Age, Growth, Diet, and Reproductive Biology of the Tripletail, Lobotes surinamensis, From the North-Central Gulf of Mexico

Abstract

Labotes surinamensis, are migratory fish that occur worldwide in warm seas, including the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean. In the north-central Gulf of Mexico, tripletail support small recreational and commercial fisheries from April to Oct. and are commonly caught in bays and estuaries. Few studies have evaluated the life history and biological characteristics of tripletail; therefore, the objective of this study was to examine the age and growth, reproductive biology, and diet of tripletail caught off coastal Alabama. Our primary goal was to use life history information to determine. a minimum size limit for harvest. A secondary goal was to compm•e the results of our study with those of previous tripletail studies. A total of 119 specimens, ranging in size from 293-to 763-mm total length (TL), were collected from recreational anglers and from a wholesale seafood dealer between May 1998 and Aug. 2000. Female specimens were significantly longer and heavier than males. Total length varied greatly with age, although significant overlap in lengths was observed among ages. Age ranged from 0.87 to 4.09 yr. No male was older than 3.15 yr of age, whereas five females were estimated to be more than 4 yr old. Fifty percent of females reached sexual maturity by 494-to 594-mm TL and approximately 1 to 2 yr of age. All males greater than 380 mm were sexually mature. Diets were composed primarily of penaeid shrimps, various pelagic fish species, and portunid crabs, with the proportion of fish consumed increasing with tripletail length. On the basis of the results of this study as well as previous research on the life history and population dynamics of tripletail, the state of Alabama implemented a 406 mm (16 inch) minimum size limit for this species. This size limit is below the female size at 50% maturity (19.5-23.5 inch) and should be increased if large increases in fishing pressure occur.

Evaluation of Reproductive Status in Atlantic Tripletail by Traditional and Nonlethal Approaches

“…The use of hook-and-line sampling is likely the most cost-effective method for sampling tripletail; however, the use of these sampling methodologies can bias sampling, often leading to the disproportionate capture of fish in the lower end of the size range, a trend evident in this and other tripletail studies (Brown-Peterson and Franks 2001;Cooper 2002;Strelcheck et al 2004). The lack of spawning females in the present study could be attributed to the possibility that imminently spawning females may not actively feed; therefore, other methods to capture tripletail must continue to be explored.…”

“…Baughman (1941) documented "gravid" females during the months of July and August on the Atlantic coast. In the Gulf of Mexico, running ripe males have been captured from May through September, and females in late ovarian maturation phases have been found from June through August (Brown-Peterson and Franks 2001;Strelcheck et al 2004). Ditty and Shaw (1994) captured larval tripletail exclusively in July through September in >100 m of water in plankton surface tows, suggesting that tripletail spawn offshore in summer months.…”

Efficacy of Otoliths and First Dorsal Spines for Preliminary Age and Growth Determination in Atlantic Tripletails

“…Detailed information about many aspects of the species’ life history is lacking, but the available data suggest that Atlantic Tripletails feed opportunistically on shrimp, crabs, and teleost fishes (Merriner and Foster ; Cooper ; Strelcheck et al. ). Information on the large‐scale movement of this migratory species is scarce, but Streich et al.…”

Residence, Habitat Use, and Movement Patterns of Atlantic Tripletail in the Ossabaw Sound Estuary, Georgia

“…Commercial harvest along the Atlantic coast has averaged less than 3 metric tons annually since 2000, with approximately 90% of these landings originating from the east coast of Florida (NMFS 2010). The greatest harvest of Atlantic Tripletail occurs during the summer months (NMFS 2010) coinciding with the spawning season, which can last from May through September (Gudger 1931;Baughman 1941;Ditty and Shaw 1994;Brown-Peterson and Franks 2001;Cooper 2002;Strelcheck et al 2004). Spawning is thought to occur in offshore waters (Ditty and Shaw 1994).…”

“…Spawning is thought to occur in offshore waters (Ditty and Shaw 1994). Several previous studies have focused on life history parameters of Atlantic Tripletail populations in the Gulf of Mexico (Baughman 1941;Ditty and Shaw 1994;Franks et al 1997Franks et al , 2001Franks et al , 2003Brown-Peterson and Franks 2001;Strelcheck et al 2004). However, few studies have investigated Atlantic stocks of this species (Merriner and Foster 1974;Armstrong et al 1996;Cooper 2002;Parr 2011), leaving significant knowledge gaps regarding estuarine residence, seasonal habitat use, movements, exploitation rates, and reproductive ecology in the region.…”