Abstract

Spotted seatrout (Cynoscion nebulosus) is the most harvested recreational species in Mississippi coastal waters. Concerns about the sustainability of the fishery prompted fishery managers to develop a stock enhancement program to establish methodologies for rearing fish in captivity for subsequent release into the wild to supplement wild stocks. The success of such enhancement programs, however, is predicated on the ability of hatchery-reared fish to survive in the natural environment, transition to feeding on wild prey, and successfully avoid predation, all while not displacing wild fish. Experimental research is also necessary to identify release habitats which optimize survival and growth. The purpose of this research was to evaluate habitat-specific growth of hatchery-reared spotted seatrout among three habitats in a shallow bay system: submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV), non-vegetated shoreline, and non-vegetated open water. After a one-month cage enclosure study, growth was found to be significantly greater (less negative) for fish held in SAV and non-vegetated shoreline compared to deeper, non-vegetated open water. A comparison of stomach content analyses also revealed that hatchery-reared fish had successfully transitioned to wild prey, and general diet categories were similar to that for wild fish in similar size ranges. Research findings indicate that habitats within or in close proximity to SAV or marsh shoreline offer more favorable environments for growth of hatchery-reared spotted seatrout, and that those fish have the capacity to adapt to natural environmental conditions, in the absence of predation, and transition to feeding on wild prey items.

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