Abstract

Red snapper have remained an economically important fishery in the Gulf of Mexico since the mid-1800s, and thus have been subject to many years of constant fishing pressure and exploitation. The objective of this study was to examine size and age structure and growth rates of red snapper over time. Previously collected age and growth data (n = 31,445) were examined from 1995 until present in order to preform a multi-decadal size-at-age analysis. Indices such as ENSO events, fishing mortality and spawning stock biomass were used to identify potential trends in the growth across year and age classes. Variation in growth rate coefficients (K) and mean lengths-at-age exist in the data; however, the extent to which ENSO phenomena and/or anthropogenic pressures are sources of these differences is unknown. The information gained from this research will be used in the next benchmark SEDAR assessment for red snapper, and provides critical insight to changing population dynamics for the species over time.

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