Seasonal Biomass, Abundance, and Distribution of Estuarine Dependent Fishes in the Caminada

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LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses Graduate School
1973
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Paul Robert Wagner
Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College
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Wagner, Paul Robert, "Seasonal Biomass, Abundance, and Distribution of Estuarine Dependent Fishes in
the Caminada Bay System of Louisiana." (1973). LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses. 2437.
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WAGNER, Paul Robert, 1947-
SEASONAL BICMASS, ABUNDANCE, AND DISTRIBUTION
OF ESTUARINE DEPENDENT FISHES IN THE CAMINADA
BAY SYSTEM OF LOUISIANA.
The Louisiana State U niversity and A gricultural
and Mechanical College, Ph.D., 1973
Ecology
University Microfilms, A XEROX Company, Ann Arbor, Michigan <
THIS DISSERTATION HAS BEEN MICROFILMED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED.
Seasonal Biomass, Abundance, and Distribution of
Estuarine Dependent Fishes in the Caminada
Bay System of Louisiana
A D issertation
Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the
Louisiana State University and
Agricultural and Mechanical College
in partial fulfillm ent of the
requirements for the degree of
Doctor of Philosophy
in
The Department of Marine Sciences
by
Paul Robert Wagner
B.S., Tulane University, 1968
M.S., Tulane University, 1970
May, 1973
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to express my appreciation to my advisor, Dr.
Harold Loesch, for providing inspiration and guidance in both
field work and the writing of this dissertation. I also wish to
thank the other members of my graduate committee, Dr. Ted Ford,
Dr. William G. Smith, Dr. Frank Truesdale and Dr. Dudley Culley
for helpful advice and support throughout ttry entire graduate pro­
gram.
Logistical support was provided in the way of a base camp at
Grand Isle where boats, nets and equipment were kept. I appreciate
the help of Rodney Adams, Edwin Bishop and James Blackmon in this
capacity.
Assistance in the collection of fishes was provided by Harold
Loesch, John Day, G ill Smith, Arthur Crowe, Steve Loesch, Jon
Loesch, Steve Verret, Robin Kuckyr, Jim Bishop and Richard Day.
Thanks are due to each of them.
John Day, Becky Horn, and Mrs. Alice Dunn were particularly
helpful in preparing the figures. I would also like to express my
appreciation to Mrs. Joan Myers for typing the manuscript.
Special recognition is due ray mother and father, Helene and
Paul E. Wagner, for their confidence and encouragement.
This investigation was sponsored by Louisiana State University's
Office of Sea Grant Development. LSU's Sea Grant Program is a part
of the national Sea Grant Program, which is maintained by the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the U. S. Department of
Commerce.
ii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS..................................................................................................... ii
LIST OF TABLES.......................................................................................................... v
LIST OF FIGURES.................................................................................................... v ii
ABSTRACT ....................................................... x
INTRODUCTION......................................................................... 1
Factors Affecting Fish Populations .............................................. 1
Louisiana Estuaries.............................................................................. . 1
Estuarine Fisheries - Exploited Yet Not Understood . . . 2
O bjectives........................................................................................... 3
Previous Work................................................................................................. 4
DESCRIPTION OF THE STUDY AREA...................... . . 12
Caminada B ay.......................................................................' ...................... 12
Description of Sampling Stations ................................................... 14
MATERIALS AND. METHODS........................................................... . 19
Use and Measurements of Sampling Gear. . .................. . . 19
Station Sampling Frequency............................................................... 22
Hydrographic Parameters.................................................. 23
Processing of Samples and Laboratory Procedure ................... 23
Analysis of .Fie Id D a ta ....................................................... 26
. Length-Frequency Distributions. . . . ............................ 26
Length-Weight Relationship. . . . . . . . ................... 26
Procedure' Used in Calculating Fish Production . . . 26
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION............................................................... 30
Major Physiocochemical Conditions......................................... 30
Temperature.................................................. 30
Salinity. . . ........................... 34
Caminada Bay Fish Population . ........................... 39
Seasonal Biomass and Abundance ................................ 41
. Trawl Biomass...................... . . . 41
. Trammel Net Biomass ^ '46
Seine Biomass . . . . . . . . . 47
Total Biomass Taken with Combined Gear. . . . . 51
Factors Influencing Seasonal Biomass
and Abundance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Temperature . . . . . . . . . 53
iii
Page
Salinity and Species Diversity ...................................... 56
Food A v a ila b ility .................................................................. 57
Areal Biomass and Abundance.................................................................. 58
Individual Station Biomass and Abundance ........................ 58
Individual Station Biomass and Abundance
- Summary............................................................................................. 66
Importance of Nearshore Zone and Marsh-Water
In te rfa c e ............................................................................................. 72
Biomass, Abundance and Distribution of Dominant
S p e c ie s ........................................................................................................... 75
Anchoa m itc h illi............................................................................... 75
Brevoortia patronus..................................... 79
Leiostomus xanthurus ...................................................................... 83
Micropogon undulatus ...................................................................... 86
Arius fe lis............................................................................................. 91
Biomass, Abundance and Distribution of Less
Abundant and Rare Species...................................................................... 93
Trophic Level Biomass ............................................................................... 108
Seasonal Movements and M igrations.................................................... 110
Categorization of Fishes ...................................................................... 114
Seasonal and Areal Species Composition.......................................... 116
Gear Selectivity............................................................................................. 127
Age and Growth of the Atlantic Croaker.......................................... 130
Estimate of Growth from Length-Frequency
Distribution .................................................................................... 132
Scale A nalysis.................................................................................... 135
Length-Weight Relationship . . . ........................................... 139
Fish Production............................................................................................. 142
Direct Estimate of Age Class 0 A tlantic
Croaker Production........................................................................... 146
Allen Graphical M ethod........................................................ 146
Ricker Numerical Method........................................................ 150
Estimate of Total Fish Production Based on
A tlantic Croaker Production .................................................... 151
Indirect Estimate of Potential Fish Production
Based on Primary Productivity Data...................................... 156
CONCLUSIONS.................................................................................................................... 159
REFERENCES CITED ...................................................................................................... 168
APPENDIX........................................................................................................................ 178
V IT A .................................................................................................................................. 193
iv
LIST OF TABLES
Table Page
1. Sampling Schedule...........................................................................................................24
2. Summary of Physical Data - Caminada Bay A re a ...........................................31
3. Water Temperatures °C in the Caminada Bay Area
March 1971 - June 1972 ................................................................................... 33
4. Salinities °/oo in the Caminada Bay Area
March 1971 - June 1972 ................................................................................... 38
2
5. Seasonal Biomass of Fishes (g/m Wet Weight) Available
to Fishing Gear at Each Station......................................................................68
6. Summary of Station Biomass, Abundance and Species
Composition D a ta .......................................................................................................70
7. Numerical Abundance and Seasonal Biomass of the
Most Frequently Caught Species Taken at All
Stations with Combined Gear................................................................................76
8. Total Number and Biomass, Length Range, Maximum
and Minimum Salinities and Temperatures, Location
and Method of Capture of All Species Taken in the
Caminada Bay Area March 1971 - June 1972 .......................................... 94
9. Mean Standing Crop Biomass of Fishes of Each Trophic
Level.................................................................................................................................109
10. Taxonomic Check L ist, Trophic Level, and Category
of Fishes of the Caminada Bay System .......................................................117
11. Species Taken Exclusively During Each Season and
All Y e a r.......................................................................................................................124
12. Species Taken Only at Certain Stations and At All
S ta tio n s.......................................................................................................................125
13. Selectivity of the Three Types of Gear . .............................................128
14. Species Taken with Only One Type of Gear and By All Gear . . . 129
15. Age-Length Relationship of Atlantic Croaker from
Previous Studies Along the Atlantic and Gulf
Coasts and This Study...........................................................................................131
v
Table Page
16. Estimate of Age Class 0 Croaker Growth Rate
Derived from Length-Frequency Data........................................................ 136
17. Length-Frequency Distribution of Age Class 0 Atlantic
Croakers from July 1971 to June 1972................................................... 137
18. Length-weight relationship, Micropogon undulatus,
Caminada Bay Area, May 1971 - April 1972.......................................... 140
19. Estimates of Standing Crop Biomass in Estuarine
and Marine Ecosystems ................................................................................... 143
20. A tlantic Croaker Production (Age Class 0) in the
Caminada Bay System (1971-2) Derived from Allen's
Graphical Method................................................................................................. 148
21. A tlantic Croaker Production (Age Class 0) in the
Caminada Bay System (1971-2) Derived from
Ricker's Numerical Method .......................................................................... 152
22. Estimates of Fish Production in Estuarine and Marine
Ecosystems Based on Field Measurements.............................................. 155
23. Potential Annual Fish Production in the Caminada Bay
System Based on Primary Productivity D a ta ..................................... 158
24. Analysis of Variance, Biomass and Numbers of Fish
Taken with 16 Foot Trawl..............................................................................178«t
vi
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure Page
1. Map of Caminada Bay System and Sampling Stations.................. 16
2. Mean Surface Water Temperatures in the Caminada Bay
System from March 1971 - June 1972........................................... 32
3. Monthly Mean and Range of Water Temperatures Taken
from Continuous Recorder at Grand Terre Marine
Laboratory, March 1971 - June 1972............................................... 35
4. Salinities (°/oo) at Each Station from March 1971 -
June 1972 ...................................................................................................... 37
5. Biomass of Trawl Caught Fishes in the Caminada Bay
System March 1971 - June 1972 ........................................................ 42
6. Biomass of Fishes Taken with 300 ft. Trammel Net in
the Caminada Bay System April 1971 - June 1972................... 48
7. Biomass of Fishes Taken with 75 ft. Bag Seine in the
Caminada Bay System May 1971 - June 1972................................. 50
8. Total Biomass and Number of Fish Taken with Combined
Gear at All Stations March 1971 - June 1972 ........................ 52
9. Total Biomass of Fish Taken with Combined Gear in
Relation to Seasonal Mean Water Temperature and
Mean Species Diversity March 1971 - June 1972 ................... 54
10. Seasonal Biomass of Trawl Caught Fishes in Relation
to Seasonal Food Biomass (1971) ................................................... 59
11. Seasonal Biomass of Trawl Caught Fishes in Relation
to Seasonal Production of Organic Detritus (1971) . . 60
12. Biomass and Number of Fish Taken with 75 ft. Bag Seine
at Station 0, May 1971 - June 1972............................................... 179
13. Biomass and Number of Fish Taken with 16 ft. Trawl
at Station 1, March 1971 - June 1972........................................... 180
14. Biomass and Number of Fish Taken with 75 ft. Bag
Seine at Station 1, May 1971 - June 1972.................................. 181
15. Biomass and Number of Fish Taken with 16 ft. Trawl
at Station 2, March 1971 - June 1972........................................... 182
v ii