STANDARD and CHITTENDEN: REPRODUCTION, MOVEMENT, AND POPULATION OF BANDED DRUM 



Bathymetric Distribution, Recruitment, 

 and Movements 



The bathymetric distribution of L. fasciatus in 

 the northwestern Gulf off Freeport extends from 

 <5 to 55 m. This species was most abundant at 5 

 m, the shallowest depth occupied (Fig. 9). Abun- 

 dance declined sharply between 5 and 18 m and 

 remained low from 18 to 36 m. Only one specimen 

 was collected deeper than 36 m. 



Young-of-the-year L. fasciatus in the north- 

 western Gulf recruit in waters <5-16 m when 2-4 

 mo old. Fall-spawned young 30-100 mm recruited 

 almost exclusively in 5-16 m from November 

 through April (Fig. 10A, B). Only four young-of- 

 the-year specimens at 18-22 m were collected 

 deeper than 16 m. Similarly, spring-spawned 

 young 60-80 mm recruited only at 5-16 m in the 

 period August-October (Fig. 10D). 



Greatest recruitment of fall-spawned L. fas- 

 ciatus occurred in the shallowest depths sampled. 

 Recent fall-spawned recruits were most abundant 

 by far at 5 m in November- April (Fig. 10A, B). 

 Abundance then sharply declined with depth and 

 was very low deeper than 16 m in that period. 



110 



100 



90 



80 



70 



O 



60 



50 



40 



30 



20 - 



10 



s 



i afi 8t e 5 



20 



18 

 16 

 14 

 12 

 10 



X 

 UJ 



z 6 

 o 



< 



s 



O 2 

 V) 



O 



O 



< 



Z 12 



o 



C3 



z 10 



< 



,-13-14 mo 

 I— I 



86 



A Fall78 



95% Confid 

 Abo 



fence Limits ( J 

 ut the Mean | 1 



Mean 



19-21 mo 

 I 1 



26 



Range 



22 



15 



10 



B Fall79 



-i — i — i — i — i — i — i — i — i — i — i — i — i 



I | 12-14 mo 



64 



74 



5-7 mo 



T 1 r 



40 ,, go 76 



14 I 3 , 2 B6 7 82 I 91 



! i t i i i i i 



26 



19 mo 



I o 



2r C Fall80 



— i 1 r~ 



5-7 mo |- 

 21 



8 36 



XX J* 



isA 



ONDJFMAMJJASONDJFMA 



1979 



1980 



1981 



FIGURE 8. — Monthly mean gonadosomatic indices, sample sizes. 

 ranges, and 95'V confidence limits about means for the 1978 i Ao 

 1979 (B), and 1980 (C) fall-spawned groups of Larim us fasciatus. 

 Age in months is indicated for each spring and fall spawning 

 period. 



10 20 30 40 50 60 



DEPTH (m) 



70 



80 



90 



100 



FIGURE 9. — Catch/effort (mean number of individuals per 10 min tow) by depth for Larimus fasciatus 

 off Freeport, Tex., each year and pooled, October 1977- August 1981. 



351 



