98 



Fishery Bulletin 89(1), 1991 



Natural and fishing mortality estimates, growth rates, 

 population structure, distribution throughout all life 

 stages, and weight landed should be determined and 

 used in population simulation models to assist man- 

 agers in protecting these resources from overfishing. 

 A fishery-independent sampling program using long- 

 lines is recommended for monitoring the status of 

 tilefish, hake, barrelfish, longspine scorpionfish, Cuban 

 dogfish, and possibly yellowedge grouper populations. 

 This is a more appropriate source of fish for mortality 

 estimates than are commercial landings (Low et al. 

 1983, Winters and Wheeler 1985) and can yield reliable 

 population size estimates if catchability coefficients are 

 known. 



Acknowledgments 



Funding for submersible activities involved in this 

 project was provided by the NOAA Office of Undersea 



Research. The Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute 

 participated on a cost-sharing basis. Support for the 

 fishing activities and the NOAA Ship Oregon II was 

 provided by the National Marine Fisheries Service. We 

 would like to thank Captain Bill Abney and the crew 

 of the RV Johnson for their dedication and long hours, 

 and submersible pilots Tim Askew, Marshall Flake, 

 Don Liberatore, Steve Hall, and the submersible sup- 

 port crew for the Johnson-Sea-Link for doing whatever 

 was necessary to accomplish mission objectives. We 

 would also like to thank Captain Gunnar Gudmundsson 

 and the crew of the NOAA Ship Oregon II for their sup- 

 port and, especially, G. Michael Russell for serving as 

 field party chief to insure accomplishment of planned 

 fishing activities. Thanks are also extended to Art 

 Crowe and Maury Osborn of the Texas Parks and 

 Wildlife Department for their help in baiting hooks and 

 collecting data. Suggestions from two anonymous 

 reviewers were very helpful in improving the content 

 of the manuscript. 



