STATE OF CONNECTICUT DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION Daniel C. Esty Commissioner Bureau of Natural Resources Marine Fisheries Division www.ct.gov/dep/fishing A STUDY OF MARINE RECREATIONAL FISHERIES IN CONNECTICUT Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration F-54-R-30 Annual Performance Report March 1, 2010 – February 28, 2011 State of Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection 79 Elm Street Hartford, CT 06106-5127 www.ct.gov/dep Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration F-54-R-30 Annual Performance Report Project Title: A Study of Marine Recreational Fisheries in Connecticut Period Covered: March 1, 2010 - February 28, 2011 Job Title Prepared by: Job 1: Marine Angler Survey Roderick E. MacLeod Part 1: Marine Recreational Fishery Statistics survey Part 2: Volunteer Angler Survey Job 2: Marine Finfish Survey Part 1: Long Island Sound Trawl Survey Kurt F. Gottschall Deborah J. Pacileo Part 2: Estuarine Seine Survey David R. Molnar Job 3: Inshore Survey Jacqueline M. Benway Job 4: Studies in Conservation Engineering Inactive Job 5: Cooperative Interagency Resource Monitoring Matthew J. Lyman Katie O’Brien-Clayton Job 6: Public Outreach David R. Molnar _______________________________ Approved by: David G. Simpson, Director Date: June 30, 2011 Marine Fisheries Division Cover photo taken at a Connecticut River American shad (Alosa sapidissima) juvenile seine survey site in East Haddam. JOB 2: MARINE FINFISH SURVEY Part 1: Long Island Sound Trawl Survey Part 2: Estuarine Seine Survey Job 2 Page i PART 1: LONG ISLAND SOUND TRAWL SURVEY TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES ......................................................................................................................... iii LIST OF FIGURES ........................................................................................................................ v Cruise results from the 2010 Spring surveys .................................................................................. 1 STUDY PERIOD AND AREA ...................................................................................................... 1 GOAL ............................................................................................................................................. 1 OBJECTIVES ................................................................................................................................ 1 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................... 2 METHODS ..................................................................................................................................... 2 Sampling Design ................................................................................................................ 2 Sampling Procedures .......................................................................................................... 3 Data Analysis ..................................................................................................................... 4 Indices of Abundance: Annual Mean Count and Weight per Tow ........................ 4 Indices of Abundance: Indices-at-Age and Age Group ......................................... 5 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION .................................................................................................... 7 Overview of LISTS 2010 Spring Survey ........................................................................... 7 Cooperative Sample and Data Collection .......................................................................... 8 Number of Species Identified ............................................................................................. 8 Total Catch ......................................................................................................................... 8 Length Frequencies ............................................................................................................ 9 Seasonal Indices of Abundance .......................................................................................... 10 Indices of Abundance: Important Recreational Species .................................................... 11 MODIFICATIONS ........................................................................................................................ 12 LITERATURE CITED ................................................................................................................... 13 TABLES 2.1 - 2.24 ........................................................................................................................ 15 TABLES 2.25 - 2.56 (Length Frequencies) ................................................................................... 39 FIGURES 2.1 - 2.11 ....................................................................................................................... 73 APPENDICES ................................................................................................................................ 85 Appendix 2.1. List of finfish species identified by A Study of Marine Recreational Fisheries in Connecticut (F54R) and other CT DEP Marine Fisheries Division programs. .............. 86 Appendix 2.2. Annual total count of finfish, lobster and squid taken in the LISTS, 1984-2010. .......... 89 Appendix 2.3. Annual total weight (kg) of finfish, lobster and squid taken in LISTS, 1992-2010. ....... 92 Appendix 2.4. Total number and weight (kg) of finfish and invertebrates caught in LISTS, 1984-2010. ...................................................................................................................... 95 Appendix 2.5. Classifying female winter flounder maturity during CT-DEP resource surveys: comparing macroscopic maturity classifications with results from a gonad histology method ............................................................................................................. 123 Job 2 Page ii LIST OF TABLES Table 2.1. Specifications for the Wilcox 14 m high-rise trawl net and associated gear. ......................... 16 Table 2.2. The number of sites scheduled for sampling each month within the 12 depth-bottom type strata. .............................................................................................................................. 16 Table 2.3. Length and age data collected in 2010. .................................................................................. 17 Table 2.4. Number of Long Island Sound Trawl Survey (LISTS) samples taken by year and cruise ..... 18 Table 2.5. Station information for LISTS April 2010. ............................................................................ 19 Table 2.6. Station information for LISTS May 2010. ............................................................................. 20 Table 2.7. Samples with non-standard tow durations and reason for incomplete tow, spring 2010. ...... 21 Table 2.8. Data requests by month, 2010. ............................................................................................... 22 Table 2.9. Sample requests by month, 2010. ........................................................................................... 23 Table 2.10. List of finfish species observed in 2010. ................................................................................ 24 Table 2.11. List of invertebrate species observed in 2010. ....................................................................... 25 Table 2.12. Total number and weight (kg) of finfish and invertebrates caught in 2010. .......................... 26 Table 2.13. Spring indices of abundance for selected species, 1984-2010. .............................................. 27 Table 2.14. Fall indices of abundance for selected species, 1984-2010. ................................................... 28 Table 2.15. Finfish and invertebrate biomass indices for the spring sampling period, 1992-2010. .......... 29 Table 2.16. Finfish and invertebrate biomass indices for the fall sampling period, 1992-2010 ................ 30 Table 2.17. Bluefish indices of abundance, 1984-2010. ............................................................................ 31 Table 2.18. Scup indices at-age, 1984-2010. ............................................................................................. 32 Table 2.19. Age frequency of striped bass taken in spring, 1984-2010. ................................................... 33 Table 2.20. Striped bass indices-at-age, 1984-2010. ................................................................................. 33 Table 2.21. Summer flounder indices-at-age, 1984-2010. ........................................................................ 34 Table 2.22. Tautog indices-at-age, 1984-2010. ......................................................................................... 35 Table 2.23. Weakfish age 0 and age 1+ indices of abundance, 1984-2010. ............................................. 36 Table 2.24. Winter flounder indices-at-age, 1984-2010. ........................................................................... 37 Table 2.25. Alewife length frequencies, spring and fall, 1 cm intervals, 1989-2010. ............................... 40 Table 2.26. American shad length frequencies, spring and fall, 2 cm intervals (midpoint given), 1989-2010. .............................................................................................................................. 41 Table 2.27. American lobster length frequencies - spring, female, 1 mm