NEW: Annual Report - George Mason University

Mean Catch Per Trawl
250
200
150
100
50
All Species
White Perch
Trawl Stations 7 and 10
All Species and White Perch
0
1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004
Figure 156a. Trawls. Annual Averages. All Species and White Perch. Cove Stations.
At cove stations, the mean catch of all species combined for 2003 was almost as low as the
previous low of 1996 (Figure 156a). Interestingly, the three lows in white perch all occurred in
wet years. The LOWESS trend line did not pick this up, but indicated continuation of slightly
reduced catch per trawl (Figure 156b). Most of the decline in 2003 was due to the poor
performances of white perch indicated by both the average number and the LOWESS trend line
(Figures 156a and 156c). The number of white perch found in 2003 was the lowest of any year
since the study began in 1984 and was the second year of very low catches. The LOWESS line
suggested a consistent trend of lower values from 1995 through 2003 for white perch.
All Species (#/trawl)
1000.0
100.0
10.0
1.0
Cove: Trawl Stations 7 and 10
1980 1990 2000 2010
YEAR
Cove: Trawl Stations 7 and 10
1
1980 1990 2000 2010
YEAR
Figure 156b. Trawls. Long Term Figure 157c. Trawls. Long term trend in
Trend in Total Catch. White Perch (Morone americana)
White Perch (#/trawl)
1000
100
10
117