ROGERS ET AL.: ANATOMICAL TRAUMA TO SPONGE-CORAL REEF FISHES 



range than release measures. Current management 

 of the southeastern U.S. snapper-grouper fisheries 

 guarantees subjection of protected size classes to 

 stress and trauma. However, it is conceivable that 

 swim-bladder deflation techniques could improve the 

 effectiveness of current regulations. 



The data we have presented show that the effects 

 of capture on sponge-coral reef fishes vary between 

 species and gears. These are important considera- 

 tions for studies of feeding biology. Additional data 

 on fish species survivorship following releases, 

 stratified by gear and depth, will allow fine-tuning 

 of present snapper-grouper management policies. 



ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 



Special thanks go to the captains and crews of the 

 RV Blue Fin, RV Georgia Bulldog, and FV Sanc- 

 tuary. Trawl doors for the RV Blue Fin were loaned 

 by S. Drummond, Southeast Fisheries Center Pas- 

 cagoula Laboratory, National Marine Fisheries Ser- 

 vice. D. Wyanski, B. Wells, C. Haney, T. Chestnut, 

 D. Miller, P. Schlein, B. Goggins, J. Rivers, M. Har- 

 ris, J. Hightower, and a host of volunteers assisted 

 in the field. D. Wyanski, B. Wells, A. Acevedo, and 

 L. Creasman assisted in the laboratory. The figure 

 was drafted by A. Boyette. The manuscript was im- 

 proved with comments from G. Helfman, S. Larson, 

 and two anonymous reviewers; it was typed by L. 

 Wainright and W. Roberts. The research benefited 

 from discussions with R. Parker, C. Haney, D. 

 Miller, P. Van Veld, and L. Wall. This work was sup- 

 ported by NOAA Sea Grants to T. E. Targett and 

 M. V. Rawson (NA80AA-D-00091 collectively) and 

 by operating funds at Skidaway Institute of Ocean- 

 ography. 



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