Abstract

The Red snapper Lutjanus campechanus inhabit rocky and muddy environments with an essential role in reef areas. Due to intense fishing pressure, the species is considered vulnerable to overfishing. Hence, it is a species permanently assessed in the Gulf of Mexico and the South Atlantic. The snapper population is a metapopulation divided into two subgroups without genetic differentiation in the Gulf of Mexico [1,2]. A routine recommendation from stock assessments is the need for updated reproductive parameters. Given the increased focus on regional, state-focused management, greater spatial resolution in these parameters will be needed. To provide this information for the northcentral Gulf of Mexico, we have begun a multi-year study to update the reproductive status (sexual maturity size, spawning season, and reproductive status by age cohorts) of red snapper in the Gulf of Mexico using histological information.

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