NOAA Technical Report NMFS 138

A Technical Report of the Fishery Bulletin

Southeastern U.S. Deepwater Reef

Fish Assemblages, Habitat Characteristics,

Catches, and Life History Summaries

R. O. ParkerJr.

R. W. Mays

September 1998

U.S. Department of Commerce

Seattle, Washington
Suggested reference

Parker, R. O.,Jr., and R. W. Mays. 1998. Southeastern U.S. deepwater

reef fish assemblages, habitat characteristics, catches, and life history

summaries. U.S. Dep. Commer., NOAA Tech. Rep. NMFS 138,41 p.

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because ofthis NMFS publication.
Southeastern United States Deepwater Reef Fish

Assemblages, Habitat Characteristics,

Catches, and Life History Summaries

R. O. PARKERJR. and R. W. MAYS

Beaufort Laboratmy

Southeast Fisheries Science Center

NOAA, National Marine Fisheries Service

101 Pivers Island Road

Beaufort, NC 28516-9722

ABSTRACT

There are 19 economically important reef fish species in the deepwater (l00-300 m)

fishery of the southeastern United States. Five species make up the majority (over 97% by

weight) ofthe catch. In descending order oftotal landings for 1995, they are: tilefish, Lopholatilus

chamaeleonticeps, snowy grouper, Epinephelus niveatus, blueline tilefish, Caulolatilus microps, warsaw

grouper, Epinephelus nigritus, and yellowedge grouper, E. flavolimbatus. Life history summaries and estimates of catches from 1972 through 1995 for 14 species are described.

Introduction

The purpose of this paper is to assemble information

on economically importan t fishes occupying deep (100-

300 m) reefs along the Atlantic coast of the southeastern United States, Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, to

Key West, Florida. We describe species composition,

distribution, landings, preferred habitat, spawning periodicity, and associated fishes and benthos.

Reef fishes support important recreational and commercial fisheries throughout the U.S. South Atlantic,

Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean areas. Most reef fish

species appear to be at maximum harvest or are overfished (Huntsman et al. I ). Deeper reef species which

occur at depths of 100 to 300 m may be especially

vulnerable because of their limited geographic ranges

(Fig. 1). Spawning stock biomass per recruit ratios for

snowy grouper, Epinephelus niveatus, and warsaw grouper, E. nigritus, two of the most important deep reef

species, were among the lowest (0.15 and 0.06) for the

19 most important reef fishes (Huntsman et al. I ).

I Huntsman, G. R.,]. C. Potts, R. W. Mays, R. L. Dixon, P. W. Willis,

M. L. Burton, and B. W. Harvey. 1992. A stock assessment of the

snapper-grouper complex in the U.S. south Atlantic based on fish

caught in 1990. Report to the South Atlantic Fishery Management

Council. NOAA, National Marine Fisheries Service, Southeast Fisheries Science Center, Beaufort Laboratory, Beaufort, NC 28516, 97 p.

Less is known about the life histories of deep reef

fishes than any other group supporting a major fishery.

The depth and strong currents, often to 3 knots, preclude observations by SCUBA divers and make submersible observations difficult. Distance from shore of

these open ocean habitats, and often inclement weather,

make incidental and anecdotal observations and reports about the fish and their habitat extremely rare.

Although hook and line and longline gear have been

used successfully to capture some deepwater reeffishes,

little is known about rare or hard to catch species.

Description of the deepwater reef fish community and

habitat was needed by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council for development of a management

plan for deep reeffishes (Amendmen t 6, Snapper Grouper Management Plan2).

Materials and Methods

Scientific literature, extant fishery data bases, and discussions with commercial and recreational fishermen

2 Amendment 6, Regulatory Impact Review, Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis and Environmental Assessment and Environmental

Assessment for the Snapper Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic

Region. December 1993. South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, I Southpark Circle, Suite 306, Charleston, SC 29407-4699.
2 NOAA Technical Report NMFS 138 _

SNOWY GROUPER

YELLOW EDGE GROUPER

WARSAW GROUPER

BLUELINE T1LEFISH

(100 - 175m)

T1LEFISH

(175 - 300m)

#r---IXI

REPORTED HABITAT

SUBMERSIBLE DIVE SITES

•

CAPE ROMAIN

,

"/ --------- I' _---0- ./" .--:---- c:-.--'- ,J

, .....i ~-

,,/

..-

\

\\

\

\,

"

\

f

\

I, ,r-.

----\ _._----\') ._----- -'"

JACKSONVILLE

.

\

f' ~--".-. -~' ... r'> "~,,...., !_"-'-. ~--_..--?

,'---- C......\ '\..

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Figure I

Deepwater reef fish habitat along the southeastern United States coast from Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, to Key West,

Florida, reported by commercial and recreational fishermen. Submersible dive sites are indicated.
_____________ Parker and Mays: Southeastern United States Deepwater Reef Fish Assemblages 3

provided an overview of historical concentrations of

deep reef fishes in the southeastern United States. The

Southeast Fisheries Science Center's headboat survey3,

Marine Recreational Fisheries Statistical Survey

(MRFSS)4,5, Trip Interview Program (TIP)6, General

Canvas Landings System6, and data gathered by observations from submersibles were used as sources ofinformation on the biology and landings of deepwater reef

fishes. Abundance of species important in the recreational and commercial fisheries was estimated from a

submersible by direct visual counts of fish, measurement of distance traversed, and estimated visibility using external flood lights as described by Parker and

Ross (1986). Submersible surveys were made on the Big

Rock (lat. 34°11', long. 76°07'; 95 to 120 m depth) and

in the Snowy Hole (lat. 34°15', long. 76°02'; 130 to 150

m depth) areas off North Carolina, and at the Charleston Lumps (lat.32°44', long. 78°06'; 185 to 220 m depth)

off South Carolina (Fig. 1). Fishing areas referred to in

graphs and text are the U.S. South Atlantic Bight, the

area from Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, to Cape

Canaveral, Florida; and southeast Florida, the area from

Cape Canaveral to Key West. All fish length measurements were total length except for those of greater

amberjack, Senola dumenli, which were fork length. Some

of the fish species included in this discussion are not

obligate hard-bottom species, e.g., tilefish, Lopholatilus

chamaeleonticeps, greater amberjack, barrelfish,

Hyperoglyphe perciformis, oilfish, Ruvettus pretiosus, and

escolar, Lepidocybium flavobrunneum, but they are often

an important part of this deepwater fishery catch.

Results

Physical Habitat

Rock outcroppings occur throughout the continental

shelf from Cape Hatteras to Key West (Macintyre and

Milliman, 1970; Miller and Richards, 1979; Parker et

al., 1983). Generally, the outcroppings are composed

ofbioeroded limestone and carbonate sandstone (Newton et al., 1971) and exhibit vertical relief ranging from

<0.5 to over 10 m. Ledge systems formed by rock out3 Headboat Survey (1972-1993), Beaufort Laboratory, Southeast Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, 101 Pivers

Island Road, Beaufort, NC 28516.

4 Given the high variance attached to these estimates, they must be

used with caution.

5 Marine Recreational Fisheries Statistical Survey (1979-1993), National Marine Fisheries Service, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver

Spring, MD 20910.

6 Trip Interview Program and General Canvas Landings System

(1972-1993), Southeast Fisheries Science Center, National Marine

Fisheries Service, 75 Virginia Beach Drive, Miami, FL 33149.

crops and piles of irregularly sized boulders are common. Parker et al. (1983) determined that 24% (9,443

km2) of the area between the 27 and 101 m isobaths

from Cape Hatteras to Cape Canaveral is reef habitat.

Although the bottom area between 100 and 300 m

depths from Cape Hatteras to Key West is small relative

to the shelf as a whole, it constitutes prime reef fish

habitat according to fishermen (Fig. 1) and probably

contributes significantly to the total amount of reef

habitat.

Community

Overall, the deep reef fish community probably contains less than 100 species. From submersible operations off North Carolina, Parker and Ross (1986) observed 34 species of deepwater (98 to 152 m) reeffishes

representing 17 families and described the behavior of

species from eight families (Table 1). Gutherz et al.

(1995) observed 27 species of deepwater (185 to 220

m) reef fishes from submersibles off South Carolina in

1982. There were obvious differences (probably depth

related) in abundance of the most common species of

fish observed from submersibles from North Carolina

to South Carolina (Table 2). Tattler, Serranus phoebe,

bigeye, Priacanthus arenatus, and bank butterflyfish,

Chaetodon aya, were abundant offNorth Carolina (north

of 34°N) but absent offSouth Carolina (south of 33°N),

while yellowfin bass, Anthias nicholsi, blackbelly rosefish,

Helicolenus dactylopterus, and longspine scorpionfish,

Pontinus longispinis, were abundant offSouth Carolina but

absent off North Carolina (Table 2).

Three submersible dives were conducted in May 1992

on the abundance and distribution of deepwater reef

fishes important to fisheries. Observations from these

dives were compared to the above surveys (Table 2). At

the Big Rock or Charleston Lumps there were apparent

increases in abundance (fish/ha) over time of scamp,

Mycteroperca phenax (5 to 45), blueIine tilefish, Caulol.atilus

microps (<1 to 14), and southern hake, Urophycisfloridana

(<1 to >23). Also in the Charleston Lumps area, there

was an apparent decrease in snowy grouper (9 to 2).

Although the recent data are sparse, they show that at

least seven of nine economically important species, previously observed from submersibles, have survived intense fishing pressure at these locations.

Twenty active or retired fishermen (headboar7 operators and commercial fishermen who employed vertical hook and line or longline gear) from Cape Hatteras

to Key West described the deep reef fishery in their

areas. According to fishermen, coast wide stocks (usu7 A headboat is a recreational fishing vessel that charges for a day's

passage on a per person (i.e. per "head") basis.
4 NOAA Technical Report NMFS 138

ally at depths between 100 and 175 m) of yellowedge

grouper, Epinephelusflavolimbatus, warsaw grouper, bigeye, and barrelfish were depleted before snowy grouper. Snowy grouper were most often caught between

110 and 155 m, but were sometimes taken from shallow

Table 1

Thirty-four species (representing 17 families) of

deepwater (98 m to 152 m) reef fish observed from

submersibles off North Carolina in 1979.

Muraenidae

Muraena reti/era

Congridae

Conger sp. or Paraconger caudilimbatus

Ogcocephalidae

Ogcocephalus sp.

Serranidae

Diplectrum /ormosum

Epinephelus cruentatus

E. drummondhayi

E. morio

E. mystacinus

E. niveatus

Hemanthias vivanus

Holanthias mm"tinicensis

Liopropoma eukrines

Serranus phoebe

Priacan thidae

Priacanthus arenatus

Pristigenys alta

Malacan thidae

Caulolatilus microps

Carangidae

Caranx bartholomaei

Seriola dumerili

S. rivoliana

Lutjanidae

Lutjanus vivanus

Rhomboplites aurorubens

Haemulidae

Haemulon plumieri

H. striatum

Sparidae

Pagrus pagrus

Sciaenidae

Equetus umvrosus

E. iwamotoi

Chaetodon tidae

Chaetodon aya

C. ocellatus

C. sedentarius

Pomacan thidae

Holacanthus bermudensis

Pomacentridae

Chromis enchrysunls

Labridae

Decodon c.f. puellaris

Acanthuridae

Acanthurus coentleus

Scorpaenidae

Helicolenus dactyloptents

water «30 m) as they spawned off the Florida Keys.

Tilefish usually produced monospecific catches from

deeper waters, 175 to 300 m. Three areas have been

unproductive for tilefish: the areas from 1) just below

Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, to Cape Romain, South

Carolina; 2) Bellville, Georgia, to St. Augustine, Florida;

and 3) Marathon to Key West, Florida. Some fishermen

believe this is because they have not yet determined

when tilefish migrate through these areas, although

tagging studies and submersible observations of tilefish

and their burrows do not give evidence of migration

(Grimes et aI., 1983). There is little commercial fishing

by U.S. fishermen for deepwater species between Ft.

Pierce and Homestead, Florida, because the area is

congested with domestic recreational and Bahamian

(commercial and recreational) fishermen. Florida fishermen feared revealing "secrets" and were particularly

vague about descriptions of the fishery in their area.

Catch and Effort

From 1965 to the late 1970's, many north Florida fishermen and some from the Gulf of Mexico fished off

South Carolina and North Carolina from June until

late November. Trips usually lasted 1 to 2 weeks, but

some fishermen stayed for longer periods and had their

catches trucked back to Fernandina Beach and

Pensacola, Florida, Pascagoula, Mississippi, or to northern markets. During these years there was a good market for snapper but not for grouper, and according to a

few knowledgeable fishermen, grouper were occasionally thrown overboard to make room for the more

valuable snapper.

The number of commercial and recreational fishing

vessels that contributed to the recorded reef fish catch

has increased considerably during the past 20 years. In

1995 there were about 2,758 vessels registered in the

commercial snapper-grouper fishery from Cape Hatteras

through Key West. However, only 1,324 of these actually fished. Most vessels use handlines including electric

and hydraulic reels with terminal rigs of two to eight

hooks. The number of full time commercial fishing

vessels using handlines increased from 0 in 1972 to 730

in 1993, and the number of commercial fishing vessels

using longlines increased from 1 in 1980 to 1,792 in

1993. In addition, approximately 90 headboats (usually

>15 passengers) and 700 charter recreational vessels

(<15 passengers) operating between Cape Hatteras and

Key West occasionally fish deep reefs (Davis-Martin8).

Headboat fishery effort data by angler day are shown in

B Davis-Martin, J. 1995. Regulations and Permits Branch, Regional

Office, National Marine Fisheries Service, St. Petersburg, FL 33702.

Personal commun.
Parker and Mays: Southeastern United States Deepwater Reef Fish Assemblages 5

Table 2

Comparison of past and present abundance (fish/ha) of economically important deepwater reef fish and those most

commonly observed from submersibles at two stations off North Carolina and one station off South Carolina.

Species Snowy Hole Big Rock Charleston Lumps

(115-155 m) (100-115 m) (185-220 m)

Common name Scientific name 1979 1992 1979 1992 19821 1992

Snowy grouper2 Epinephelus niveatus 45 22 2 9 2

Misty grouper2 E. mystacinus 4

Speckled hind2 E. drummondhayi 4 4

Scamp2 Mycteroperca phenax 5 45

Yellowfin bass Anthias nicholsi p3 P

Red barbier Hemanthias vivanus P P P P

Roughtongue bass Holanthias martinicensis P P

Tattler Serranus phoebe P P P P

Red snapper2 Lutjanus campechanus 5 5

Blueline tilefish2 Caulolatilus microps 2 <1 14

Tilefish2 Lopholatilus chamacleonticeps <I

Blackbelly rosefish2 Helicolenus dactylopterus P P

Longspine scorpionfish Pontinus longispinis P P

Southern hake Urophycis floridana <1 P

Bigeye2 Priacanthus arenatus P P

Bank butterflyfish Chaetodon aya P P

1 Gutherz et aI., 1995.

2 Economically important deepwater reef fish species.

3 P = Prominent (2 dozen or more).

Year

100

500 ,--------------'''''';;;-ll''''"R'''''O$--, 6 S.ATLANTIC BIGHT

SOUTHEAST FLORIDA

----.J " 400

Figure 2

Headboat fishery effort by angler day.

l/I

-g 300 I'll

l/I

::J

o

t= 200

Figure 2. Reliable commercial fishery effort data are

unavailable.

Catch data from commercial deep reef fisheries vessels often do not reveal species composition. Frequently,

landings ofseveral species are combined into aggregate

categories such as "other grouper" or "tilefish." Less

common species, like warsaw grouper, speckled hind,

Epinephelus drummondhayi, or yellowedge grouper are

usually not sufficiently abundant to be targeted or recorded in catches.

There are 19 economically important species in the

deepwater reef fish fishery of the southeastern United

States (Table 3). The data available indicate that five

species make up the major portion of the catch in

weight; they are, in descending order of total landings

for 1995: tilefish, snowy grouper, blueline tilefish, warsaw grouper, and yellowedge grouper.

Life Histories

Life history summaries and estimates of catches made

from 1972 through 1995 follow for snowy grouper,

yellowedge grouper, warsaw grouper, speckled hind,

scamp, silk snapper, Lutjanus vivanus, blackfin snapper, Lutjanus buccanella, red snapper, L. campechanus,

vermilion snapper, Rhomboplites aurorubens, tilefish,

blueline tilefish, bigeye, red porgy, Pagrus pagrus, and

greater amberjack. These deep reef species are important in catches from Cape Hatteras to Key West. Catch

and effort data are unavailable for species not included.

Headboat and commercial fisheries sample sizes and

standard deviations for mean weight measurements are

given in Tables 4-7.
6 NOAA Technical Report NMFS 138

Table 3

Economically important deepwater reef fish.

Species

Depth Age at Maximum Spawning Catch (kg)

Common name Scientific name (m) maturity' age' period' 1995

Snowy grouper Epinephelus niveatus 61-262' 6-8 27 April-July 160,758

Yellowedge grouper Epinephelus flavolimbatus 137-259' 5 15 April-Sept. 8,588

Warsaw grouper Epinephelus nigritus 76-2192 9 41 20,763

Misty grouper Epinephelus mystacinus 100-5003

Speckled hind Epinephelus drummondhayi 27-1224 4 25 July-Sept. 1,2375

Scamp Mycteroperca phenax 15-1224 3 21 April-May 160,3755

Silk snapper Lutjanus vivanus 61-2756 1 5,741

Blackfin snapper Lutjanus buccanella 75-2756 1 491

Red snapper Lutjanus campechanus 23-101 4 16 April-Summer 1,292,1045

Vermilion snapper Rhomboplites aurorubens 24-1071 3-4 10 April-Sept. 674,6265

Tilefish Lopholatilus chamaeleonticeps 76-457' 5-7 33 March-Sept. 351,398

Blueline tilefish Caulolatilus rnicmps 70-2361 2-5 15 May-Oct. 57,826

Bigeye Priacanthus aTenatus 15-2004 5,924

Blackbelly rosefish Helicolenus dactylopterus 200-6503

Red porgy Pagrus pagrus 27-183' 2-4 15 Jan-April 280,0755

Greater amberjack Seriola dumerili 15-3603 3-5 10 March-July 506,1535

Barrelfish Hyperoglyphe perciJormis 2,000

Oilfish Ruvettus pTetiosus 2003 1,612

Escolar Lepidocybium flavobrunneum 80-2003 4,904

I C.S. Manooch Ill, 1984. 3 Fischer, 1978. 5 Most of the catch is from shallower waters (<100 m).

2 Manooch and Mason, 1987. 4 R.O. ParkerJr., personal observ. 6 Boardman and Weiler, 1980.

Table 4

Number of fish measured from headboats, 1972-96.

Species Region 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979

Snowy grouper South Atlantic Bight 67 44 226 171 216 103 33 47

Southeast Florida

Yellowedge grouper South Atlantic Bight 14 6 14 33 18 6 4 11

Southeast Florida

Warsaw grouper South Atlantic Bight 11 3 13 18 20 5 16 3

Southeast Florida 1 1

Speckled hind South Atlantic Bight 141 271 183 199 109 149 114 28

Southeast Florida 11

Scamp South Atlantic Bight 375 363 373 483 863 426 290 135

Southeast Florida 12 35

Silk snapper South Atlantic Bight 25 59 47 27 84 16 4 5

Southeast Florida 144 68

Blackfin snapper South Atlantic Bight 3 30 2

Southeast Florida 9 38

Red snapper South Atlantic Bight 50 41 94 159 470 653 594 231

Southeast Florida 3 4

Vermilion snapper South Atlantic Bight 1,141 5R2 1,146 1,374 1,326 1,038 1,333 1,222

Southeast Florida 461 169

Blueline tilefish South Atlantic Bight 141 137 90 73 173 57 31 30

Southeast Florida 29

Tilefish South Atlantic Bight

Southeast Florida

Bigeye South Atlantic Bight 4 9 5

Southeast Florida 41 23

Red porgy South Atlantic Bight 4,199 4,663 3,593 2,304 2,506 2,142 1,539 855

Southeast Florida 128 42

Greater amberjack South Atlantic Bight 3 37 34 37 98 64 144 196

Southeast Florida 18 25

continued on next page
Parker and Mays: Southeastern United States Deepwater Reef Fish Assemblages 7

Table 4 (continued)

Species Region 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987

Snowy grouper South Atlantic Bight 51 30 22 66 34 58 72 24

Southeast Florida 31 2 1 8 10 5 1I

Yellowedge grouper South Atlantic Bight 3 1 10 3 1 2

Southeast Florida 1 3 1

Warsaw grouper South Atlantic Bight 9 19 19 14 41 10 15 8

Southeast Florida 4 3 1 3 2 2 4 1

Speckled hind South Atlantic Bight 28 7 27 75 94 82 72 48

Southeast Florida 2 7 14 9 14 3

Scamp South Atlantic Bight 111 55 211 315 367 327 355 499

Southeast Florida 47 54 42 119 87 106 56 22

Silk snapper South Atlantic Bight 12 lJ 14 3 1 4 3

Southeast Florida 23 58 51 65 58 70 159 68

Blackfin snapper South Atlantic Bight 1 1

Southeast Florida 36 9 1 42 17 9 37

Red snapper South Atlantic Bight 222 601 425 921 1,154 1,082 401 296

Southeast Florida 21 43 6 26 106 74 19 6

Vermilion snapper South Atlantic Bight 1,096 1,162 2,612 3,026 3,977 4,457 5,081 5,391

Southeast Florida 252 172 170 1,480 571 1,466 1,109 941

Blueline tilefish South Atlantic Bight 28 10 18 46 26 19 29 9

Southeast Florida 17 26 3 1 1

Tilefish South Atlantic Bight I

Southeast Florida

Bigeye South Atlantic Bight 3 6 9 8 8 14 14

Southeast Florida 23 22 43 79 47 148 133 122

Red porgy South Atlantic Bight 1,374 1,102 2,425 2,209 2,472 1,750 1,823 2,145

Southeast Florida 47 23 68 55 45 145 223 120

Greater amberjack South Atlantic Bight 34 194 83 110 132 120 147 121

Southeast Florida 69 19 15 172 97 118 96 144

Species Region 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995

Snowy grouper South Atlantic Bight 44 24 5 3 14 10

Southeast Florida I 26 I I I

Yellowedge grouper South Atlantic Bight I

Southeast Florida 2

Warsaw grouper South Atlantic Bight 2 3 6 7 II

Southeast Florida 13

Speckled hind South Atlantic Bight 40 29 11 6 7 11 12 14

Southeast Florida 8 I I I

Scamp South Atlantic Bight 421 328 315 383 225 319 324 362

Southeast Florida 25 12 1 3 3 3 8 2

Silk snapper South Atlantic Bight 23 2 I 8 4

Southeast Florida 16 38 34 33 27 63 32

Blackfin snapper South Atlantic Bight

Southeast Florida 1 11 5 5 2

Red snapper South Atlantic Bight 201 331 311 86 61 182 472 129

Southeast Florida 4 18 3 10 6 2

Vermilion snapper South Atlantic Bight 4,237 4,ll7 4,751 3,866 2,330 2,893 4,920 4,565

Southeast Florida 4,117 658 382 173 123 70 508 123

Blueline tilefish South Atlantic Bight 7 3 I

Southeast Florida I 6 5

Tilefish South Atlantic Bight 1

Southeast Florida 14 9

Bigeye South Atlantic Bight 24 35 40 14 10 34 35 62

Southeast Florida 49 93 20 20 30 38 47 113

Red porgy South Atlantic Bight 1,563 1,401 1,165 602 715 950 677 770

Southeast Florida 39 46 41 9 7 12 30 68

Greater amberjack South Atlantic Bight 92 102 75 64 79 110 91 ]]1

Southeast Florida 44 72 27 7 14 1 20 1
00

z

0

o-l

Table 5

I I'D

::r

"" Mean weight (standard deviation) from headboat fishery. 1972-95. ::

ri'

a

Species Region lY72 \973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 I ::r;l

I'D

"0

Snowy grouper South Atlantic Bight 4.94 (3.17) 4.03 (3.36) 4.23 (2.65) 4.6\ (6.58) 3.70 (3.12) 3.04 (2.40) 2.06 (1.31) 3.24 (2.11) 0

::!.

Southeast Florida Z

Yellowedge grouper South Atlantic Bight 7.53 (4.96) 5.52 (0.3R) 7.95 (3.15) 5.54 (2.89) 3.27 ( 1.03) 5.33 (5.81) 8.16 (2.23) 8.73 (4.45) a::

Southeast Florida "rI

Warsaw grouper South Atlantic Bight 13.50 (5.04) 21.96 (16.58) 32.66 (25.76) 50.23 (28.09) 24.08 (25.92) 21.97 (14.51) 9.38 (7.43) 7.92 (3.23)

Southeast Florida 50.00 (0) 11.04 (0) 00

-

"'" Speckled hind South Atlantic Bight 4.28 (3.59) 3.59 (3.37) 3.78 (2.98) 3.60 (3.11) 4.17 (4.13) 2.69 (2.82) 2.45 (2.3) 2.77 (2.78)

Southeast Florida 1.16 (0.64)

Scamp South Atlantic Bight 4.55 (1.84) 4.19 (1.70) 4.32 (1.51 ) 4.43 (1.93) 4.68 (1.64) 4.62 (1.99) 4.44 (2.67) 3.81 (2.13)

Southeast Florida 1.36 (0.63) 1.15 (0.72)

Silk snapper South Atlantic Bight 4.93 (1.99) 4.52 (2.47) 4.81 (1.92) 4.40 (2.10) 2.11 (0.94) 1.95 (0.41) 1.94 (0.13) 3.39 (2.62)

Southeast Florida 0.36 (0.25) 0.43 (0.21)

Blackfln snapper South Atlantic Bight 1.48 (0) 0.23 (0.05) 2.71 (1.46) 3.3R (0.03)

Southeast Florida 0.24 (0.10) 0.24 (0.05)

R('d snapper Sottth Atlantic Bight ROO (2.73) 8.48 (2.l.~) 4.4R (3.24) 3.61 (3.07) 2.47 (2.62) 2.05 (2.16) 2.12 (2.72) 2.65 (2.85)

Southeast Florida 231 (1.58) 0.6-1 (0.43)

Vermilion snapper South Atlantic Bight 0.52 (0.43) 0.80 (0.62) 0.56 (0.50) 0.62 (0.55) 0.62 (0.55) 0.45 (0.5) 0.48 (0.55) 0.46 (0.57)

Southeast Florida 029 (0.17) 0.29 (0.27)

Tilefish Sottth Atlantic Bight

Southeast Florida

Blueline tilefish South Atlantic Bight 2.38 (l.l8) 2.38 (1.21 ) 2.43 (1.20) 2.76 (1.44) 2.38 (0.96) 2.39 (0.96) 3.01 (1.04) 2.42 (l.l7)

Southeast Florida 0.59 (0.2)

Bigeye South Atlantic Bight 1.00 (0) 3.31 (0) 0.72 (0.22) 0.81 (0.20) 1.09 (0.55)

Southeast Florida 0.55 (0.13) 0.52 (0.13)

Red porgy South Atlantic Bight 1.07 (0.40) l.l6 (0.49) 1.10 (0.51) 1.05 (0.57) 1.09 (0.56) 1.05 (0.45) l.l0 (0.61) l.l0 (0.57)

Southeast Florida 0.50 (0.25) 0.50 (0.25) 0.61 (0.42)

Greater ambeljack South Atlantic Bight 5.89 (4.44) 7.60 (8.23) 8.19 (5.31) 10.67 (9.35) 9.05 (7.51) 5.94 (5.15) 10.74 (7.77) 4.71 (3.04)

Southeast Florida 5.31 (6.62) 8.25 (8.16)

continued on next page
Table 5 (continued)

Species Region 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987

Snowy grouper South Atlantic Bight 3.48 (2.76) 3.19 (1.96) 3.04 (2.42) 2.42 (2.32) 1.87 ( 1.58) 1.41 (1.24) 1.31 (1.22) 1.46 (0.86) 'tl Southeast Florida 1.55 (0.83) 1.92 (2.23) 7.25 (0) 1.55 (1.06) 1.34 (2.44) 0.41 (0.18) 1.57 (1.18) 10

.. Yellowedge grouper South Atlantic Bight 5.00 (3.67) 1.75 (0) 3.30 (1.85) 3.24 (2.04) 1.50 (0) :0:-

Southeast Florida 1.30 (0) 0.75 (0.19) 0.62 (0) 4.15 (0.49) ..

10

Warsaw grouper South Atlantic Bight 7.31 (3.53) 3.93 (l.40) 6.05 (3.59) 7.39 (3.88) 6.23 (3.41) 6.91 (2.65) 6.16 (3.14) 8.93 (4.92) =

Q.

Southeast Florida 8.81 (6.34) 19.37 (5.16) 7.72 (0) 0.75 (0.31) 6.35 (5.30) 3.70 (1.41) 10.00 (6.23) 3.80 (0) ::: Speckled hind South Atlantic Bight 2.77 (2.41) 2.34 (1.83) 2.59 (3.68) 1.94 (2.90) 1.02 (1.00) 1.40 (2.23) 1.21 (0.99) 1.31 (1.29) 10

'<

Southeast Florida 0.35 (0.04) 0.66 (0.40) 1.07 (0.45) 1.35 (0.54) 1.24 (0.64) 0.85 (0.72)

Scamp South Atlantic Bight 2.76 (2.02) 3.00 (1.72) 2.89 (1.64) 2.84 (1.85) 2.75 (1.94) 2.49 (1.78) 2.21 (1.83) 1.62 (1.55) Vl

0

Southeast Florida 1.80 (0.84) 1.39 (0.99) 1.79 (0.84) 1.92 (1.27) 2.30 (1.51) 2.00 (1.31) 1.67 (1.00) 1.56 (1.06) ...= Silk snapper South Atlantic Bight 1.71 (1.89) 1.28 (0.25) 1.40 (0.38) 1.20 (0.52) 0.59 (0) 0.62 (0.25) 0.84 (0.14) ::r

Southeast Florida 0.51 (0.39) 0.42 (0.19) 0.33 (0.19) 0.37 (0.29) 0.61 (1.31 ) 0.50 (0.37) 0.38 (0.16) 0.48 (0.35) 10

... '" Blackfin snapper South Atlantic Bight 0.68 (0) 1.50 (0) .. Southeast Florida 0.24 (0.07) 0.45 (0.77) 0.60 (0) 0.24 (0.08) 0.30 (0.25) 0.29 (0.07) 0.43 (0.20) 0.24 (0.07) =

C Red snapper South Atlantic Bight 2.00 (3.00) 1.59 (2.07) 2.16 (2.26) 1.23 (1.68) 1.30 (1.76) 1.18 (1.44) 1.66 (1.74) 1.38 (1.28) e. Southeast Florida 1.92 (1.17) 1.24 (0.85) 1.88 (0.39) 1.20 (1.17) 1.22 (0.68) 1.03 (0.63) 2.07 (2.26) 2.16 (1.33) ... Vermilion snapper South Atlantic Bight 0.56 (0.58) 0.36 (0.39) 0.43 (0.39) 0.39 (0.35) 0.37 (0.30) 0.33 (0.28) 0.30 (0.24) 0.28 (0.24) Q.

Vl

Southeast Florida 0.27 (0.14) 0.38 (0.21) 0.34 (0.17) 0.26 (0.14) 0.30 (0.30) 0.30 (0.14) 0.32 (0.15) 0.34 (0.24) ...

10

Tilefish South Atlantic Bight 1.99 (0) ...

'" Southeast Florida t:l

Blueline tilefish South Atlantic Bight 2.36 (1.38) 2.08 (1.13) 1.67 (0.76) 2.02 (0.82) 1.97 (1.19) 1.68 (0.89) 1.61 (0.82) 2.06 (0.60)

Southeast Florida 0.98 (0.55) 1.92 (1.64) 1.69 (1.19) 0.43 (0) 3.51 (0) 'tl

Bigeye South Atlantic Bight 0.80 (0.18) 0.74 (0.26) 0.72 (0.24) 0.59 (0.21) 0.67 (0.24) 0.68 (0.19) 0.75 (0.28) 10

... Southeast Florida 0.61 (0.18) 0.51 (0.12) 0.49 (0.10) 0.48 (0.13) 0.51 (0.12) 0.54 (0.68) 0.48 (0.14) 0.50 (0.20) .. Red porgy South Atlantic Bight 0.98 (0.53) 0.86 (0.49) 0.73 (0.45) 0.78 (0.44) 0.77 (0.55) 0.67 (0.39) 0.64 (0.37) 0.58 (0.35) :=

Southeast Florida 0.55 (0.23) 1.00 (0.44) 0.82 (0.43) 0.75 (0.28) 0.58 (0.38) 0.46 (0.24) 0.43 (0.21) 0.45 (0.20) ..... Greater amberjack South Atlantic Bight 6.84 (7.94) 4.65 (2.11) 5.59 (5.76) 3.48 (5.27) 5.13 (6.93) 4.31 (5.36) 4.46 (6.09) 6.83 (5.63)

Southeast Florida 7.63 (7.02) 3.38 (4.15) 2.37 (1.53) 3.00 (3.24) 7.36 (7.46) 3.82 (5.35) 3.89 (4.60) 3.86 (3.41) ::r'"

continued on next page

'"

3

::r

;-

CIIl

'"
<:>

z

0

>-l

I n Table 5 (continued) :r

::;:;"

Species Region 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 I e:.

::c

Snowy grouper South Atlantic Bight 1.49 (0.95) 1.15 (0.76) 1.05 (0.93) 1.46 (1.05) 0.36 (0) 0.56 (0.21) 0.75 (0.28) 0.84 (0.60) "0

0

Southeast Florida 1.12 (0) 3.27 (2.29) 0.71 (0) 0.18 (0) 0.46 (0) 0.50 (0) ..,

... Yellowedge grouper South Atlantic Bight 1.29 (0) Z

Southeast Florida 1.20 (0) 3.34 (0.43) a::

"rI

Warsaw grouper South Atlantic Bight 9.92 (0) 6.69 (6.92) 3.29 (1.85) 8.50 (0) 6.23 (3.26) 6.24 (1.75) 6.99 (2.84)

Southeast Florida 6.15 (3.77) -c.>o

Speckled hind South Atlantic Bight 1.90 (1.94) 1.72 (1.52) 0.82 (0.70) 052 (0.14) 0.87 (0.15) 0.75 (0.51) 0.95 (0.63) 1.92 (2.92) 00

Southeast Florida 1.21 (1.42) 0.36 (0) 0.65 (0) 0.3R (0)

Scamp South Atlantic Bight 1.45 (1.52) 1.40 ( 1.23) 1.52 (1.27) 1.54 (1.40) 2.58 (1.29) 2.70 ( 1.39) 2.38 (1.18) 2.30 (1.22)

Southeast Florida 1.57 (1.20) 1.96 (0.96) 3.45 (0) 4.31 (3.63) 4.69 (3.12) 1.90 (0.20) 3.54 (1.54) 1.76 (0.26)

Silk snapper South Atlantic Bight 0.64 (0.28) 1.22 (0.23) 2.47 (0) 0.61 (0.24) 1.31 (0.61)

Southeast Florida 0.51 (0.56) 0.33 (0.12) 0.36 (0.15) 0.46 (0.20) 0.51 (0.25) 0.55 (0.20) 0.66 (0.29)

Blackfin snapper South Atlantic Bight

Southeast Florida 0.30 (0) 0.24 (0.16) 0.22 (0.01) 0.26 (0.14) 0.27 (0.04)

Red snapper South Atlantic Bight Ui1 (I.R2) 1.37 (1.52) 1.45 ( 1.53) 291 (10.18) 2.75 ( 1.95) 2.63 ( 1.48) 1.48 ( 1.35) 3.11 (1.62)

Southeast Florida 2.27 (2.36) 0.9R (1.69) 3.9R (0.75) 2.1R ( 1.39) 2.04 (0.45) 1.69 (0.27)

Vermilion snapper South Atlantic Bight 0.29 (0.27) 0.29 (0.25) 0.23 (0.21) 0.20 (0.18) 0.34 (0.21) 0.35 (0.35) 0.33 (0.19) 0.34 (0.21)

Southeast Florida 0.30 (0.18) 0.28 (0.75) 0.25 (0.15) 0.19 (0.12) 0.28 (0.24) 0.33 (0.23) 0.31 (0.13) 0.31 (0.18)

Tilefish South Atlantic Bight 2.79 (0) 0.22 (0)

Southeast Florida 0.72 ( 1.08) 0.32 (0.07)

BlueJine tilefish South Atlantic Bight 1.06 (0.93) 0.60 (0.19) 3.90 (0)

Southeast Florida 1.40 (0) 0.44 (0.33) 0.33 (0.8) 0.25 (0)

Bigeye South Atlantic Bight 0.77 (0.22) 0.80 (0.17) 0.84 (0.19) 0.71 (0.14) 0.96 (0.49) 0.91 (0.25) 0.82 (0.23) 0.88 (0.31)

Southeast Florida 0.47 (0.12) 0.57 (0.19) 0.46 (0.11) 0.49 (0.12) 0.47 (0.12) 0.42 (0) 0.53 (0.11) 0.53 (0.18)

Red porgy South Atlantic Bight 0.60 (0.55) 0.52 (0.28) 0.52 (0.26) 0.51 (0.25) 0.56 (0.22) 0.57 (0.22) 0.57 (0.20) 0.60 (0.22)

Southeast Florida 0.47 (0.21) 0.34 (0.20) 0.40 (0.13) 0.78 (0.76) 0.50 (0.18) 0.53 (0.31) 0.59 (0.18) 0.38 (0.19)

Greater amberjack South Atlantic Bight 7.29 (6.93) 5.87 (6.78) 8.85 (6.30) 7.72 (4.74) 9.42 (4.71) 9.04 (4.35) 8.68 (4.67) 7.75 (3.03)

Southeast Florida 9.02 (5.80) 4.76 (5.85) 3.01 (4.05) 4.75 (1.32) 5.56 (5.28) 4.53 (0) 6.58 (4.49) 4.70 (0)
Parker and Mays: Southeastern United States Deepwater Reef Fish Assemblages 11

Table 6

Number offish measured from commercial vessels, 1983-95.

Species Region 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989

Snowy grouper South Atlantic Bight 95 1,735 3,057 2,863 1,807 1,203 1,605

Southeast Florida 6

Yellowedge grouper South Atlantic Bight 47 102 387 102 96 43

Southeast Florida 1

Warsaw grouper South Atlantic Bight 3 14 17 32 19 58 15

Southeast Florida 3

Speckled hind South Atlantic Bight 54 552 1,023 996 1,212 980 986

Southeast Florida

Scamp South Atlantic Bight 1,275 1,722 2,269 4,049 2,885 3,462

Southeast Florida 2

Silk snapper South Atlantic Bight 34 256 910 461 1,062 678 758

Southeast Florida

Blackfin snapper South Atlantic Bight

Southeast Florida

Red snapper South Atlantic Bight 35 1,073 871 1,124 1,270 776 1,201

Southeast Florida 1

Vermilion snapper South Atlantic Bight 391 4,921 5,996 8,621 8,022 6,215 5,625

Southeast Florida 51

Tilefish South Atlantic Bight 291 109 3,433 542 807 834

Southeast Florida 302 253

Blueline tilefish South Atlantic Bight 22 326 556 631 326 282 209

Southeast Florida

Red porgy South Atlantic Bight 337 3,347 3,568 6,293 6,254 4,063 3,430

Southeast Florida

Greater amberjack South Atlantic Bight 24 22 46 61 29

Southeast Florida 4

Species Region 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995

Snowy grouper South Atlantic Bight 2,386 2,341 4,328 6,744 2,278 5,490

Southeast Florida 8 1 267 233 112 19

Yellowedge grouper South Atlantic Bight 107 179 744 708 128 93

Southeast Florida 43 48 3

Warsaw grouper South Atlantic Bight 11 10 35 43 5

Southeast Florida 5 5

Speckled hind South Atlantic Bight 578 478 348 243 155 15

Southeast Florida 1

Scamp South Atlantic Bight 3,408 4,071 1,761 2,369 1,952 2,990

Southeast Florida 16 1 37 40 5

Silk snapper South Atlantic Bight 310 118 121 170 588 723

Southeast Florida 1 3

Blackfin snapper South Atlantic Bight

Southeast Florida

Red snapper South Atlantic Bight 812 927 530 1,383 1,177 1,291

Southeast Florida 35 2 13 16 9 24

Vermilion snapper South Atlantic Bight 6,003 10,302 5,306 8,046 7,466 9,841

Southeast Florida 4 5 733 184 79 25

Tilefish South Atlantic Bight 397 2,131 2,692 1,130 552 387

Southeast Florida 40 2,613 72 578

Blueline tilefish South Atlantic Bight 626 455 663 791 295 314

Southeast Florida 121 61

Red porgy South Atlantic Bight 3,894 5,259 3,173 4,775 3,349 5,010

Southeast Florida 70 237 17

Greater amberjack South Atlantic Bight 53 128 242 662 350 285

Southeast Florida 7 3 154 87 34
12 NOAA Technical Report NMFS 138

Table 7

Mean weight (standard deviation) from commercial fishery, ] 983-95.

Species Region 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989

Snowy grouper South Atlantic Bight 2.42 (2.09) 3.73 (3.30) 350 (3.02) 2.84 (2.59) 2.78 (3.02) 1.78 (1.57) 2.26 (2.25)

Southeast Florida 1.51 (0.58)

Yellowedge grouper South Atlantic Bight 4.85 (3.31) 3.46 (2.74) 5.26 (3.22) 5.03 (3.21) 3.71 (2.94) 3.54 (2.55)

Southeast Florida 6.76 (0)

Warsaw grouper South Atlantic Bight 77.28 (25.48) 10.43 (5.87) 12.77 (8.68) 11.62 (5.27) 10.69 (5.29) 8.56(12.42) 16.58 (6.76)

Southeast Florida 1.30 (0.13)

Speckled hind South Atlantic Bight 2.01 (1.78) 1.64 (2.07) 1.563 (1.52) 1.64 (1.74) 1.70 (1.45) 2.07 (2.24) 1.91 (1.71)

Southeast Florida

Scamp South Atlantic Bight 3.47 (1.82) 3.14 (1.72) 3.30 (1.83) 3.12 (1.79) 2.85 (1.76) 2.48 (1.52)

Soutil east Florida 1.02 (0.40)

Silk snapper South Atlantic Bight 1.82 (1.53) 1.57 (1.85) 1.18 (1.27) 0.96 (0.98) 0.71 (0.66) 0.72 (0.56) 1.05 (0.96)

Southeast Florida

Blackfin snapper South Atlantic Bight

Southeast Florida

Red snapper South Atlantic Bight 5.78 (3.10) 1.89 (2.01) 2.44 (1.92) 2.54 (1.92) 2.71 (2.56) 2.24 (2.19) 2.51 (1.85)

Southeast Florida 2.35 (0)

Vermilion snapper South Atlantic Bight 0.94 (0.49) 0.85 (0.48) 0.82 (0.45) 063 (0.42) 0.56 (0.38) 0.54 (0.37) 0.62 (0.36)

Southeast FIOl;da 0.29 (0.07)

Tilefish South Atlantic Bight 11.49 (5.38) 8.86 (5.57) 6.58 (3.78) 7.35 (4.91) 4.99 (3.79) 4.67 (4.11)

Southeast Florida 3.66 (2.64) 5.33 (3.41)

Blueline tilefish South Atlantic Bight 4.54 (2.43) 3.49 (2.01) 3.75 (1.81) 3.71 (1.63) 3.41 (1.78) 3.58 (1.64) 3.15 (1.78)

Southeast Florida

Red porgy South Atlantic Bight 1.05 (0.49) 0.92 (0.46) 0.92 (0.45) 0.76 (0.44) 0.69 (0.38) 0.62 (0.38) 0.66 (0.39)

Southeast Florida

Greater amberjack South Atlantic Bight 7.89 (0) 12.04(10.92) 17.23 (9.65) 14.26(13.02) 13.44 (9.99) 19.37 (15.21)

Southeast Florida 1.81 (0.32)

Species Region 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995

Snowy grouper South Atlantic Bight 2.47 (2.15) 2.74 (2.95) 3.43 (2.73) 2.98 (2.11) 2.32 (1.98) 2.34 (1.60)

Southeast Florida 2.67 (1.34) 2.13 4.12 (2.77) 4.08 (2.84) 1.47 (1.33) 1.09 (0.50)

Yellowedge grouper South Atlantic Bight 3.29 (2.23) 3.84 (2.51) 3.93 (2.08) 4.41 (2.56) 3.37 (2.39) 3.39 (2.40)

Southeast Florida 5.77 (2.93) 6.21 (3.75) 6.90 (3.71)

Warsaw grouper South Atlantic Bight 14.75 (7.34) 8.49 (5.04) 17.24(17.17) 24.42(30.94) 6.78 (3.24) 13.74 (0)

Southeast Florida 12.98 (2.31) 17.78 (8.45)

Speckled hind South Atlantic Bight 1.76 (1.35) 1.96 (1.90) 1.97 (1.54) 3.15 (2.76) 1.85 (1.97) 1.97 (1.03)

Southeast Florida 1.01 (0)

Scamp South Atlantic Bight 2.48 (1.55) 2.40 (1.49) 2.95 (1.41) 2.96 (1.38) 3.07 (1.40) 3.01 (1.38)

Southeast Florida 2.99 (1.15) 4.08 (0) 2.82 (1.03) 3.21 (1.43) 3.51 (1.l7)

Silk snapper South Atlantic Bight 0.87 (0.68) 0.90 (0.54) 0.74 (0.61) 0.72 (0.37) 0.72 (0.65) 0.76 (0.44)

Southeast Florida 0.78 (0) 1.26 (0.29)

Blackfin snapper South Atlantic Bight

Southeast Florida

Red snapper South Atlantic Bight 2.37 (2.18) 2.48 (2.56) 4.36 (2.73) 3.55 (2.57) 3.18 (1.64) 4.04 (2.27)

Soumeast Florida 3.22 (1.32) 6.23 (3.75) 3.44 (1.75) 3.98 (2.68) 3.38 (2.80) 1.64 (0.87)

Vermilion snapper South Atlantic Bight 0.60 (0.38) 0.61 (0.39) 0.63 (0.30) 0.70 (0.35) 0.72 (0.37) 0.65 (0.30)

Southeast Florida 1.36 (0.10) 0.24 (0.10) 0.62 (0.19) 0.66 (0.29) 0.70 (0.26) 0.65 (0.13)

Tilefish South Atlantic Bight .5.60 (3.95) 5.81 (4.47) 5.52 (4.12) 4.39 (4.29) 6.07 (3.71) 5.88 (3.80)

Southeast Florida 5.34 (2.20) 4.16 (2.64) 3.09 (1.46) 3.71 (1.80)

Blueline tilefish Soum Atlantic Bight 2.90 (1.63) 2.96 (1.46) 3.27 (1.40) 2.94 (1.31) 2.82 (1.27) 2.35 (1.10)

Southeast Florida 3.29 (1.30) 3.43 (1.37)

Red porgy South Atlantic Bight 0.63 (0.35) 0.57 (0.35) 0.67 (0.35) 0.71 (0.32) 0.70 (0.29) 0.68 (0.30)

Soumeast Florida 0.98 (0.29) 0.93 (0.30) 0.82 (0.23)

Greater amberjack South Atlantic Bight 15.32(15.61) 20.11 (14.41) 25.88 (8.22) 25.25 (8.74) 21.64(10.28) 27.28(10.86)

Southeast Florida 24.12 (9.17) 23.48(19.01) 25.86 (8.07) 26.71 (6.18) 27.49 (2.33)
____________ Parker and Mays: Southeastern United States Deepwater Reef Fish Assemblages 13

1985 1990 1995

Year

1980

0100

Figure 3

Snowy grouper catch (kg), all fisheries combined.

1984. The headboat catch was about 1,000 fish in the

Carolinas in 1972. While fluctuating annually, catch in

number was about 8,900 fish in 1983 (from Cape

Hatteras to Key West), and then declined to about 395

fish in 1995 (Fig. 4). By weight, total headboat landings

of about 29,148 kg in 1983 dropped to about 330 kg by

1995 (Fig. 4). Chartered and private recreational vessel

(MRFSS) landings were highly variable and ranged from

247,532 kg in 1981 to about 397 kg in 1992.

Mean weight of headboat-caught snowy grouper in

the South Atlantic Bight declined from 4.9 kg in 1972

to only 0.8 kg in 1995 (Fig. 5). The only data from the

commercial fishery prior to 1983 are from South Carolina where mean weight dropped from 5.4 kg in 1977 to

5.0 kg in 1982 (Huntsman and Willis, 1989). Mean

weight of commercially caught snowy grouper for the

South Atlantic Bight declined from 3.7 kg in 1984 to 2.3

kg in 1995.

400,----------------.

Ci300

o

o

o

"':200

-

Snowy Grouper-The snowy grouper is a demersal serranid distributed in the western Atlantic from North

Carolina and the Gulf of Mexico to Brazil. It also occurs

in the eastern Pacific including the Gulf of California,

Mexico, and Panama (Fischer, 1978). Juveniles (about

400 mm (TL» have been observed off North Carolina

in depths of 61 m (Parker and Ross, 1986) where bottom water temperatures fluctuate from about 15.0°C to

29.0°C. Adults occur to depths of about 180 m, and

were common between 116 to 137 m off North Carolina (Huntsman and Dixon, 1976; Roe, 1976; Parker

and Ross, 1986), where the habitat is irregularly sized

boulders and ridges of bioeroded limestone with vertical relief up to 10 m, interspersed with sand, broken

shell, and rock fragments.

Snowy grouper live at least 27 years, reaching a weight

of 29 kg (Moore and Labisky, 1984). Average lengths

for fish ages 1-17 years are 210,328,404,462,513,561,

604,648,686,721,762,797,833,874,899,924,and958

mm (Matheson and Huntsman, 1984). They feed mostly

on crabs, fishes, and cephalopods (Bielsa and Labisky,

1987; Dodrill et aI., 1993). Snowy grouper are

protogynous hermaphrodites, changing from females

to males as they grow older. Fish first reach sexual

maturity when about 4-5 years old and 450 to 500 mm

long (Moore and Labisky, 1984). Spawning occurs April

through July, and eggs and larvae are pelagic.

Total catch ofsnowy grouper peaked in 1981 around

350,000 kg and has since fluctuated between about

71,000 kg and 280,000 kg (Fig. 3). Snowy grouper are

important in the commercial fishery and are the most

frequently caught deep water grouper in the U.S. South

Atlantic region. Commercial catches varied from 6,788

kg in 1980 to 278,330 kg in 1990 (Fig. 4). The catch in

1995 was 160,000 kg. The large catch ofsnowy grouper

in 1990 (about 141,257 fish) was virtually all (99%)

commercial. About 50% of the catch is from off the

Carolinas and 50% from southeast Florida. Snowy grouper were important in the recreational fishery prior to
14 NOAA Technical Report NMFS 138 _

Commercial Recreational

(MRFSS and Headboat combined)

1995

--Number

"'Kllogram

1985 1990

Year

300

250

~200 l::

C'CI

150

0

100

50

0 1985 1990 1995 1980

Year

300,-------------------,

250

~2oo l::

m150 ::l

o

100

50

OL....1.~~-'--"'-----'-~~--'--~~---'---~_'____''____.J

1980

MRFSS Headboat

1995

--Number

"'Kllogram

1985 1990 1995

Year

30

CIl

"0

:a 20 CIl

::l

o

oJ:

I- 10

300,-----------------:-:N-um-cb-e---,r

250 ... KIlogram

~200 l::

m150 ::l

o 100

50

oL....L""'--'--~_.... .............................~_<:::.-L----!

1980 1985 1990

Year

Weight not available for 1994, 1995.

Figure 4

Snowy grouper catch (kg) from commercial and recreational (MRFSS and headboat) fisheries. (Because

headboat data are considered more reliable than MRFSS data, the two are also shown separately in this and

other figures.)

Commercial Headboat

5,-------------------, ... South Atlantic Bight ... Southeast Florida

1985

12,---------,------,-----,-,-----------,-----,-------------,

-- South Atlantic Bight ... Southeast Florida

_10

C)

e. _ 8

.£:

C)

'G) 6

3=

I:

m

::1i 2

OL--'----'----'----'---'---'----'----L--'----'~.L.....L__'____"~L....L__'___'_~L__L...L....J

1975 1980 1985 1990 1995

Year

Figure 5

Snowy grouper mean weight (kg) from commercial and headboat fisheries.
_____________ Parker and Mays: Southeastern United States Deepwater Reef Fish Assemblages 15

Figure 6

Yellowedge grouper catch (kg), all fisheries combined.

1986 to 6,218 kg in 1994. Reported landings in 1995

were 8,475 kg. Recreational landings from headboats

have been insignificant, ranging from 1,300 kg in 1981

to about 100 kg in 1995 (Fig. 7). Mean weight of commercially caught yellowedge grouper in the South Atlantic Bight in 1984 was 5.2 kg (Fig. 8); however, by

1995 it had declined to about 3.4 kg. Mean weight

sample sizes of yellowedge grouper caught from

headboats in the South Atlantic Bight have been <3

since 1985 (Table 4).

Yellowedge Grouper-The yellowedge grouper is a large

(to 18 kg) grouper that inhabits hard bottom and rocky

outcroppings in depths of 190 to 220 m (Low and

Ulrich9 ). It ranges from offshore North Carolina along

the continental shelf break to Brazil and the Gulf of

Mexico. It is much more abundant in the western Gulf

of Mexico than in the Atlantic (Chester et aI., 1984).

Yellowedge grouper live at least 15 years and grow to

1,110 mm. Like their close relative, snowy grouper,

yellowedge grouper are believed to be protogynous

hermaphrodites. Sex reversal may take place over a

wide range ofsizes, but has usually occurred by the time

a fish reaches 850 mm (Keener, 1984). Yellowedge

grouper normally mature between ages 5 and 6 (450 to

469 mm). Spawning occurs from April to October with

a September peak, and eggs and larvae are pelagic.

Adults feed on bottom dwelling animals, including

squid, octopus, crabs, eels, lizardfish, seahorses,

scorpionfish, and searobins (Manooch, 1984).

Total catch of yellowedge grouper peaked just under

20,000 kg in 1983 and has fluctuated between 6,300 kg

and 15,000 kg from 1986 through 1995 (Fig. 6). Although usually not specifically targeted, yellowedge grouper are occasionally caught by fishermen seeking snowy

grouper. Catches from most trips are small. The largest

reported annual commercial catch, 17,765 kg, occurred

in 1983 (Fig. 7). Catches fluctuated from 15,104 kg in

9 Low, R. A..Jr., and G. F. Ulrich. 1983. Deep-water demersal finfish

resources and fisheries off South Carolina. South Carolina Marine

Resources Center, Charleston, SC 29412. Tech. Rep. 57.

25

20

-0>

815

....

-.s::. 10

(.)

«i

()

5

0

1980 1985

Year

1990 1995
16 NOAA Technical Report NMFS 138

1985 1990 1995

Year

Recreational

(Headboat and MRFSS combined)

400

800

1600 r-----------------, ..... Number

"'Kllogram 1200

1985 1990 1995

Year

o'---':=L-'------.'L.......J----'-----'---'----"-----'-----L----'-----"---'--'---'--'

1980

Commercial

5

20,--------------------, .... Kllogram

15 Ul

"0

c:

«l

10

o

.L:.

IMRFSS lor 1994, 1995 only

Headboat

1600 ,--------------..... --,----:NC":"u-m-,b:-e-r----,

"'Kilogram

1200

800

400

1985 1990 1995

Year

Figure 7

Yellowedge grouper catch (kg) from commercial and recreational fisheries.

Commercial Headboat

10,---------------------, ... South Atlantic Bight ... Southeast Florida 10,----,----::--,.---.,.....,-----,-----=-=------:----=--,.-----------, ..... South Atlantic Bight ... Southeast Florida

1980 1985 1990 1995

Year

1990 1995 1975

Year

1985

Figure 8

Yellowedge grouper mean weight (kg) from commercial and headboat fisheries.
____________ Parker and Mays: Southeastern United States Deepwater Reef Fish Assemblages 17

600,----------------------,

Figure 9

Warsaw grouper catch (kg), all fisheries combined.

than 10 fish), commercial data generally showed increasing mean weight per fish in recent years (Fig. 11).

In 1990, in the South Atlantic Bight, ] 1 commercially

caught fish had a mean weight of 14.8 kg. More recently, 43 fish measured in 1993 averaged 24.4 kg in the

South Atlantic Bight while five southeast Florida fish

averaged 17.8 kg.

1985 1990 1995

Year

1980

500

..s:::

200

U

100

-

C)

400

g

o

~300

-

Warsaw Grouper-The warsaw grouper is a large serranid distributed from North Carolina to the Florida

Keys, and Gulfof Mexico to the northern coast ofSouth

America. It inhabits irregular bottoms including steep

cliffs, notches, and rocky ledges ofthe continental shelf

break in depths of 76 to 219 m (Manooch and Mason,

1987).

Little is known about the reproduction of warsaw

grouper but eggs and larvae are thought to be pelagic.

Warsaw grouper live at least 41 years and reach lengths

of over 2,300 mm and weights of at least 190 kg. Average lengths for fish ages 1, 5,10,15,20, and 24 years are

330,914,1,194,1,295,1,397, and 1,473 mm (Manooch

and Mason, 1987). Fishes and crustaceans are major

foods (Manooch, 1984).

Warsaw grouper are an occasional trophy for sport

fishermen, but contribute less than 1% to the commercial landings of groupers in the Southeast. The total

catch of warsaw grouper has declined from 536,201 kg

in 1985 to 10,204 kg in 1993 (Fig. 9). Commercial and

headboat catches trended downward to the present,

from 34,005 kg in 1973 and 7,732 kg in 1981 to 1,393 kg

and 2,046 kg in 1995 respectively (Fig. 10). Annual

charter and private recreational vessel landings are

highly variable and ranged from 6,545 kg in 1982 to

528,812 kg in 1985 (Fig. 10).

Mean weight for warsaw grouper from headboats has

declined from about 50 kg in the 1970's to 7 kg in 1995

(Fig. 11). Although sample sizes were small (usually less
18 NOAA Technical Report NMFS 138

Commercial Recreational

(MRFSS and Headboat combined)

40,------------------, --Kilogram

1985 1990 1995

Year

1980

400 c:

lIS

III

:::J

o

200

600 ,---------------...-,----:-N,--u-m-=-b-e-----,r

"'Kllogram

1980 1985 1990

Year

1975

30 III

'0

c:

lIS

20

o

.r:.

I10

MRFSS Headboat

1985 1990 1995

Year

2

8

10 ,-------------... ----:N-,--u-m---:b-e-r-,

"'Kllogram

III

'0

c: 6

lIS

III

:::J

4

1980

oU~_L-'----)l~~"'="o::::::t:::o¥-~~;....,d..-

1985 1990 1995

Year

500

600 ,------------... ----:N-,-u-m:-b:-e-r-,

"'Kllogram

400 c:

lIS

300

o

200

100

Figure 10

Warsaw grouper catch (kg) from commercial and recreational fisheries.

Commercial Headboat

100,--------------::---,--,-----, ... South Atlantic Bight ... Southeast Florida 100 ,-------=-----:,-----,--::-__::_-=-~__=_=____::_____::_=--;-,----, ... South Atlantic Bight ... Southeast Florida

1980 1985 1990 1995

Year

1975

Cl 80

.g,- 60

·iii

c:

lIS

CD

:i

1985

oL-.L--'------'-------'------'-----=--'----'------'-----'---''--.l---'------.J

1990 1995

Year

- 80

.r:.

- 60

Cl

.~

c: 40

lIS

CD

:i 20

Figure 11

Warsaw grouper mean weight (kg) from commercial and headboat fisheries.
____________ Parker and Mays: Southeastern United States Deepwater Reef Fish Assemblages 19

25,---------------------,

1990 1995

Year

1986

5

20

15

.t=. 10

(.)

as

u

Figure 12

Speckled hind catch (kg), all fisheries combined.

....

-

and private boat sectors of the recreational fishery. In

1991, 6,532 speckled hind weighting 4,313 kg were

landed by charter and private boats combined. In 1995,

1,994 fish were landed.

Based on headboat samples, mean weights for speckled hind have declined as much as any species studied

(Fig. 14). Speckled hind grow to 30 kg but averaged about

4 kg in headboat catches from the South Atlantic Bight

before 1977 and <l kg from 1990 to 1994. Mean weight of

commercially caught speckled hind is about 2 kg.

Speckled Hind-The speckled hind ranges from Bermuda and North Carolina to Florida, and throughout

the Gulf of Mexico (Smith, 1971; Hoese and Moore,

1977). It inhabits high and low profile hard bottom in

depths ranging from 27 to 122 m (Huntsman and Dixon,

1976; Parker, personal observ.).

Preliminary investigation indicates that speckled hind

are protogynous hermaphrodites (Matheson, 1981).

Most of the larger, older fish are males. Sexual maturity

is reached in about 5 years (500 mm).

Speckled hind live more than 15 years and can weigh

over 20 kg. Average total lengths for fish from North

Carolina and South Carolina ages 1-15 years are 186,

317, 408, 475, 528, 572, 613, 645, 678, 709, 739, 774,

804,839, and 861 mm (Matheson and Huntsman, 1984).

Speckled hind generally engulf their prey whole. Their

diet includes fishes, shrimp, crabs, squid, and octopus

(Bullock and Smith, 1991).

Recent total catch of speckled hind has decreased

from 19,594 kg in 1986 to 1,237 kg in 1995 (Fig. 12).

The total headboat and commercial catch was probably

greatest in 1973 when the headboat catch in North

Carolina alone was almost 30,000 kg (Huntsman and

Willis, 1989). North Carolina anglers caught about 8,600

speckled hind in 1973, and averaged about 3,100 fish

per year through the late 1970's (Huntsman and Willis,

1989). From 1981 through 1988 the headboat catch in

the South Atlantic Bight ranged from about 1,000 to

5,000 kg but dropped to 226 kg by 1994 (Fig. 13).

Numbers of fish ranged from 2,735 in 1985 to 175 in

1995. Data are sporadically available for the charter
20 NOAA Technical Report NMFS 138 _

Commercial Recreational

(Headboat and MRFSS combined)

30,------------------, "'Kllogram

1985 1990 1995

Year

7,----------------- "'Number

6

1990 1995

Year

1986

20 c

C1l

III

o

i5 10

Headboat MRFSS lor 1991,1994, and 1995 only

1985 1990 1995

Year

o,--,-,-,-,--,--'--'--'--'--'--'--'--'-----'L-.:L.---'

1981

5

6,---------------------, "'Number

"Kilogram

Figure 13

Speckled hind catch (kg) from commercial and recreational fisheries.

Commercial Headboat

5,------------------

... South Atlantic Bight ..Southeast Florida

5.-----------------

... South Atlantic Bight ..Southeast Florida

1985 1990

Year

1995 1975 1980 1985

Year

1990 1995

Figure 14

Speckled hind mean weight (kg) from commercial and headboat fisheries.
____________ Parker and Mays: Southeastern United States Deepwater Reef Fish Assemblages 21

1990 1995

Year

1985

Figure 15

Scamp catch (kg), all fisheries combined.

350 ,--------------------,

300

Cl250

o

0200 q

.....

;; 150

g

100

50

10 Size limit regulations were implemented in January 1992 (shown

by an arrow (with size in parentheses) in figures) by Amendment

4 to the Snapper-Grouper Management Plan ofthe South Atlantic

Fishery Management Council.

The mean weight of fish caught from headboats in

the South Atlantic Bight dropped from 4.6 kg in 1972

to 1.4 kg by 1989, then increased to 2.7 kg in 1993, but

dropped to 2.3 in 1995 (Fig. 17) 10. Mean weights from

the commercial fishery were about 3 kg from 1984

through 1995.

Scamp-The scamp inhabits continental shelf waters

from North Carolina to Florida and throughout the

Gulf of Mexico. The species has been observed over low

to high profile rock outcroppings encrusted with soft

corals, sponges, hydroids, and bryozoa in waters 20 to

100 m deep (Parker and Ross, 1986).

Scamp spawn from April through August with a peak

in May and June (Matheson et aI., 1986). They live at

least 21 years and grow to 894 mm. Average total lengths

(and weights) for fish ages 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,10,15,20, and 21

years are 216 mm (0.15 kg), 333 mm (0.54 kg), 414 mm

(1.0 kg), 470 mm (1.4 kg), 516 mm (1.9 kg), 663 mm

(3.9 kg), 770 mm (6.9 kg), 884 mm (8.9 kg), and 894

mm (9.3 kg). Scamp feed mostly on fishes, such as

round scad, Decapterus punctatus, tomtate, Haemulon

aurolineatum, and vermilion snapper (Matheson et aI.,

1986).

Since 1980, the total catch of scamp has fluctuated

from 54,260 kg in 1980 to 331,493 kg in 1982. The 1995

total catch was 160,375 kg (Fig. 15). In the recreational

fishery, North Carolina and South Carolina headboats

(approximately 35 vessels) consistently account for more

than 90% of the annual headboat catch. Georgia and

northeast Florida headboats (approximately 20 vessels)

account for <10% of the catch of this species (Huntsman et al. l ). Headboat catches have varied in number,

from 3,581 fish in 1981 to 23,628 fish in 1991, while

landed weights during the same years ranged from

13,485 kg (1981) to 78,233 kg (1991) (Fig. 16). Catches

from charter and private recreational vessels ranged

from 2,900 kg (1981) to 220,000 kg (1982) (Fig. 16).

The identified commercial catch increased from 17,372

kg in 1980 to 221,192 kg in 1990, dropped to 30,014 kg in

1992, and then increased to 152,462 kg in 1994 (Fig. 16).
22 NOAA Technical Report NMFS 138 _

Commercial Recreational

(MRFSS and Headboat combined)

250

"'Number

200 -Kilogram

en

'0a150

en

:::3 i? 100

I50

0

1980 1985 1990 1995

Year

Headboat

100 "'Number

80

en

'0 60

:::3

0 40 ..t::.

I20

0

1985 1990 1995

Year

1995

1990 1995

1985 1990

Year

1985

1980

OL---'.-----'-----'---'-...J..--'--I..-J.-----'-----'---'-...J..--'--I..-J.-----'-----'

1980

250 ,---------------...-N-u-m-b-e-r---,

200 "'Kllogram

250,---------------------,

MRFSS

50

Year

Walght not avallabla for 1995.

200

U)

'0:i3 150

U)

:::3

0100

50

en

'0

c: 150

<ll

en

:::3

0100

Figure 16

Scamp catch (kg) from commercial and recreational fisheries.

COMMERCIAL HEADBOAT

6r------------------,

[:, South Atlantic Bight OSoutheast Florida 6r---------------,

[:, South Atlantic Bight 0 Southeast Florida

(20"TL) _

o'------'-------'----'----'-----'-----'_L--'-------'----'----'------'------'

4'\,-.

1975

(20"TL) ......

oL.L--'---'-~L....L-'---L--'--'_'__'_'_...L....J._'__'_'_...L....L--'-L....L..L....J

1~O 1~5 1~O 1~5

Year

2

1990 1995

Year

1985

2

4

Figure 17

Scamp mean weight (kg) from commercial and headboat fisheries.
____________ Parker and Mays: Southeastern United States Deepwater Reef Fish Assemblages 23

Figure 18

Silk snapper catch (kg). all fisheries combined.

Silk Snapper-The silk snapper ranges from Cape

Hatteras to Brazil and in the northern Gulf of Mexico

along the continental shelf edge, 64 to 242 m in depth

(Bohlke and Chaplin, 1993). This shelf edge habitat

consists of algal limestone cliffs and ledges interspersed

with shell hash and sandstone (Grimes, 1976). Young

adult and juvenile fish occupy shallower depths than

adult fish, to as shallow as 12 m where preferred bottom

type occurs (Nagelkerken, 1981). Fish and crustaceans

make up the m~ority of the diet.

Silk snapper reach sexual maturity by 500 to 555 mm

and grow to 750 mm. Thought to travel in loose schools,

silk snapper aggregate year round for spawning with

apparent peaks in July through September and October through December. Female fish outnumber males

(Boardman and Weiler, 1980).

The total catch of silk snapper declined from 17,548

kg in 1983 to 2,426 kg in 1992 (Fig. 18). The 1995 total

catch was 5,741 kg. Commercial databases reveal widely

varied silk snapper catches, from 117 kg in 1980 to

25

20

-en

g 15

q

....

-.c 10

(.)

<a

u

5

0

1980 1985

Year

1990 1995

Commercial Recreational

(Headboat and MRFSS combined)

15 30,--------------------,

III

10

III

::l

o

5

1980 1985 1990

Year

Headboat

-Kilogram

1995

25

20 c

as

15

o

10

5

1985 1990

Year

1995

25

30 ,-------------,...-Nc-:-u-m-b:-e-r-,

"'Kllogram

20 c

as

15

o

10

5

1985 1990 1995

Year

Figure 19

Silk snapper catch (kg) from commercial and recreational fisheries.
24 NOAA Technical Report NMFS 138 _

about 13,070 kg in 1990 (Fig. 19). The 1995 catch was

2,540 kg. Although the recreational (headboat) catch

comprises a smaller segment of the silk snapper take,

the catch has been significant, with a high of9,736 kg in

1983 (Fig. 19). The mean weight of silk snapper in the

South Atlantic Bight headboat fishery dropped from

COMMERCIAL

3.-------------------, £:; South Atlantic Bight 0 Southeast Florida

4.9 kg in 1972 to 2.0 kg by 1977 (Fig. 20). Since 1977,

sample sizes have been too small (except for 1988, 0.6

kg) to be meaningful (Table 4). Commercial fishery

mean weight in the South Atlantic Bight dropped from

1.8 kg in 1983 to 0.7 kg in 1987 and has varied from 0.7

kg to 1.0 kg since then (Fig. 20) 10.

HEADBOAT

6..---------------------, £:; South Atlantic Bight Q Southeast Florida

2

(12"TL)

OL--'----..I...--'----'-----'----'--'-----'-----'---=>---'-------'-''-----'

1985 1990 1995

Year

1975 1980 1985

Year

1990 1995

Figure 20

Silk snapper mean weight (kg) from commercial and headboat fisheries.
____________ Parker and Mays: Southeastern United States Deepwater Reef Fish Assemblages 25

Blackfin Snapper-The blackfin snapper occupies shelf

edge habitat from Cape Hatteras to the Caribbean

Antilles, and in the GulfofMexico (Bohlke and Chaplin,

1993). While juveniles and subadults sometimes inhabit

hard bottom at shallow depths (12 to 40 m), adult fish

usually occur from 40 to 300 m (Nagelkerken, 1981).

Male fish grow larger (to 740 mm) than females but are

less common (Boardman and Weiler, 1980). Adult fish

more commonly reach 500 mm on a diet of fish and

crustaceans (Nagelkerken, 1981).

Blackfin snapper have never been reported in significant numbers. The total catch of blackfin snapper since

1981 fluctuated from 2,137 kg in 1991 to 26 kg in 1994

(Fig. 21). The 1995 total catch was 491 kg. The largest

documented annual catch from headboats was 2,130 kg

in 1991 (Fig. 22). Commercial landings varied from 353

kg in 1982 to 5 kg in 1990. Blackfin snapper are frequently misidentified as red snapper in the commercial

catch, and landings are consequently underestimated.

Mean weight from the headboat fishery in southeast

Florida has been around 0.2 kg to 0.4 kg from 1978

through 1989 (Fig. 23); since then sample sizes have

been too small «6) to be meaningful (Table 4).

2500,--------------------,

2000

~1500

-..t::.

o

1000

500

1985 1990 1995

Year

Figure 21

Blackfin snapper catch (kg), all fisheries combined.
26 NOAA Technical Report NMFS 138 _

Commercial Recreational

(Headboat and MRFSS combined)

1985 1990 1995

Year

500

2500,------------------,

2000

Cl

c1500

.r::.

1000

o

1990 1995

Year

1985

300

o ..L-__'____'____'____'____'____'____'____'___"=~__'____'____'___'______.J

400,------------------,

Cl

C

.r::. 200

¥

u

100

Headboat MRFSS for 1994 and 1995 only

2500,------------------,

2000

Cl

c 1500

.r::.

o

iii 1000

U

500

1985 1990 1995

Year

Figure 22

Blackfin snapper catch (kg) from commercial and recreational fisheries.

Headboat

4r------------------,

.6 South Atlantic Bight 0 Southeast Florida

1975 1980 1985

Year

1990 1995

Figure 23

Blackfin snapper mean weight (kg) from headboat

fishery.
Parker and Mays: Southeastern United States Deepwater Reef Fish Assemblages 27

1400,----------------------,

Year

Figure 24

Red snapper catch (kg), all fisheries combined.

1200

~1000

o

800

....

-or: 600

U 400

200

300,000 kg in the 1970's to less than 100,000 kg in 1987

(Fig. 25). The 1995 catch was 80,000 kg.

A 508 mm size limit instituted in January 1992 appears to have affected catches and mean weights. The

mean weight of red snapper in the headboat fishery in

the South Atlantic Bight declined from 8.5 kg in 1973

to 1.5 kg in 1990 (Fig. 26). From 1991 through 1995,

the mean weight was about 2.5 kg. Commercially caught

red snapper in the South Atlantic Bight increased from

1.9 kg in 1984 to 4.0 kg in 1995 (Fig. 26).

Red Snapper-The red snapper ranges from Cape

Hatteras to Florida and throughout the Gulf of Mexico.

It is found over rocky bottom at depths from 10 to 190

m and feeds on fishes and invertebrates, including

shrimp, cephalopods, and worms (Fischer, 1978).

Red snapper mature after 3 years (Bradley and Bryan,

1975) and spawn throughout the warmer months. Eggs

and larvae are pelagic. The red snapper lives at least 16

years and grows to 1,025 mm. Average total lengths for

fish aged 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,10, and 15 are 224, 379, 453, 536,

577,845, and 1,025 mm (Nelson and Manooch, 1982).

Most red snapper landed in the region are caught off

north Florida and the Carolinas. Since 1980, the total

catch ofred snapper has fluctuated between 918,538 kg

in 1985 to 57,792 in 1992 (Fig. 24). The 1993 total catch

was 117,322 kg. The 1994 and 1995 peaks are due to

MRFSS data and are unreliable (see footnote 4). Early

estimates (1972) of the red snapper catch from

headboats come from North Carolina where 2,187 fish

weighing 18,576 kg were landed (Huntsman and Willis,

1989). By 1984, the combined headboat catch from

both North Carolina and South Carolina had decreased

to 2,581 fish weighing 5,196 kg. During the same year

the entire U.S. southeast Atlantic headboat fishery

yielded 31,146 fish weighing 36,930 kg (Fig. 25). A

general downward trend resulted in a headboat catch

of only 8,826 fish weighing 26,070 kg in 1995.

The charter and private recreational vessel catch estimates for 1979 through 1995 ranged from 51,000 kg in

1990 to 1,233,264 kg in 1994 (Fig. 25)4. Commercial

landings of red snapper have decreased from about
28 NOAA Technical Report NMFS 138

Commercial Recreational

(MRFSS and Headboat combined)

2000,-----------------, ... Number ... Kilograms

1975 1980 1985

Year

Ul 1500

"0

c:

<U

1000

o

f3.

500

1980 1985 1990

Year

1995

MRFSS Headboat

70 ,-----------,..---,-N:-u-m....,.b-.-r-"'::-:-:K1::-:-lo-g-r-am---'

1985 1990 1995

Year

80

Ul 50 "tJ

40

630

.J::

I- 20

10

o L-~~~~~~~~~...L-~~~~~-'

1980

Ul

"tJ

c::

1000

1500

500

2000 ,------~N;-u-m--;-b-.-r---:...;O-;:K;;";"lIo-=-g-r-=-am::-:-:-.-----,

Figure 25

Red snapper catch (kg) from commercial and.recreational fisheries.

COMMERCIAL HEADBOAT

10 10

/::, South Atlantic Bight 0 Southeast Florida /::, South Atlantic Bight o Southeast Florida

8

6

Cl Cl

4

2 2

(20"TL)

0 0

1985 1990 1995 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995

Year Year

Figure 26

Red snapper mean weight (kg) from commercial and headboat fisheries.
____________ Parker and Mays: Southeastern United States Deepwater Reef Fish Assemblages 29

Figure 27

Vermilion snapper catch (kg). all fisheries combined.

0.8 kg in 1973, to 0.2 kg by 1991. Since size limits were

implemented in 1992, the mean weight from headboats

has averaged about 0.3 kg (Fig. 29). Mean weight for

commercially caught fish throughout the region has

remained about 0.6 kg since 1986.

1980 1985 1990 1995

Year

1975

1400

1200

-

~1000

0

0 800 q

.c: 600

0

CO 400 ()

200

0

Vennilion Snapper-The vermilion snapper occurs over

rough bottom from Bermuda and North Carolina to

Brazil, including the West Indies (Bohlke and Chaplin,

1993). Their diet consists mostly ofsmall pelagic crustacea (ostracods, copepods, stomatopods, amphipods,

shrimp, and crabs), cephalopods, pelagic gastropods,

and small fish (Dixon, 1975; Grimes, 1979).

Vermilion snapper mature in 3-4 years, and spawn

April through September off North Carolina (Grimes,

1976) and year-round off Puerto Rico (Boardman and

Weiler, 1980). Ovaries contain 100,000 to 1.8 million

eggs (Grimes, 1976). Eggs and larvae are pelagic. Vermilion snapper live at least 10 years and grow to 618

mm (Grimes, 1978).

Since the peak in 1982 of 1,263,808 kg, the total

catch ofvermilion snapper fluctuated to a low of323,395

kg in 1993 (Fig. 27). The 1995 total catch was 674,626 kg.

The headboat catch varied from 104,320 kg in 1981 to

275,691 kg in 1991 (Fig. 28). The 1995 headboat catch was

123,314 kg. Catches from charter and private recreational

vessels ranged from 831,876 kg in 1982 to 5,496 kg in

1986, then increased to 201,686 kg in 1995 (Fig. 28).

Commercial landings ofvermilion snapper increased from

34,703 kg in 1972 (off the Carolinas) to 596,021 kg in

1990 and then declined to 206,730 kg in 1993 (Fig. 28).

The 1995 commercial catch was 359,626 kg.

The mean weight of vermilion snapper caught from

headboats in the South Atlantic Bight decreased from
30 NOAA Technical Report NMFS 138

COMMERCIAL RECREATIONAL

MRFSS and HEADBOAT

700 5 .... NUMBER'" KILOGRAMS

600

4

0 500 0 0 0

400 q3

0

>< 300 0

0 Cl .,..;2 :.::: 200 ><

100 1

0 0 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 1980 1985 1990 1995

Year Year

MRFSS HEADBOAT

1000 1000 -NUMBER

+ KILOGRAM

800 800

0

0

0 600 0 600 0 .... 0

>< .... Cl 400 >< 400

:.:::

200 200

0'

0 0 1980 1985 1990 1995 1985 1990 1995

Year Year

Figure 28

Vermilion snapper catch (kg) from commercial and recreational fisheries.

COMMERCIAL HEADBOAT

1.6..---------------, 1.6..-----------------,

1975 1980 1995

/::, South Atlantic Bight 0 Southeast Florida

(10"TL) ....... oL...L-'----L-L...I......!-.L...L......L.J.---'-L..L-'----L-L...IL..L.l.......L::L.....t......!-.L.J

1985 1990

Year

0.4

1.2

Cl :Il:: 0.8

1985 1995

6. South Atlantic Bight 0 Southeast Florida

(12"TL) _

o~~-'----...L---'-----L--_L___'_----'-____'___=..L____'____l.__J----J

1990

Year

0.4

1.2

Cl :Il:: 0.8

Figure 29

Vermilion snapper mean weight (kg) from commercial and headboat fisheries.
_____________ Parker and Mays: Southeastern United States Deepwater Reef Fish Assemblages 31

2000,--------------------,

Figure 30

Tilefish catch (kg), all fisheries combined.

3 year period, resulting in huge catches (1,709,962 kg

in 1982), but by 1983 (959,601 kg) the fishery began to

decline. From 1985 through 1995, catches have fluctuated around 420,000 kg per year. Commercial mean

weight in the South Atlantic Bight decreased from 11.5

kg in 1984 to about 5.0 kg in 1995 (Fig. 32). About 50

commercial vessels concen trated on tilefish from 1988

through 1992. Recently, there has been no significant

recreational catch of tilefish (about 1,000 fish annually

from 1986 through 1992).

1985 1990

Year

1980

.c

U 500

Ci 1500

a

a

a

1000

-

11 Freeman, B. L., and S. C. Turner. 1977. Biological and fisheries

data on tilefish, Lapholatilus chamaeleonticeps, Goode and Bean. Sandy

Hook Laboratory, Northeast Fisheries Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, Highlands, 07732. Tech. Ser. Rep. 5, 41 p.

Tilefish-The tilefish is a demersal malacanthid species that inhabits the outer continental shelf and upper

continental slope along the entire east coast of the

United States and the Gulf of Mexico south to Venezuela. It is a bottom dweller, living in burrows in clay

substrate at depths from 76 to 457 m (Freeman and

Turner!!) in water temperatures from 9°C to 14°C

(Grimes et aI., 1986).

Fifty percent of males mature by age 5 (450 mm)

while 50% of females mature by age 6 (500 mm)

(Erickson and Grossman, 1986). Females spawn 1 to 10

million eggs, and spawn fractionally from March to

November (Grimes et aI., 1988).

Tilefish live at least 33 years and mean sizes for fish

ages 5,10,15,20,25, and 30 are 471, 554, 689, 790, 883,

and 852 mm (Harris and Grossman, 1985). Adult tilefish feed on fish, crabs, shrimp, squid, worms, sea cucumbers, anemones, tunicates, and sea urchins (Freeman and Turner!!).

Total weight oftilefish dropped from 1,709,970 kg in

1982 to 170,613 kg in 1987. The 1995 total catch was

351,398 kg (Fig. 30). Commercial catches of tilefish

from Cape Hatteras to Key West grew steadily from

1972 to 1980, from 5,766 to 165,252 kg respectively

(Fig. 31). Effort and landings exploded in the following
32 NOAA Technical Report NMFS 138

Commercial Recreational

(MRFSS and Headboat combined)

2000,----------------, --Kilogram

1500 (j)

tij

1000

o

500

1975 1980 1985

Year

MRFSS

1990 1995

60

(j)

fa 40 III

::::J

o

I- 20

1980 1985 1990

Year

Headboat

"'Number

+ Kllogram

1995

1990 1995

Year

1985

50

150

100

200,------------------:--:-----,------, "'Number

+ Kilogram

1995

"'Number

+ Kllogram

1985 1990

Year

1980

60

III

'0fa 40 III

::::J

o

.c

I- 20

Figure 31

Tilefish catch (kg) from commercial and recreational fisheries.

COMMERCIAL HEADBOAT

12,--------------------,

6 South Atlantic Bight OSoutheast Florida

1985 1990 1995

Year

2

4

6 South Atlantic Bight Q Southeast Florida

6

8

10,-------------------,

1990 1995

Year

1985

2

4

8

10

~6

Figure 32

Tilefish mean weight (kg) from commercial and headboat fisheries.
____________ Parker and Mays: Southeastern United States Deepwater Reef Fish Assemblages 33

600,----------------,

Figure 33

Blueline tilefish catch (kg), all fisheries combined.

to 3,219 kg by 1986 (Fig. 33). The 1995 total catch was

57,826 kg. The NMFS commercial database shows increased catches beginning in the late 1970's, climbing

to 55,427 kg in 1978 (Fig. 34). The 1979 catch dropped

to 24,778 kg, but in 1980 the "boom" years began with a

catch of93,969 kg. The catch escalated to 530,090 kg in

1983. By 1986, however, catches plummeted to 2,231

kg. Catches since 1990 have been around 60,000 kg.

Headboat catches peaked at 6,952 kg in 1980 and again

at 6,080 kg in 1983, but have remained less than 500 kg

since 1989 (Fig. 34). The 1995 peak is from MRFSS data

1985 1990 1995

Year

1980

..c:

200

U

100

600

C)

,:,,:. 400

8

o

"":300

-

Blueline Tilefish-The blueline tilefish occurs from

Cape Charles, Virginia, to the Campeche Banks, Mexico,

in water depths between 68 and 236 m, but is found

principally south ofCape Hatteras (Dooley, 1978). The

species frequents irregular bottom comprised oftroughs

and terraces inter-mingled with sand, mud, or shell

hash bottom along the continental shelf break. This

habitat is commonly shared with some ofthe deepwater

snappers and groupers, especially snowy grouper.

Blueline tilefish have been observed hovering near and

entering burrows under rocks (Parker and Ross, 1986).

Water temperatures typically range from 15°C to 23°C

(Ross, 1978). These tilefish are epibenthic browsers,

often feeding upon crabs, shrimps, snails, worms, sea

urchins, and fish (Ross, 1982; Bielsa and Labisky, 1987).

Long lived and slow growing, blueline tilefish may

attain 820 mm in 17 years (Ross, 1978; Ross and Huntsman, 1982; Labisky et aI., 1983). They commonly reach

150 mm by the end of year one. Labisky et ai. (1983)

reported average lengths for fish ages 1-15 of 165,279,

358, 414, 464, 505, 544, 576, 607, 632, 655, 676, 693,

709, and 726 mm respectively.

Some females mature at age 1, all are mature by age

6. Large females spawn up to 4 million pelagic eggs

between April and September, with peak spawning in

May and September (Ross and Merriner, 1982). Early

researchers believed that blueline tilefish might be

protogynous hermaphrodites; however, a recent study

indicates normal sexual dimorphism (Labisky et aI., 1983).

The fishery was important to both commercial and

recreational snapper-grouper fishermen but recently

only the commercial fishermen made significant catches.

The total catch peaked in 1983 at 536,170 kg then fell

Commercial Recreational

(Headboat and MRFSS combined)

600,----------------,------, ...... Kllogram 8,------------------,

{g 400 c:

Cll

II)

::l

o

200

1980 1990 1995

11)6

"0

c:

Cll

~4

o

t=

2

1975 1980 1985

Year

1990 1995

Figure 34

Blueline tilefish catch (kg) from commercial and recreational fisheries.
34 NOAA Technical Report NMFS 138 _

that must be in error. Much of the decrease may be

attributable to diversion of headboat effort from blueline

tilefish habitat to shallower water as the catch-per-uniteffort of blueline tilefish, snowy grouper, and speckled

COMMERCIAL

6,------------------,

'" South Atlantic Bight ([)Southeast Florida

hind diminished. Mean weight of fish caught by

headboats declined from 2.4 kg in 1972 to <1.0 kg by 1990

(Fig. 35). Commercial mean weight decreased from about

4.0 kg in the mid-1980's to 2.4 kg in 1995 (Fig. 35).

HEADBOAT

6,------------------,

D. South Atlantic Bight oSoutheast Florida

4

2

1985 1990

Year

1995 1975 1980 1985

Year

1990 1995

Figure 35

Blueline tilefish mean weight (kg) from commercial and headboat fisheries.
_____________ Parker and Mays: Southeastern United States Deepwater Reef Fish Assemblages 35

Bigeye-The bigeye occurs from New England and Bermuda to Argentina (Bohlke and Chaplin, 1993). Found

to depths of 200 m over rough, hard bottom near

crevices or burrows (Parker, personal observ.), mostly

nocturnal bigeye feed on zooplankton, polychaete

worms, crustaceans, and small fishes (Randall, 1968)

and grow to about 400 mm.

Though not specifically targeted, bigeye frequently

occur in the headboat catch. Annual catches varied

between 1,811 kg in 1984 and 7,762 kg in 1987 (Fig.

36). Bigeye are taken commercially but the catch has

Recreational

(Headboat and MRFSS combined)

10r------------------,

not been reported by species. The 1992 and 1993 commercial vessel logbook reports revealed a catch of about

1,000 kg and 1,982 kg respectively (Harris et aI. 12).

Mean weights of bigeye caught from headboats have

fluctuated between 0.5 kg and 0.7 kg from 1977 through

1995 (Fig. 37). Commercial mean weights were not

available.

12 Harris, K. C., G. N.Johnson, C. W. Krouse, and A.J. Chester. 1993,

1994. The 1993 and 1994 south Atlantic snapper-grouper logbook

programs. Beaufort Laboratory, Southeast Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, Beaufort, NC 28516.

Headboat

10r-------------------,

8

~6

o

o

q 4 ... 2

8

~6

o

o

o. 4

2

1985 1990

Year

1995 1985 1990

Year

1995

Figure 36

Bigeye catch (kg) from recreational fisheries.

HEADBOAT

3

2

Cl

1

6. South Atlantic Bight OSoutheast Florida

1975 1980 1985

Year

1990 1995

Figure 37

Bigeye mean weight from headboat fishery.
36 NOAA Technical Report NMFS 138 _

Red Porgy-In the western Atlan tic the red porgy occurs from North Carolina to Argentina over rough bottom at depths from 18 to 280 m (Murray and Hjort,

1912), but has not been reported from the Caribbean

(Manooch and Huntsman, 1977). Red porgy are

protogynous hermaphrodites; most fish longer than

457 mm are males. Females mature in 2-4 years and

may spawn 47,000-500,000 eggs. Spawning occurs from

January through April and eggs and larvae are pelagic

(Manooch, 1975). Red porgy live up to 15 years. Average lengths for ages 1-12 years are 238, 290, 341, 382,

419,451,483,505,527,543,558, and 604 mm. The red

porgy feeds on crabs, snails, worms, sea urchins, and

occasionally small fishes such as round scad and tomtate

(Manooch, 1977).

The total catch ofred porgy decreased from 1,056,565

kg in 1982 to 148,746 kg by 1994 (Fig. 38). The 1995

catch increased to 280,075 kg. Charter and private recreational vessel survey data for the period 1980-90 show

a large variation in annual landings, from 1,056,565 kg

1200

1000

-Cl

800

0

0

q

,... 600

-..c:

0

a; 400

U

200

0

1980 1985 1990 1995

Year

Figure 38

Red porgy catch (kg), all fisheries combined.

Commercial Recreational

(MRFSS and Headboat combined)

1985 1990 1995

Year

1980

3000,---------------... -N-u-m-b-.-----,r

2500 "'Kllogram

2000 c:

m 1500

o

f= 1000

500

1990 1995

Year

1985

400,-----------------,---:-::;-------, --Kilogram

350

300 III

"C 250 fa

200

,g 150

100

50

0L---'---'------L-"'----'--------'-----"-~---'-------'-------'-----'

MRFSS Headboat

1991,1992,1993 not In dataset.

1985 1990 1995

Year

100

600,----------------...--:N...,.u-m--:b-.-r'

500 "'Kilogram

400 c:

m300

o

200

1980

oL.fo~___'__<____.IL.L~__...;:;a,-.--~~----==:L..J

1985 1990 1995

Year

3000 ,---------------...:-:-:N-um----;-b.-r---,

2600 "'Kllogram

2000 c:

1600

o

1000

500

Figure 39

Red porgy catch (kg) from commercial and recreational fisheries.
____________ Parker and Mays: Southeastern United States Deepwater Reef Fish Assemblages 37

in 1982 to 5,821 kg in 1986 (Fig. 39). Commercial

catches of red porgy have declined from a high of

342,351 kg in 1990 to 72,680 kg in 1994 (Fig. 39). The

1995 commercial catch was 156,458 kg. Headboat landings also declined, from a high of 495,924 kg in 1982 to

COMMERCIAL

1.5r------------------,

6 South Atlantic Bight OSoutheast Florida

<100,000 kg from 1988-95 (Fig. 39). Mean weights from

headboats in the South Atlantic Bight have dropped from

>1 kg prior to 1980 to about 0.5 kg from 1989 through

1995 (Fig. 40)10. The commercial mean weight dropped

from 1.1 kg in 1983 to 0.7 kg from 1987-95.

HEADBOAT

1.5r----------------.,

6 South Atlantic Bight 0 Southeast Florida

0.5

1985 1990

Year

1995 1975 1980 1995

Figure 40

Red porgy mean weight (kg) from commercial and headboat fisheries.
38 NOAA Technical Report NMFS 138 _

2000.------------------,

Figure 41

Greater amberjack catch (kg), all fisheries combined.

1985 1990 1995

Year

1980

..l::

() 500

'8)1500

.ll::

o

o

o

...: 1000

-

Greater Ambetjack-The greater amberjack occurs in

the western Atlantic from Nova Scotia and Bermuda to

Brazil, including the West Indies and Gulf of Mexico

(Fischer, 1978). Greater amberjack probably spawn yearround but are reproductively most active from March

through June (Burch, 1979). Spawning concentrations

occur in southeast Florida and the Keys. The relatively

new (since 1985) commercial fishery, especially that

conducted by divers with spearguns, focuses on these

aggregations. Greater amberjack have been aged to 17

years; they reach a weight of at least 30.5 kg and a

length (FL) of 1,552 mm (Manooch and Potts, 1997).

Average lengths for ages 1-10 years are 407, 643, 908,

1,000,1,094, 1,169, 1,218, 1,333, 1,397, and 1,435 mm

(Burch, 1979). Amberjacks are voracious feeders; major foods are fishes, cephalopods, and crustaceans

(Manooch and Haimovici, 1983).

Total catch of greater amberjack fluctuated from

245,439 kg in 1979 to 1,797,776 kg in 1980 (Fig. 41).

The 1995 total catch was 506,153 kg. Although comCommercial

Recreational

(MRFSS and Headboat combined)

o~""""""'::~=-=~~~---'---'~~

1980 1985 1990 1995

Year

2000.--------------N'"'"u-m--:b-e-r'

-+-Kllogram

Ul 1500 "C

C

m1000 ;:,

o

f=

500

1600,---------cKl-C',--o-gr-a-m-s-------,

1400

1200 Ul

1000

800 &600

400

200

OL.-~---<..1~=!::~~~~~-'---'-........J

1975 1980 1985 1990 1995

Year

MRFSS Headboat

1995

--Number

-+-Kllogram

1985 1990

Year

120

Ul

"C

80 Ul

;:,

o

.s::. \ ..... 40

'"

500

1980

1500 Ul

"C

1000

o

t=

1991,1992,1993 data mining.

2000 .-----------... -----:-N:--u-m-:-b-e--,r

-+-Kllogram

Figure 42

Greater amberjack catch (kg) from commercial and recreational fisheries.
____________ Parker and Mays: Southeastern United States Deepwater Reef Fish Assemblages 39

mon, amberjack have not been commercially exploited

historically. Commercial landings remained around

50,000 kg per year until about 1986 (Fig. 42). A new

market for amberjack in 1985 increased landings to

627,865 kg by 1987. Landings continued to increase,

exceeding 1.2 million kg in 1992 and 1993, then declined

to 505,153 kg by 1995. Headboat landings decreased from

a high of 118,594 kg in 1982 to 35,785 kg in 1995 (Fig. 42).

Estimates of recreational catch, exclusive of that made

from headboats, fluctuated widely, ranging from 0.1-1.8

million kg (Fig. 42). Mean weight of fish from the commercial fishery in the South Atlantic Bight increased steadily

from 7.9 kg in 1984 to 27.3 kg in 1995 (Fig. 43)10. Mean

weight from headboats varied from 10.7 kg in 1975 to 3.5

kg in 1983. The 1995 mean weight from headboats in the

South Atlantic Bight was 7.8 kg.

COMMERCIAL HEADBOAT

30r-------------------,

f:, South Atlantic Bight

25 0 Southeast Florida f:, South Atlantic Bight (l Southeast Florida

15 Cl

10

1975

20

25,--------------------,

1990 1995

Year

1985

5

20

10

~15

Figure 43

Greater amberjack mean weight (kg) from commercial and headboat fisheries.
40 NOAA Technical Report NMFS 138

Conclusions

Our goal was to put together existing knowledge of the

deepwater reef fish fishery and habitat characteristics

along the U.S. south Atlantic coast. We found that

there are 19 economically important species, five of

these comprising 97% of the catch (by weight). They

are, in descending order of total landings for 1995:

tilefish, snowy grouper, blueline tilefish, warsaw grouper, and yellowedge grouper. Although headboat effort has remained relatively constant from 1981-95 (Fig.

2) and commercial effort has most likely increased

during the same period (see numbers of commercial

vessels in Catch and Effort section), total landings decreased for 10 of the 14 species with catch data:

yellowedge grouper, warsaw grouper, speckled hind,

silk snapper, blackfin snapper, red snapper, vermilion

snapper, tilefish, blueline tilefish, and red porgy. Mean

weigh t data from headboats (1972-95) showed a decrease in 12 of the 14 species. Only bigeye, an incidental catch, and greater amberjack, a recently (1991)

directed fishery with size limits initiated in 1992, have

maintained average weight. The mean weight for commercial tilefish decreased, but remained about the same

for snowy grouper, yellowedge grouper, and speckled

hind. Other commercial fishery mean weight data were

from sample sizes that generally were too small to be

meaningful (Table 4). Federal size limits implemented

in 1992 initially appeared to have a positive affect on

scamp, silk snapper, red snapper, and vermilion snapper in the South Atlantic Bight. The same size limits

were proclaimed by the State of North Carolina in 1991

and this probably accounts for the increase in average

sizes that year for scamp, red snapper, and vermilion

snapper (Figs. 17, 26, and 29).

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Boardman, C., and D. Weiler.

1980. Aspects of the life history of three deepwater snappers

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1993. Fishes of the Bahamas and adjacent tropical waters.

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