Spot life history information and fisheries data have generally been localized and conducted at different levels of population abundance. Commercial and recreational catch and effort data have been insufficient to determine the relationship between landings and abundance. An additional problem is incidental bycatch and discard mortality of small spot in non-directed fisheries. V. Status of Research and Monitoring Catch and effort data are collected by the commercial and recreational statistics programs conducted by the states. Recruitment indices are available from ongoing juvenile surveys in Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina and Florida.
Efforts are now underway to develop a comprehensive juvenile index utilizing data from many states.
Virginia Marine Resources Commission and North Carolina Marine Fisheries investigated the use of culling panels in pound nets to release small croaker, spot, and weakfish. Promote the development and use of bycatch reduction devices through demonstration and application in trawl fisheries. Promote increases in yield per recruit through delaying entry to spot fisheries to age one and older. The October 1993 spot and croaker workshop proceedings summarized much of the recent experimental work on bycatch reduction and examined the population implications of bycatch reduction. It is becoming clear that there are economically viable shrimp gears that reduce finfish bycatch.