Age, Growth, and Natural Mortality of Graysby, Cephalophilis cruentata, from the Southeastern United States

Details

• Journal Title:
  Fishes
• Personal Author:
  Burton, M. L. ; Potts, J. C. ; Ostrowski, A. D. ; Shertzer, K. W.
• NOAA Program & Office:
  NMFS (National Marine Fisheries Service) ; SEFSC (Southeast Fisheries Science Center)
• Description:
  Graysby (Cephalophilis cruentata) (n = 1308) collected from the southeastern United States Atlantic coast from 2001 to 2016 were aged using sectioned sagittal otoliths. Opaque zones formed February to June (peaking in April). Ages ranged from 2 to 21 years, and the largest fish measured 453 mm TL. Growth morph analysis revealed two regionally distinct growth trajectories: von Bertalanffy growth equations were Lt = 388 (1 − e−0.12(t+5.73)) for fish from North Carolina through southeast Florida (northern region), and Lt = 267 (1 − e−0.17(t+6.20)) for fish from the Florida Keys (southern region). When growth was re-estimated using a fixed t0 value of −0.75 to estimate for smaller fish, growth equations were Lt = 349 (1 − e−0.26(t+0.75)) and Lt = 250 (1 − e−0.43(t+0.75)) for fish from the northern and southern regions, respectively. The age-invariant estimate of natural mortality was M = 0.30 for all fish, while age-specific estimates ranged 0.88–0.28 y−1 for fish aged 1–21 from the northern region and 0.89–0.47 y−1 for fish aged 1–15 from the southern region. This study presents the first comprehensive analysis of life-history parameters for graysby from the Atlantic waters off the southeastern United States, including specimens from both recreational and commercial fisheries.
• Keywords:
  Age Cephalophilis Cruentata Graysby Growth Cephalophilis Cruentata
• Source:
  Fishes, 4(3), 36.
• DOI:
  http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/fishes403003
• Document Type:
  Journal Article
• Rights Information:
  CC BY
• Compliance:
  Submitted
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha256:39d091d8da91997d248cebee7ffbd12b16184279c4cfe357e34825be34cddaa0
• Download URL:
  https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/20741/noaa_20741_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 2.64 MB ]