MARMAP Studies of Reef Fishes off the Southeastern United States 1983-2000

John C. McGovern, George R. Sedberry and Daniel J. Machowski
SCDNR, P.O. Box 12559, Charleston, SC 29422 mcgovernj@mrd.dnr.state.sc.us

The Marine Resources Monitoring Assessment and Prediction Program (MARMAP) has conducted a cooperative effort with the National Marine Fisheries Service at the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources since 1972. Initially, MARMAP surveyed ichthyoplankton and groundfish but since the early 1980's MARMAP has concentrated on monitoring the abundance of reef fishes with trapping gear and conducting life history studies on species of commercial and recreational importance. In 1996, MARMAP also began monitoring fishes associated with deep water reefs and in the tilefish grounds with longline. Routine sampling with standard trapping gear has documented significant declines in the catch per unit effort (CPUE) of species such as black sea bass, red porgy, and vermilion snapper suggesting that these species are overfished. However, CPUE of other species (i.e. gray triggerfish and white grunt) has increased. Similar trends have been observed for headboat catches. Life history studies conducted by MARMAP during the last few years also indicate that many reef species are probably overfished. For example, red porgy and vermilion snapper have shown significant declines in the size at age and size at maturity. There has been a decline in the percentage of males in several grouper species (gag, scamp, snowy grouper). Significant increases in the size at age of gag and snowy grouper have occurred. Recently completed life history studies on white grunt, bank sea bass, golden tilefish, black sea bass and scamp indicate that some of these species are also overfished. In the next two years, MARMAP will finish life history studies of red snapper, gray triggerfish, and blueline tilefish.