Movements of juvenile black sea bass Centropristis striata (Linnaeus) in a southern New Jersey estuary

Abstract

Tag–recapture experiments of black sea bass Centropristis striata (Linnaeus) were conducted in the Great Bay estuary in southern New Jersey U.S.A. to examine habitat fidelity, movements, and growth for recently settled individuals in the first summer ( n=337, 34–106 mm TL) and the following spring ( n=367, 43–111 mm TL) in order to determine the temporal and spatial patterns of habitat use. During the 15-month (March 1992–July 1993) study, there were 225 recaptures of 180 fish up to 121 d after their initial release. Recapture frequency was high (31%) for fish released in spring and summer and recently settled fish (21%) released in summer and indicated a high degree of habitat fidelity for both of those age groups during those seasons. Almost all recaptures (99%) were made within 30 m of the release site, and of the 35 fish that were recaptured at least twice, 46% were recaptured at the original capture site. Growth, based on recaptured fish, was fastest during the summer (0.74 mm d −1), but averaged 0.45 mm d −1 from spring through fall. The low rate of recapture, as well as shorter recapture intervals, during the fall are consistent with a movement into the ocean at that time. Estimates of total loss (=mortality+emigration) of young-of-the-year released in summer were higher during the first 18 days (0.187 d −1) following their release than during subsequent days (0.013 d −1 up to day 88), and averaged 0.033 d −1 for the summer and early fall. In summary, some proportion of the juvenile black sea bass population is resident in polyhaline, subtidal estuarine habitats in the summer and in the spring when they are growing the fastest. As a result, habitat-specific responses during these periods may have important implications for survival and subsequent recruitment to the adult population for this species.