Abstract

We measured lengths and weights of greater amberjack (Seriola dumerili) sampled from commercial fishery landings in south Florida from 1990 - 1992 to obtain conversion factors for different length: length and weightweight types. We measured fork (tip of snout to fork of tail), core (head and viscera removed), and log (head, viscera and tail removed) lengths and gutted, core, and log weights. Regression equations were developed describing linear relationships between core, log, and fork lengths and between gutted, core, and log weights. The fitted equations allowed us to convert cored and logged lengths and weights of greater amberjack to fork lengths and gutted weights. These newly developed conversions are critical for converting whole, cored, and logged landings weight records to consistent units and are needed by fishery analysts to develop a more accurate representation of greater amberjack landings. Analyses of the data suggested that a commercially caught fish of legal size (914 mm FL) that was processed at sea resulted in a core length of 863 mm, 51 mm less than the legal core length. These data provide a case history of use of confounded and insuffcient data in developing fishery regulations.

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