Abstract:

Southern flounder (Paralichthys lethostigma) populations are declining in the Gulf of Mexico basin. This is particularly true in Texas, where this unique and culturally important fishery has been in decline since the 1980s despite increasingly stringent regulatory measures. Current angler-intercept creel surveys used to estimate recreational flounder harvest levels are conducted during daylight hours and do not account for the high levels of nighttime flounder gigging (spearing) activity, a popular and efficient harvest method for this fishery. There are legitimate scientific and logistical concerns that have prevented the use of wide-spread nighttime creel surveys to monitor the flounder gigging fishery in the past, however this has made accurate catch and effort estimates difficult to obtain. Given the concern about this economically important fishery’s status, we adopted a unique approach utilizing social media to provide unprecedented information into this fishery’s impact during periods that are not traditionally monitored. Specifically, we reconstructed seasonal flounder harvest and effort metrics stemming from the nighttime recreational guided flounder gigging sector over 2.6 years using guided flounder gigging charter photo archives publicly available through Facebook. The dataset here represents trip records for three guides that posted numerous photos of their guided trips on Facebook. Each row represents one photo that was assumed to represent an individual charter trip (usually confirmed based on photo description or client party size). For each photo, the number of clients and all fish pictured were identified to the lowest taxonomic level possible and counted. For each photo, two independent readers made blind counts of each species present and the number of clients. When counts differed, the photo was jointly examined to reach a consensus. This dataset supports the publication: Hall, Q. A., D. M. Coffey, M. K. Streich, M. R. Fisher, and G. W. Stunz. 2022. Social media shines light on the "hidden" impact of nighttime guide-gigging charters on Texas' Southern Flounder fishery: A stab in the dark. PLOS ONE. In Press.

Suggested Citation:

Hall, Quentin A., Daniel M. Coffey, Matthew K. Streich, Mark R. Fisher, and Greg W. Stunz. 2022. Southern flounder gigging charter trip logs from the Texas Coastal Bend from 2017-05-01 to 2019-12-31. Distributed by: GRIIDC, Harte Research Institute, Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi. doi:10.7266/NBHGK8RA

Purpose:

The purpose of this data is to provide information on effort and harvest metrics for the guided recreational flounder gig fishery in Texas. Because traditional creel surveys conducted by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department do not survey nighttime fishery activities, these data here represent an important glimpse of one sector of the nighttime gig fishery (private gigging is also not estimated). These data will improve our knowledge of the Texas Flounder Fishery and aid resource managers responsible for maintaining a sustainable fishery for future generations.

Data Parameters and Units:

Guide code (unique number identifier for each guide), year (year of trip [photo]), month (month of trip [photo]), clients in picture (number of people gigging on trip), flounder count (number of flounder counted), other species present (harvested- yes (Y) or no (N)), black drum count (number of black drum counted), sheepshead count (number of sheepshead counted), stingray spp. count (number of stingrays counted), alligator gar count (number of alligator gar counted), pompano count (number of pompano counted), unidentified count (number of unidentifiable fish counted).

Methods:

The dataset here represents trip records for three guides that posted numerous photos of their guided trips on Facebook. Each row represents one photo that was assumed to represent an individual charter trip (usually confirmed based on photo description or client party size). For each photo, the number of clients and all fish pictured were identified to the lowest taxonomic level possible and counted. For each photo, two independent readers made blind counts of each species present and the number of clients. When counts differed, the photo was jointly examined to reach a consensus.

Individual Files: