Spatiotemporal Variability of Fishery‐Dependent Indices for the Declining Louisiana Southern Flounder Fishery

Abstract

AbstractIn recent years, management agencies across the Gulf of Mexico and southern U.S. Atlantic have recognized Southern Flounder Paralichthys lethostigma as a declining fish stock. Population declines in coastal Louisiana are exhibited by indices of recruitment and biomass, which have reached levels that present management concerns. To develop a better understanding of this declining fishery, we examined fishery‐dependent data collected by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries’ recreational angler harvest survey (referred to as “LA Creel”). Data were modeled using generalized additive models to estimate temporal components of recreational Southern Flounder landings in both seasonality and trend. Over the study period (2014–2019), recreational landings exhibited a declining trend statewide. Strong seasonal peaks in the fall occurred statewide and regionally in every coastal management zone (i.e., estuary). Understanding the current fishery with the fine‐scale resolution provided by the LA Creel survey can be used to help guide future management decisions in the pursuit of a sustainable management strategy inclusive of fishery‐dependent information.