Volume 61
Age and Growth of Larval Sailfish, Istiophorus platypterus, in the Northern Gulf of Mexico
Authors
Simms, J.R., S. Holt, J. Holt, J. Bangma, and J. R. Rooker. Download PDF Open PDF in BrowserOther Information
Date: November, 2008
Pages: 17-21
Event: Proceedings of the Sixty-First Annual Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute
City: Gosier
Country: Guadeloupe
Abstract
Sailfish, Istiophorus platypterus, are commonly taken by anglers in the Gulf of Mexico and larvae are frequently reported in this region, indicating the Gulf’s potential role as spawning and/or nursery ground. Ichthyoplankton surveys were conducted in the northern Gulf of Mexico in waters off Texas and Louisiana (27 – 28° N 89 - 94° W) from 2005 – 2007 to collect larvae for age and growth investigations. During the three year survey, over 2,000 sailfish larvae were collected, and sagittal otoliths were extracted from 669 sailfish larvae, ranging in size from 2.0-24.3 mm standard length (SL). Otolith microstructure analysis indicated that sailfish ages ranged between 3 and 18 days, and hatch-date distributions indicated fish were from early May to mid September spawning events. Instantaneous growth coefficients ranged from 0.132 to 0.158 with an overall rate of 0.144. Growth rates varied by season and year, indicating temporal changes in environmental conditions may influence the survival and recruitment success of sailfish in this region.