Catch efficiency of a small seine for benthic juveniles of the yellowfin goby Acanthogobius flavimanus on a tidal mudflat

Abstract

Experimental hauls of a small seine for juvenile yellowfin goby, Acanthogobius flavimanus, were carried out on a tidal mudflat in the Shinhama Lagoon, central Japan, between April and June 2001. Immediately before each haul, visual censuses were conducted to evaluate whether juvenile densities estimated from the catches accurately reflected real densities in the area. The densities estimated from the net samples were significantly lower than those determined by visual censuses throughout the study period. The catch efficiency of the small seine for juveniles of ca. 17–40 mm in standard length was estimated as 23–71%, a negative relationship between efficiency and fish length being found.