Pond monitoring and maintenance and red drum, Sciaenops ocellatus, gut content evaluation project. Final report October 21, 1992 - June 30, 1993.

Abstract

In an effort to enhance populations of red drum off Florida's coasts, the Florida Marine Research Institute (FMRI) released hatchery-produced red drum into Bishop Harbor, Tampa Bay on the west coast and Volusia County on the east coast. To provide information on the survival and growth of the released red drum, their impact on feral red drum and prey species, habitat preference, movement and recruitment, stock assessment studies were performed by FMRI. This report describes Mote Marine Laboratory's (MML's) responsibility in providing the evaluation of food predilection as determined by gut content analysis of nontagged and tagged red drum captured by FMRI. Identification of stomach content compositions and quantities provided information on food preference and the amount consumed.