Life History Trends of Gray Triggerfish in the South Atlantic Bight From 1991-2012

Gray triggerfish is a commercially and recreationally valued reef fish species, managed by the South Atlantic Fisheries Management Council (SAFMC) as part of the snapper-grouper complex fishery.  Over the past five years, average annual landings approached 700,000 lbs in U.S. Atlantic waters.  Despite the economic importance of this species, no published information exists concerning age, growth, and reproductive biology in U.S. Atlantic waters.  The Marine Resources Monitoring, Assessment, and Prediction (MARMAP) Program at the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources has been collecting life history data for gray triggerfish as part of its reef-fish monitoring program over the past several decades.  The current study utilizes these MARMAP samples to address life history questions concerning the South Atlantic Bight population: Do extended periods of exploitation cause shifts in 1) growth rate and population age structure and 2) size- and age-at-maturity, adult sex ratios, reproductive seasonality, and spawning frequency?  Preliminary data indicate 50% of the population reaches sexual maturity before one year of age.  Additionally, reproductive seasonality is estimated to be 109 days with females spawning 11 times per season.  This information is being utilized in the ongoing gray triggerfish stock assessment efforts by the SAFMC and NOAA Fisheries.