Lesser Reproductive Potential of Red Snapper (Lutjanus campechanus) at Artificial Habitats in the Gulf of Mexico: Possibility of Skip Spawning

Red Snapper were collected from two artificial (AH) and three natural (NH) habitat sites in the northern Gulf of Mexico for reproductive analysis.  Female Red Snapper at NH sites exhibited significantly higher mean GSI than those at AH sites during peak spawning season and female Red Snapper 4-7 years of age at NH showed 97% maturity, compared to 47% maturity of females at AH.  All individuals 8 years of age or older were mature at both habitats.  Every Red Snapper ovary collected at NH, except one relatively small 6-year-old female, had vitellogenic oocytes present, regardless of age or size, but certain red snapper at AH had ovaries with both thick ovarian walls and masses of connective tissue but no vitellogenic oocytes. Skip spawning is a possible explanation for the larger and older females at AH not having vitellogenic oocytes during the spawning season.  A parallel study found Red Snapper at NH to be in better nutritional condition than Red Snapper at AH.  We hypothesize that the difference exhibited is due to the better energetic condition of Red Snapper at NH than at AH, thus forcing Red Snapper at AH to invest more energy in growth/survival and less energy to reproduction.