Seasonal Utilization and Movement of Black Sea Bass on a South Carolina Artificial Reef

Abstract

Abstract The principal objectives of this study were to estimate the average standing stock and utilization rate of black sea bass Centropristis striata on a heavily fished artificial reef. Secondary objectives were to define age and size compositions of the reef and hard-bottom populations of black sea bass and evaluate movements of the fish on reef and hard-bottom habitats. Fish of legal size (>20 cm long) were tagged and released at Capers Reef off Charleston, South Carolina, and at four hard-bottom areas within 10 km of the artificial reef. The total numbers offish tagged and released were 636 at the reef and 615 on hard bottom. A single-census Petersen estimate of the initial winter standing stock of legal-sized black sea bass on Capers Reef was 3,227 fish. The estimated utilization rate for the 6-month study period was 36%. All fish recaptured at the artificial reef had been released there. Twenty-five fish from the hard-bottom release groups were recaptured, only two of which had moved from the rel...