596 



Fishery Bulletin 102(4) 



30 -> 



25 



20 



15 



10 



n ,nnM 



DAL 

  LA 

 DTX 



tlk^^idirftr^.,. 



125 250 300 350 400 450 500 550 600 650 700 750 800 850 900 

 Fork length (m) 



50 

 45 

 40 

 35 

 30 

 25 

 20 

 15 

 10 

 5 

 



B 



:; 



IV ryfk .ryryry r* n .rim m ri r. . . .fl 



5 6 7 



Total weight (kg) 



10 



>10 



Figure 2 



Distributions of (A) fork length in mm (/! = 5177) and (B) total weight in 

 kg (n = 4531l for red snapper (Lutjanus campechanus) sampled from the 

 1999-2001 recreational harvests of Alabama. Louisiana, and Texas. 



Total weights of all fish sampled ranged from 0.11 

 to 17.35 kg (Fig. 2B). Specimens from Alabama ranged 

 from 0.22 to 15.42 kg TW, Louisiana specimens were 

 0.42 to 17.35 kg TW, and Texas specimens ranged from 

 0.33 to 9.42 kg TW. Total weight-frequency distributions 

 (in 0.5 kg increments) differed significantly between all 

 states (AL and LA, MD = 5.37; AL and TX, MD = 53.68; 

 and LA TX, MD = 52.28)(Fig. 2B). Significant differ- 

 ences in red snapper FL-TW regression models were 

 detected among states (ANCOVA test of homogeneity of 

 slopes, F 5 4522 =23.36; P<0.001; r 2 =0.98; ANCOVA test 

 for equal intercepts, F 5 4522 =22.77, P<0.001, r 2 =0.98); 

 therefore, separate models were fitted for each state. 

 The resultant equations were 



AL TW= 1.51 x 10-"' iFL :,,i:i ) 



(F 1;1965 =102740; P<0.0001; r 2 =0.98); 



TX TW = 2.88 x 10- 5 (PL 2 - 92 ) 



LA TW = 1.02 x 10- r ' iFL 



') 



^1; 



= 13345; P<0.0001; r 2 =0.95). 



(P 



1;1856 



=77981; P<0.0001; r 2 =0.98); 



Ages were obtained from 5035 transverse otolith sec- 

 tions. Thirty fish had otolith sections deemed unread- 

 able by both readers. The age estimates determined by 

 the two readers were evaluated for reader agreement, 

 precision, and average percent error for first and sec- 

 ond readings of otolith sections by sample year. Table 2 

 gives APE, CV, D. percentage agreement (O), and per- 

 centages of differences in age estimates (±1, 2, and 3 

 years). The readers agreed on age estimates for 4053 

 otoliths (80.5%) after the initial reading. Re-examina- 

 tion of the 982 otolith sections for which annulus counts 

 differed produced agreement for 5007 individuals. 



We compared the timing of opaque annulus formation 

 among red snapper sample sites by plotting the monthly 

 occurrence of maximum and minimum proportions of 

 opaque otolith edges. Sample limitations of red snapper 

 in Texas, however, prevented meaningful comparisons of 



