Seasonal Abundance, Size, and Sex Ratio of Fishes Caught with Gill Nets in St. Andrew Bay, Florida

Sampling with monofilament gill nets was conducted for 72 consecutive h every 2 weeks from 10 January to 27 December 1973. The total catch of 11,230 fishes consisted of 70 species and 1 hybrid. Fishes of 10 families comprised over 97% of the total catch. Pelagic fishes comprised 46% of the total catch. The 10 most abundant species were: gulf menhaden, Brevoortia patronus; spot, Leiostomus xanthurus; sea catfish, Arius felis; pinfish, Lagodon rhomboides; blue runner, Caranx crysos; pigfish, Orthopristis chrysoptera; Atlantic croaker, Micropogon undulatus; bluefish, Pomatomas saltatrix; Spanish mackerel, Scomberomorus maculatus; and yellowfin menhaden, Brevoortia smithi. Periods of abundance for these 10 species were: gulf menhaden, spot, and pigfish in fall, winter, and spring; sea catfish and bluefish in spring and summer; Spanish mackerel in spring, summer, and fall; blue runner in late spring and summer; pin fish in spring and fall; Atlantic croaker in fall; and yellowfin menhaden in spring. Most of the specimens were adults. Females generally outnumbered the males. Species composition of, and inferences of seasonal abundance from, catches by gill net, by trawl, and by beach seine were compared.