FISHERY BULLETIN: VOL. 70, NO. 2 



Table 5. — Length-frequency distribution of weakfish, Cynoscion regalis, collected by trawling, 1967-68. None were 



collected in March. 



reaches throughout the year. They were rarely 

 seined in shallowwater habitats although many 

 are caught with fishing poles along the beaches 

 and salt marshes. Spotted seatrout are known 

 to spawn in and spend their whole life in the 

 estuary (Tabb, 1966). Juveniles were found 

 as far up the estuary as the upper reach at a 

 salinity of 0.5%c. 



During 1967-69, silver seatrout (Cynoscion 

 nothus) entered the lower reach of the estuary 

 in May and stayed until July or August. 



Weakfish (Cynoscion regalis) apparently 

 spawned from April to August (Table 5) . With 

 the exception of May samples, age groups are 

 difficult to recognize because of the protracted 

 spawning season. Young weakfish were collect- 

 ed in six habitats. Adults and young were abun- 

 dant only in trawl collections in the lower and 

 middle reaches. Although most abundant in 

 high-salinity waters, young weakfish occurred 

 at salinities as low as &.&%[ in the upper reach. 

 Weakfish were conspicuously scarce in the cold 

 months, December to April. 



The banded drum (Larimus fasciatus) was 

 occasionally collected in the lower reach through- 

 out the year and was collected three times along 

 the beach. It was restricted to high salinities, 

 22.0 to 34.1%o. 



Length frequencies of the spot (Leiostomus 

 xanthurus) were based on trawl and seine col- 

 lections (Table 6). Adults were common in 

 deeper waters and juveniles dispersed to eight 

 shallowwater and deepwater habitats. Young 

 spot (11-85 mm) were among the most numer- 

 ous fishes of the oligohaline creek where they 

 were collected seven times from April to July 

 at a salinity range of 0.2 to S.l%c. Young were 

 also common in the tidal pools and tidal ditch. 

 Seine collections indicated that the spot spawned 

 primarily from January to April. Two age 

 groups were distinct from February to May. 



The three species of kingfishes (Menticirrhus) 

 have marked similarities and differences in their 

 ecologies. All three occurred in the beach and 

 lower reach habitats and were rare in the high 

 marsh. Young southern kingfish (M. america- 

 nus) were also taken in the middle and upper 

 reaches. It is the only kingfish that was found 

 in low salinities. Four juveniles (19-36 mm) 

 were collected in the upper reach in July and 

 August at salinities of 1.5 to 7.9%c, much lower 

 than the low-salinity limits observed by Gunter 

 (1961). 



Seining along Sapelo Beach took young south- 

 ern kingfish that had been spawned primarily 

 from April to August (Table 7). Young and 



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