APPENDIX III VN = oat dy De >, Gs i 
species of greatest potential. Recent estimates of stock 
size for several species in the eastern Gulf of Mexico are 
shown below. Estimates of potential annual yield were ob- 
tained from mean biomass estimates. 
Estimated maximum 
Mean biomass sustainable yield 
estimate (note a) (million pounds) 
Species (million pounds) M=0.50 M=0.75 M=1.00 
a (al ONS! Dy ep 
Thread herring 33! i333: 199 266 
Scaled sardines 406 101 WS 203 
Round herring 836 209 Sys} 417 
Aggregate potential 
yield 443 64 886 
“Based on 2 or more years of data. 
Dvields are given for three possible levels of the natural 
mortality coefficient (M). 
No estimate was obtained for spanish sardine biomass, 
but it is believed to be about 551 million pounds. If the 
Spanish sardine biomass is that amount, it could contribute 
from 138 to 276 million pounds to the annual yield, raising 
the total aggregate yield to a maximum of about 1,157 million 
pounds. 
Anchovy stocks in the Gulf were not estimated but are 
believed to be probably as large as the herring and sardine 
stocks. 
Harvesting capability 
NMFS researchers have proposed an automated fishing 
system they believe will effectively harvest the herring-like 
resources. This system would be unmanned from harvesting 
through processing; the only manpower or vessel requirement 
would be to service and maintain fishing platforms and to 
offload the processed products. 
The proposed system would be based on the unused oil rig 
platforms as attractors of coastal pelagic fishes. The fish 
that congregate around and under the platforms would be per- 
ilodically harvested with the aid of attraction lights and 
electrical fields. An automatic processing vessel or barge, 
280 
