Partitioning release mortality in the undersized red snapper bycatch: comparison of depth vs. hooking effects.

Abstract

Red snapper support important commercial and recreational fisheries in both the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic. Due to critical management issues concerning this species, it has been targeted for high priority research. Survival of undersized catch in the fishery is one of the most important of those issues. Objectives of this project are to test the hypothesis that hook and release mortality is greater than depth induced mortality for red snapper in the recreational, charter, and headboat fisheries; to obtain catch and release mortality rates by depth through comparison of return rates for red snapper caught using circle versus J hooks aboard headboats, charter boats, and recreational vessels; and to systematically evaluate through laboratory studies depth-related capture-release mortality and sub-lethal effects for red snapper.