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LAPP-2020-02

The NMFS Galveston Reef Fish Observer Program began mandatory coverage of the Gulf of Mexico commercial reef fish fishery in July 2006. Since that time the program has recorded catch data from vessels using multiple gear types (vertical line, bottom longline, spearfishing, and buoy fishing) across broad spatial and temporal scales (Scott-Denton et al., 2011; Scott- Denton and Williams, 2013). While at-sea, fishery observers record characteristics of individual captured fish such as length, weight, discard disposition, location, and other environmental factors (NMFS, 2016). Length and weight data obtained from at-sea fishery observer programs are often useful because they include information about species not landed, e.g. non-target species, or for size ranges of target species typically discarded at-sea. Length-weight regression models are used extensively to estimate weight from length because of the technical difficulties in obtaining accurate weights while in the field. The purpose of this document is to provide length-weight relationships, location, and depth distributions for target and non-target reef fish species using data collected by the Galveston Reef Fish Observer Program from July 2006 through December 2015.

The specific objectives of this paper are to: 1) summarize trip, vessel, environmental, and gear characteristics; 2) quantify fish and protected species captures ; and 3) estimate catch per unit of effort (CPUE) trends and spatial distribution for target and nontarget species, excluding protected species. (Introduction)

The skimmer trawl fishery in the northern Gulf of Mexico targets inshore areas to harvest penaeid shrimp (Family Penaeidae). The primary species targeted are brown shrimp, Farfantepenaeus aztecus, from May through July, and white shrimp, Litopenaeus setiferus, from August through December. Skimmer trawls have been documented in Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi as well as North Carolina. In 2013, Louisiana sold 3,236 resident ($25 per net) and 76 non-resident ($100 per net) commercial skimmer net licenses. Skimmer trawls are unique in that the nets are attached to rigid frames on the vessel instead of using conventional otter trawl doors to open the net. This allows the vessel operator to retrieve the cod ends while the nets are still actively fishing. Butterfly nets are very similar in concept to skimmer trawls, but a butterfly net has a rigid bottom frame that forms a square completely encircling the net opening. Numerous studies in the past have examined various aspects of the skimmer trawl fishery in the southeastern U.S. providing a background of information (Hines et al., 1993; Coale et al., 1994; Hein and Meier, 1995; Scott-Denton et al., 2007; Price and Gearhart, 2011; Pulver et al., 2012; Pulver et al. 2014).