Date of Award
8-2024
Degree Type
Masters Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
School
Ocean Science and Engineering
Committee Chair
Dr. Robert Leaf
Committee Chair School
Ocean Science and Engineering
Committee Member 2
Dr. Mark Peterson
Committee Member 2 School
Ocean Science and Engineering
Committee Member 3
Dr. Wei Wu
Committee Member 3 School
Ocean Science and Engineering
Committee Member 4
Dr. Michael Andres
Committee Member 4 School
Ocean Science and Engineering
Abstract
Quantitative stock assessments for Mississippi’s Spotted Seatrout use length-, age-, and sex-composition data from fishery-independent sources as proxies to estimate biostatistical characteristics of fisheries harvests due to lack of sector-specific data. In Chapter 2, I examined the age, length, and sex composition of Spotted Seatrout from three fishery-dependent sectors. Between April and December 2023, I collected 210 fish (n = 19, 124, and 67 from private, charter, and commercial sectors, respectively). The length ranged between 373-535mm, 285-523mm, and 345-568mm TL, with mean ± SD lengths of 453 ± 51mm, 393 ± 57mm, and 442 ± 53mm TL, respectively. Age ranged from 1-5yrs in private and charter and 2-5yrs in commercial, and predominantly 1 and 3yrs in private, 2yrs in charter, and 3yrs in commercial. Mostly, females were captured, with female-to-male sex ratios of 3.7:1, 5.7:1, and 1.9:1 in private, charter, and commercial sectors, respectively. Results highlighted the need for sector-specific age, length, and sex composition in stock assessments. Additionally, I investigated the use of fish carcasses, which may introduce biases such as shrinkage on length and mass loss. In Chapter 3, I examined the impact of freezing and thawing on carcasses collected from April to October 2023. Percent changes in mm TL, mm SL, and g W had means of -0.1%, -0.63%, and -5.42%, respectively. Results indicated that mm TL was unaffected by freezing, while mm SL and g W were significantly affected, suggesting caution in using frozen fish data in stock assessments.
Copyright
2024, Nimah Folake Osho-Abdulgafar
Recommended Citation
Osho-Abdulgafar, Nimah Folake, "Biometric Assessment of Spotted Seatrout (Cynoscion nebulosus) from Recreational and Commercial Fisheries in Mississippi, USA" (2024). Master's Theses. 1044.
https://aquila.usm.edu/masters_theses/1044