Figure 12. — Seining pompano to determine growth rates. 



255-356 mm. and a weight of 454-567 g. in 

 about 1 year. 



If commercial rearing of pompano is to be 

 economically successful, a number of major 

 problems must be solved. Inadequate diet and 

 low water temperatures appeared to be the 

 main causes of pompano mortality in our pond 

 the first year. Both of these factors are 

 controllable. Hatchery techniques must be 

 developed and methods found to rear pompano 

 from eggs after natural or artificial spawning. 

 Seining wild stock yearly from beach habitats 

 is costly and time consuming (fig. 12). Pond 

 designs must also be perfected, and basic 

 engineering techniques improved. Farming 

 techniques for a number of species such as 

 clams and crabs, as well as for pompano and 

 other fishes, need to be explored. 



Pompano Ecology 



Knowledge of the life history of the pompano 

 is important in understanding its environ- 

 mental preference and limitations. Successful 



culture of these fish requires information on 

 their spawning, age, parasites, and food pref- 

 erences. 



Ovaries and testes of adult pompano were 

 examined from fish caught at the mouth of 

 Tampa Bay during April. The presence of at 

 least four different egg stages in the same 

 ripe ovary may indicate that pompano spawn 

 over an extended time period. The mature 

 unfertilized eggs averaged 0.7 mm. in diam- 

 eter, had a large yolk, and were symmetrical 

 in shape. Egg counts indicate that the average 

 female has 600,000 to 800,000 eggs. Ripe fish 

 were 275 to 380 mm. in total length and 

 weighed 456 to 1,140 g. The size of the snnaller 

 fish indicates that some probably spawn during 

 the second year of life. In pond culture of 

 these fish, it may be possible to spawn them 

 in less than 2 years. 



Juvenile and adult pompano are remarkably 

 free of external and internal parasites. A 

 few isopod parasites of the genera lone and 

 Aegathoa were found in the mouth or gill area 

 and attached to various parts of the body and 



14 



