Peconic Bay Small Mesh Trawl Survey Annual Catch per Unit Effort: Beginning 1987

Species of macroinvertebrates are identified and counted (Weber, Grahn, and Havens, 1998). As of 2019, certain macroinvertebrates (calico crabs and whelk species) are being measured as well to provide more data in efforts towards conservation and management of those species. While many of the species encountered in the trawl may not themselves be directly important to New York’s recreational and commercial fisheries, some of these species are significant as forage or bait species (e.g. Anchovies, Herring, Silversides), as well as providing insight into the ecological relationships among these species and their significance as indicators of the health and well-being of this important estuary.

The catch per unit effort (CPUE) measures the quantity of fish caught during one tow of the trawl. This is used to estimate the abundance of fish in a population. This dataset includes the average CPUE by species and year.