Wyanski et al.: Growth, population age structure, and aspects of the reproductive biology of Epinephelus niveatus 



211 







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— ^ al 



Figure 9 



Histological sections of ovarian tissue from female snowy grouper with evidence of 

 imminent or recent spawning: (A) hydrated oocytes (arrow) in a 744-nim-TL specimen 

 captured in May (bar=400p), and (B) age 24-48 h postovulatory follicles (arrows) in a 

 546-mm-TL specimen captured in August (bar=100 ]i). 



The fishery 



Historically, most snowy grouper landings along the 

 Atlantic coast of the Unitecd States, as reported 

 through TIP, have occurred in North Carolina and 

 South Carolina (Fig. 12). Although landings sta- 

 tistics are reported by state, fish are often caught 



throughout the region, especially by vessels fishing 

 with longlines. Landings have varied widely, with 

 peaks noted in 1983 and 1990 for South Carolina 

 and in 1990 and 1992 for North Carolina. These fluc- 

 tuations have often been the result of changes in 

 effort. For example, the peak in 1983 reflected an 

 approximate doubling in the number of vessels as 



