Abstract

Hogfish (Lachnolaimus maximus) is a valuable fishery species that lives on reefs of the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea, and Atlantic Ocean north to the Carolinas. In Florida, hogfish landings have been declining in recent years. Moreover, maximum size of hogfish landed in south Florida, where landings are greatest, is only half the maximum size of those landed in the eastern Gulf of Mexico. These trends in landings and fish size suggest continuing problems for the fishery. In this paper we explore some of the costs and benefits of increasing the minimum legal size at which hogfish can be captured in order to increase the yield per recruit of hogfish. We also comment on the potential additional benefit, in terms of increased recruitment, that could result from this management option.

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