Shrimps and whitebait in the polluted Thames estuary

Abstract

This paper records the seasonal incidence of shrimps, sprats and herrings, the most abundant nektonic species, off West Thurrock in the Thames estuary during 1967–70. It also deals with their age classes and their diet. The object of monitoring the shrimp fish fauna is to establish a quantitative base line against which the effects of future developments for the river, such as the erection of a barrier, can ultimately be measured. It can also serve as an index to the effects of the strike of public employees of sewage plants on the state of the river, and monitoring for this purpose continues and will be reported later.