SEAMAP Real-time Plots for the year 2000

Week 1

This is the first data summary of catch rate information from the 2000 SEAMAP Summer Shrimp/Groundfish Survey in the northern Gulf of Mexico. This is the nineteenth year of the survey. Offshore and coastal areas were sampled from June 5 (a.m.) through June 12 (a.m.), by Texas vessels, the A.E. VERRILL and the TOMMY MUNRO. Catch data from the A.E. VERRILL and TOMMY MUNRO were taken with 40-ft trawls, while Texas vessels used 20-ft trawls.

Alabama's A.E. VERRILL sampled inshore and offshore territorial waters and Mississippi's TOMMY MUNRO sampled east of the Mississippi River. Texas vessels sampled waters off Matagorda, and Aransas Bays and the Laguna Madre. Due to rough seas, Mississippi only completed one station. The remaining Mississippi stations will be sampled later in June.

Plotted catch rates have been converted to pounds per hour for a 40-ft trawl (20-ft trawl x 2). Shrimp counts are heads-off. Catch rates for finfish are given in the charts divided by 10; e.g., a charted catch rate of 19 means 190 lb/hr. The squares on the charts are 10-minute grids and contain an average catch or count from one or more sampling stations within a particular grid. The sampling stations were located randomly by depth zone.

Catches of all shrimp were low except off Alabama. The highest recorded brown shrimp catch rate in sampled areas east of the Mississippi River was 9.0 lb/hr of 65-count shrimp at the mouth of Mobile Bay. Catches of brown shrimp off Texas were all less than 1.0 lb/hr. Catches of white shrimp east of the River were extremely low. The highest white shrimp catch rate was 2.2 lb/hr of 18-count shrimp at 30°03.4' N. lat. and 88°48.3' W. long. White shrimp were only caught at one station off Texas. The highest pink shrimp catch rate east of the River was 13.8 lb/hr of 47-count shrimp at 30°09.6' N. lat. and 88°17.1' W. long., in 9 fm. No pink shrimp were caught off Texas. Overall, catches of finfish were extremely low, with a maximum catch rate east of the Mississippi River of 170 lb/hr in 6 fm at 30°03.4' N. lat. and 88°48.3' W. long. with Atlantic bumper being the predominant species. Off Texas, the maximum finfish catch rate was 140 lb/hr in 7 fm at 28°25.9' N. lat. and 96°12.8' W. long. with croaker being the predominant finfish species.

Week 1 Results Back to 2000