Influence of Benthic Features and Fishing Pressure on Size and Distribution of Three Exploited Reef Fishes from the Southeastern United States

Abstract

AbstractDistribution, habitat preference, and size structure were examined for three commonly targeted bottom fishes (black sea bass Centropristis striata, gag Mycteroperca microlepis, and scamp M. phenax) in the southeastern United States. Fish communities and bottom characteristics of limestone ledges within Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary (located centrally along the southeastern continental shelf) were surveyed. Black sea bass occurred at 98% of the ledges and were evenly distributed throughout the sanctuary in much‐higher numbers than either gags or scamps, which were concentrated at only 11% of the ledges. Gag or scamp presence was most strongly related to height of ledge undercut, whereas abundance of black sea bass was best explained by percent cover of sessile biota. In addition, lower abundance of black sea bass occurred in the presence of either gags or scamps, which are generally larger than black sea bass. In all three species, an abrupt decline in abundance was observed for size‐classes above the size limit of the fishery. Also, modal size of gags or scamps was smaller and the percentage of fish exceeding the fishery size limit was lower in heavily fished areas than in less intensively fished areas.