Schmidt et al.: Spanish mackerel age. growth, and reproduction 



529 



were present in 5% of the females at age 0, 95% at age 

 1, and 100% at age >2 (Table 3). Eighty-nine percent 

 of the males were mature at age and 100% at age >1 

 (Table 4). Estimates of L 50 were 35.8 + 0.2cm (SE) for 

 females and 23.9 + 0.3cm (SE) for males. The smallest 

 mature female was 288 mm, and the largest immature 

 female was 450mm (Table 3). The smallest mature 

 male was 209 mm, and the largest immature male was 

 336 mm (Table 4). 



The combined percentage total of developing, ripe, 

 and spent females by month indicated that May through 

 August was the spawning period (Fig. 4). Ripe females 

 were collected in inner continental shelf waters with a 

 depth of ca. 9 m. They were collected in August in Onslow 

 Bay (North Carolina) and off Cumberland Island (Geor- 

 gia), and in May off Charleston (South Carolina). Males 

 were present in ripe condition for a longer period (April- 

 November) than were females (Fig. 4). 



