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Fish traps were soaked for long (d) and short (min) intervals to examine the relationship between the catch of Black Sea Bass Centropristis striata and soak time for traps used in the Middle Atlantic Bight commercial fishery. First, we soaked traps over a 14-d period to examine how catch changes over time and modeled catch as a function of soak time using two three-parameter models from the literature. Maximum catches were obtained after 11 soak days before declining. Models applied to catch and soak time data fit reasonably well and may be used to correct for changes in soak time to develop abundance estimates. Second, we used a modified trap equipped with video cameras to observe fish interactions, including entry and escapement dynamics with traps over short (~60 min) soak times. Out of all the fish that were observed entering the trap, 48 (84.2%) exited while 9 (15.8%) were caught. Patterns for cumulative distributions of entries and exits indicated that entry and escapement behaviors may lead...

Previous studies have demonstrated that circle hooks modified with an appendage can reduce the occurrence of deep hooking in some fishes. To determine whether this modification affects total catch and deep-hooking rate of Black Sea Bass Centropristis striata in a recreational fishery off the coast of Florida, anglers were provided with standardized gear that included one appendaged and one nonappendaged hook. Both hook types were fished equally, and a greater number of Black Sea Bass were caught on appendaged hooks (n = 301) than on nonappendaged hooks (n = 221). There was no significant difference in the mean TL (P = 0.80) of jaw- or deep-hooked fish during the study. Logistic regression was applied to the data using anatomical hooking location as the dependent variable and angler, hook position, and hook type as categorical factors. Hook type was the only significant variable in the final model (P = 0.03) in which fewer fish were deep hooked on appendaged hooks (0.96%) than on nonappendaged hook...

We compared selectivity and catch rates of black sea bass Centropristis striata between two experimental trap types: back-panel traps (50.8-mm-mesh back panels; 38.1-mm mesh in all other panels), which represent the new legal minimum mesh configuration; and all-panel traps (50.8-mm mesh in all panels), which are electively used by a subset of fishers. Catches in both experimental trap types were compared with catches in control traps (38.1-mm mesh in all panels). Traps were fished from October 2006 to March 2007 in waters 12–30 m deep in Onslow Bay, North Carolina. Correlation analyses were used to examine postrelease condition of discarded black sea bass in relation to fish density in traps and capture depth. We found that mean catch rates of sublegal-sized black sea bass (

During 1978–1998, 80,558 black sea bass Centropristis striata were caught with blackfish and chevron traps off eastern Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina at depths ranging from 9 to 55 m. Black sea bass were found to live for at least 10 years, but most were ages 1–5. There were latitudinal differences in the size at age, significantly larger size at age occurring in the southern segment (31°20′N to 32°40′N) than in the northern segment (32°41′N to 34°00′N). Males were found in all size-classes and age-classes and were most frequently encountered at sizes greater than 220 mm standard length (SL) and greater than age 4 in the southern segment and at sizes greater than 240 mm SL and greater than age 5 in the northern segment. Sexual transition and maturity of females occurred at smaller sizes and younger ages in the southern segment than in the northern segment. Probit analysis indicated that between 1978–1982 and 1987–1998 the size at 50% maturity (L 50) for females fell from 137...

Although some anglers regularly deflate swim bladders of demersal fishes being released, it is not known whether this practice actually increases postrelease survival of reef fishes. Benefits of deflating the swim bladder of black sea bass Centropristis striata and vermilion snapper Rhomboplites aurorubens before release were evaluated; survival of fishes deflated with one of two tools was compared to survival of nondeflated controls. Capture depths were 20–22 m, 29–35 m, and 43–55 m. Fishes were deflated with a 16-gauge hypodermic needle (99 black sea bass, 64 vermilion snapper) or with a Sea Grant tool consisting of a sharpened stainless steel canula (119 black sea bass, 64 vermilion snapper). Deflated fish were held in cages and observed in situ for 24 h. Controls (108 black sea bass, 89 vermilion snapper) were first segregated in a live well and then held in situ for 24 h in cages. Deflation, especially with the hypodermic needle, provided very significant reductions in mortality of black sea...

The effective use of artificial reefs to enhance populations of black sea bass Centropristis striates along the Atlantic coast of North America requires an understanding of the species' habitat requirements, including food. We examined the diets of adult black sea bass collected from two artificial reefs off New Jersey during August–October 1993 to assess the importance of reef epifauna to the predator. One reef was mature and colonized by an epifauna typical for this habitat in the area. The other reef, 20 km away and in a similar environment, was new and uncolonized by this epifauna. There was no significant difference between reefs in black sea bass diets, which were dominated by early benthic instar, juvenile rock crabs Cancer irroralus. Most of the prey, including the rock crabs, were not specifically associated with the reefs or can be equally common off the reefs. These results and those from similar studies indicate that black sea bass use reefs for shelter but may not depend on the reef-...

A 16-year time series of research trawl catches, commercial landings, and effort data were used to evaluate two areas protected from mobile gear fishing off Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and assess effects of the spring otter trawl fishery for longfin squid Loligo pealeii on local abundance of finfish frequently caught as bycatch. Catch rates were compared between a seasonal closure, a permanent closure, and adjacent waters open to mobile gear fishing. Winter flounder Pleuronecles americanus and scup Stenotomus chrysops were more abundant in the two protected areas. Black sea bass Centropristis striata and windowpane Scophthalmus aquosus were more abundant in the seasonal closure but not in the permanent closure. Abundance indices of summer flounder Paralichthys dentatus and longfin squid were not significantly different between the seasonal closure and the exploited area but both species were less abundant in the permanent closure. Little skate Raja erinacea were more abundant in areas open to trawli...

We tested the hypothesis that black sea bass Centropristis striata captured and released by anglers experience zero mortality. Black sea bass captured by hook and line in Nantucket Sound, Massachusetts, were tagged and held in wire cages on site for 48 h. Hook location and physical condition were recorded for each fish. Concurrently, black sea bass used as controls were collected from commercial fish pots, tagged, and held under similar conditions. A preliminary experiment established that neither tagging nor densities up to 12 fish per cage caused mortality. During the 48-h posthooking period, 3 of the 64 fish tested died, resulting in an estimated hooking mortality of 4.7%. The three fatalities were among five fish hooked in the esophagus. We concluded that survival is high among small caught-and-released black sea bass (

The hypothesis was tested that black sea bass Centropristis striata north of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, were morphologically homogeneous and therefore constituted a single stock. Meristic and morphometric data were analyzed with multivariate analysis of variance and principal components analysis. Significant differences were found throughout the geographic region, most notably between samples from Virginia and Massachusetts. The meristic comparisons provided greater separation between geographic areas than did morphometrics. Results of the analysis can be attributed to environmentally induced phenotypic differences, but further research on spatial and temporal segregation will be necessary to determine if these local groups constitute separate genotypic entities.

Mortality rates were estimated from catch curves of black sea bass (Centropristis striata) caught with traps off South Carolina and Georgia in June-July 1978, April-May 1979, and September 1979. Depth of collection ranged from 20 to 46 m. The estimated annual instantaneous rate of fishing mortality in depths less than 30 m was approximately 0.53, while that in depths greater than 30 m was 0.30. Size composition of black sea bass caught in summer over heavily fished artificial reefs was much smaller than that of fish from lightly fished sites, although age composition was virtually identical. For lightly fished sites, size composition of black sea bass in summer was similar to that of fish caught in winter. Size composition (by weight) of commercial catches varied considerably by area, but overall was close to an estimated optimum of 29% small, 23% medium, and 48% large black sea bass. Effects of 203-mm, 229-mm, 254-mm (total length) size limits for all fishermen and a combination 203-mm commercia...