Pond monitoring and maintenance and red drum, Sciaenops ocellatus, gut content evaluation project. Final report includes: July 1, 1993 - November 30, 1993.

Abstract

To evaluate stocking as a potential management tool, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Florida Marine Research Institute (FMRI), released hatchery-produced red drum into selected estuaries on Florida's east and west coast. The impact of stocking was evaluated by monitoring studies performed to provide information on the survival and growth of the released red drum, their impact on wild red drum and prey species, habitat preference, movement and recruitment. This report describes Mote Marine Laboratory's contribution to the project, which included the evaluation of food predilection of red drum as determined by gut content evaluation of hatchery-produced and wild red drum captured by FMRI during their monitoring programs. The results of the study are presented and the value of the information to fisheries managers is described.