The
Chesapeake Bay estuary provides habitat for more than 200 species of fishes.
Many of these fishes, in addition to invertebrates such as blue crabs and
oysters, support important commercial and recreational fisheries. Monitoring
the populations of economically important species, as well as those species
linked to them in the food web, provides necessary information to managers
working to ensure that future harvests will be possible.
The Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) Juvenile Fish and Blue Crab Survey, which has played an important role in researching and monitoring the Bay's fish populations since 1955, tracks trends in seasonal distribution and abundance of commercially, recreationally and ecologically important finfish and invertebrates.
The primary goal of the survey is to develop indices of abundance, which measure the relative size of each year class of a target species. These indices 1) indicate annual recruitment success or failure and 2) help predict the future abundance of the stock.
The data generated by the survey are used by fishery managers and researchers. These data, together with data from other surveys, are used by the Virginia Marine Resources Commission as well as multi-state fishery management councils to create fishery management plans. Many of these plans specifically cite the VIMS Juvenile Fish and Blue Crab Survey and the need for its continuation.
In addition to developing juvenile abundance indices, the survey provides opportunities for research by survey personnel, graduate students and collaborating scientists, resulting in numerous reports, publications and theses and dissertations.