"An assessment of the status of the Atlantic stock of red drum is conducted using recreational and commercial data from 1986 through 1990. This assessment updates data and analyses from the 1989 stock assessment on Atlantic coast red drum (Vaughan and Helser 1990). Since 1980, coastwide recreational catches ranged between 511,800 pounds in 1990 and 2,179,100 pounds in 1984, while commercial landings ranged between 186,400 pounds in 1990 and 422,100 pounds in 1984. In numbers of fish caught, Atlantic red drum constitute predominantly a recreational fishery (generally 80 to 95% by age in recent years). commercially, red drum continue to be harvested as part of mixed species fisheries"--Executive summary, paragraph 1.

Public Domain