Ecology of Hogchoker, a Numerically Dominant Species in Chesapeake Bay

This study investigates factors affecting the distribution and relative abundance of Hogchoker Trinectes maculatus from a 25-year trawl survey in Chesapeake Bay.   This demersal fish ranges from New York to Florida and is numerically dominant in Chesapeake Bay, ranking among the top six species captured by bottom trawl.  Annual relative abundance of Hogchoker can vary by three orders of magnitude with even greater variability observed among regions within Chesapeake Bay.  Most Hogchoker are found in the James River estuary; however, the nearby lower portion of Chesapeake Bay supports the fewest hogchoker in this system.  Bottom water temperature, depth, salinity, and dissolved oxygen explained most of the variation in relative abundance among size classes examined through GAMs and boosted regression tree analyses.  Distribution patterns were related to fish size such that smaller individuals were found in brackish freshwater habitats (< 10 psu), whereas larger members of the population resided in more saline habitats.  Hogchoker feed on benthic invertebrates and potentially form a link between benthic productivity and higher trophic levels.  Despite their high abundance, investigations of potential Hogchoker predators revealed limited consumption of Hogchoker.  Thus, this species may represent a carbon and nutrient sink in temperate estuaries.