Red snapper reproduction revisited: spawning and fecundity in the northern Gulf of Mexico, 1998-1999

L. A. Collins, G. R. Fitzhugh, and R. J. Allman
National Marine Fisheries Service, 3500 Delwood Beach Road, Panama City, FL 32408 USA; Phone: (850) 234-6541; Fax: (850) 235-3559; E-mail: acollins@nmfspc.ssp.nmfs.gov

Due to increased management concern by NMFS, we analyzed gonads and otoliths from red snapper (Lutjanidae: Lutjanus campechanus) landed in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and west Florida during 1998-1999. Our main objective was to provide age-specific estimates of annual fecundity (from batch fecundity and frequency of spawning) for large red snapper landed west of Panama City, Florida, to south Texas. We previously provided estimates of fecundity from northwest Florida red snapper, and ongoing work by the NMFS Beaufort Laboratory Headboat sampling program is providing an increased size range and broader geographic representation. Red snapper were often selected non-randomly to provide the best possible sample numbers of large fish (500 to ~900 mm total length, TL). Sex ratio of 939 headboat-caught fish was 1:1. Spawning began in April-May and ended in September-October from Texas to Florida. The smallest ripe female was 279 mm TL. Batch fecundity (estimated from 60 ripe fish ranging from 359 to 901 mm TL) was 3.4 million for a 851 mm TL, 11 year-old Louisiana fish. Spawning frequency estimates by age were about 50% greater for age 6-35 females than for age 3-5 females. Estimates of spawning frequency and annual fecundity are in progress.