summer 



all year 



2 capture records-April 



1956 



all year, most abundant in 



warmer months 



warmer months, mostly 



summer 



warmer months, mostly 



summer 



single capture, Nov. 1955 



summer and fall 



late summer and fall 



late spring and summer 



27 



