A Description of Age, Growth, and Reproductive Life History Traits of Scamps from the Northern Gulf of Mexico

Abstract

AbstractWe present the first comprehensive description of the age, growth, and reproductive life history traits of scamps Mycteroperca phenax from the northern Gulf of Mexico. Scamps were collected from commercial and recreational vessels along the northern Gulf of Mexico in 1972–2002. Scamp age was determined using thin transverse sections of sagittal otoliths; growth increments were difficult to interpret, and age was estimated for only 85% of the 5,383 otolith sections we examined. Scamps sampled from the commercial and recreational fisheries ranged from 109 to 890 mm fork length (FL) and from 1 to 31 years of age. We fitted annual ages and observed FLs to two different von Bertalanffy growth models (standard and size‐modified models). The size‐modified model considered the effect of the size limit but resulted in growth parameters similar to those of the standard model (asymptotic length L∞ = 772 mm FL; growth rate k = 0.09 mm/year). Histology confirmed that scamps are protogynous hermaphrodites; gonadosomatic index data indicated a prolonged spawning season (January–June, peaking in April). Females reached maturity at a median FL of 332 mm and a median age of 2 years. Scamp sizes sampled from the fisheries were similar for males (221–870 mm FL) and females (109–878 mm FL), but the larger size‐classes and older age‐classes were mostly composed of males. The scamp population in the northern Gulf of Mexico has never been assessed, and our data provide highly valuable model inputs.Received February 7, 2011; accepted February 8, 2012