Report Available Relating Fish Condition and Primary Production to Calcasieu Oysters

[MathGeek]

We've been studying fish condition in Calcasieu for the past four years, having weighed and measured over 1000 fish. Work is ongoing, but the a draft report for 2011-2014 is now available. Please PM me with an email address and I'll send you a copy.

Main findings are:

*Fish condition is significantly correlated with oyster stock assessments for black drum, gafftop catfish, and longer length classes of red drum. Spotted sea trout condition is not positively correlated with oyster stock assessments.

*Available data does not support the hypothesis that limited weir closures needed to protect the marsh from saltwater intrusion reduce fish condition.

*Oyster stock assessments are significantly correlated with primary production in nearshore Gulf waters. This suggests that oysters not only increase production in Calcasieu Estuary itself, but that filtering effects and exchange of water between the Estuary and nearshore Gulf result in oysters benefitting production in nearshore waters up to 100 km from the Estuary.

Correlation coefficients between oyster stocks and primary production for regions studied are shown in the attached map.