ROCKY WARD, IVONNE BLANDON, WILLIAM J. KAREL, AND KEVIN L. BOWERS, Perry R. Bass Marine Fisheries Research Station, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, HC02 Box 385, Palacios, Texas 77465, USA

Routine resource monitoring data suggest the Atlantic croaker Micropogonias undulatus is experiencing growth overfishing. In response to this observation Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is currently considering a variety of management interventions, including stocking. Data on genetic structure are necessary before such programs are instituted. Atlantic croaker have been sampled in each major bay on the Texas coast over a two year period. Electrophoretic analyses of these samples have provided information on within and between bay genetic variability, on temporal stability, and on genetic structure for this species in Texas waters. The implications of these data for management options are discussed.