Abstract

Groupers are demersal reef-associated species that support commercial and recreational fisheries across their range. The Gulf of Mexico has a diverse assemblage of grouper species with multiple stocks among the region's largest contributors to finfish landings. Despite their economic importance, information on the life history of many grouper species is lacking. In addition, many groupers demonstrate sequential hermaphroditism and have complex spatial ecology demonstrated by sexual segregation and spawning-related migrations and aggregations, traits which have led to the overexploitation of many grouper species. Information on reproductive biology is important to determine population fitness and perform traditional stock assessments. The goal of this study is to provide descriptions of the reproductive biology of scamp Mycteroperca phenax, and yellowedge grouper Hyporthodus flavolimbatus, two groupers that display sequential hermaphroditism and are frequently caught off the Alabama coast. Specifically, the following metrics will be described, 1) age/size at maturity and transition, 2) sex-specific gonadosomatic indices, 3) batch fecundity, and 4) population sex ratio. Results will provide a better understanding of the population dynamics of these ecologically and economically important species and provide updated inputs for future stock assessments.