ML072060564
| ML072060564 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Oyster Creek |
| Issue date: | 08/01/1989 |
| From: | Mercer L, Moran D US Dept of Interior, Fish & Wildlife Service, US Dept of the Army, Corps of Engineers |
| To: | Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| Davis J NRR/DLR/REBB, 415-3835 | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML072060321 | List:
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| References | |
| TR EL-82-4 82(11.109) | |
| Download: ML072060564 (25) | |
Text
Biological Report 82(11.109) TR EL.82-4 August 1989 Species Profiles: Life Histories and Environmental Requirements of Coastal Fishes and Invertebrates (Mid-Atlantic)
WEAKFISH Coastal Ecology Group.
Fish and Wildlife Service Waterways Experiment Station U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Army Corps of Engineers C~~z 4Iz 4 JAcc \oaV
Biological Report 82(11.109)
TR EL-82-4 August 1989 Species Profiles: Life Histories and Environmental Requirements of Coastal Fishes and Invertebrates (Mid-Atlantic)
WEAKFISH by Linda P. Mercer North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries Morehead City, NC 28557 Project Officer David Moran U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service National Wetlands Research Center
.1010 Gause Boulevard Slidell, LA 70458 Performed for Coastal Ecology Group U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Waterways Experiment Station Vicksburg, MS 39180 and U.S. Department of Interior Fish and Wildlife Service Research and Development National Wetlands Research Center Washington, DC 20240
This series may be referenced as follows:
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1983-19 . Species profiles: life histories and environmental requirements of coastal fishes and invertebrates. U.S. Fish Wildl. Serv. Biol. Rep. 82(11). U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, TR EL-82-4.
This profile may be cited as follows:
Mercer, L. P. 1989. Species profiles: life histories and environmental requirements of coastal fishes and invertebrates (Mid-Atlantic)--weakfish. U.S.
Fish Wildl. Serv. Biol. Rep. 82(11.109). U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, TR EL-82-4. 17 pp.
PREFACE This species profile is one of a series on coastal aquatic organisms, principally fish, of sport, commercial, or ecological importance. The profiles are designed to provide coastal managers, engineers, and biologists with a brief comprehensive sketch, of the biological characteristics and environmental requirements of the species and to describe how populations of the species may be expected to react to environmental changes caused by coastal development. Each profile has sections on taxonomy, life history, ecological role, environmental requirements, and economic importance, if applicable. A three-ring binder is used for this series so that new profiles can be added as they are prepared.
This project is jointly planned and financed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Millikin and Williams (1984) previously published a review of the nomenclature, taxonomy, morphology, distribution, life history, population structure and dynamics, and the fishery of the blue crab.
Suggestions or questions regarding this report should be directed to one of the following addresses.
Information Transfer Specialist National Wetlands Research Center U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service NASA-Slidell Computer Complex 1010 Gause Boulevard Slidell, LA 70458 or U.S. Army Engineer Waterways Experiment Station Attention: WESER-C Post Office Box 631 Vicksburg, MS 39180.
iii
CONVERSION FACTORS Metric to U.S. Customary Multiply By To Obtain millimeters (mm) 0.03937 inches centimeters (cm) 0.3937 inches meters (m) 3.281 feet meters (m) 0.5468 fathoms kilometers (kin) 0.6214 statute miles kilometers (kin) 0.5396 nautical miles 2
square meters (m ) 10.76 square feet square kilometers (km2 0.3861 square miles hectares (ha) 2.471 acres liters (I) 0.2642 gallons cubic meters (m3 35.31 cubic feet cubic meters (m ) 0.0008110 acre-feet
.milligrams (mg) 0.00003527 ounces grams (g) 0.03527 ounces kilograms (kg) 2.205 pounds metric tons (t) 2205.0 pounds metric tons (t) 1.102 short tons kilocalories (kcal) 3.968 British thermal units Celsius degrees (CC) 1.8(°C) + 32 Fahrenheit degrees U.S. Customary to Metric inches 25.40 millimeters inches 2.54 centimeters feet (ft) 0.3048 meters fathoms ,1.829 meters statute miles (mi) 1.609 kilometers nautical miles (nmi) 1.852 kilometers square feet (ft2 ) 2 0.0929 square meters square miles (mi ) 2.590 square kilometers acres 0.4047 hectares gallons (gal) 3 3.785 liters cubic feet (ft ) 0.02831 cubic meters acre-feet 1233.0 cubic meters ounces (oz) 28350.0 milligrams ounces (oz) 28.35 grams pounds (Ib) 0.4536 kilograms pounds (Ib) 0.00045 metric tons short tons (ton) 0.9072 metric tons British thermal units ,Ttu) 0.2520 kilocalories Fahrenheit degrees ( F) 0.5556 CF- 32) Celsius degrees iv
CONTENTS Page PREFACE ..................... . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii CONVERSION TABLE .......... . . . . . . . . . . . .v. iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ........... . . . . . . . . . . . . . vi NOMENCLATURE/TAXONOMY/RANGE .... 1 MORPHOLOGY/IDENTIFICATION AIDS . . ° 1
REASON FOR INCLUSION IN. THE 2
. . .I SERIES LIFE HISTORY . . . 2 Spawning ......... 2 Fecundity 3 Larvae .............. 3 Juveniles . . . . . . . 3 Adults ..... ........ 4 GROWTH CHARACTERISTICS . . 5 COMMERCIAL AND RECREATIONAL FISHERIES 8 ECOLOGICAL ROLE ......... 9 Food Habits 9 Community Ecology . . . 10 Diseases ............ 10 ENVIRONMENTAL REQUIREMENTS 10 Temperature 10 Salinity ............ 11 Dissolved Oxygen . ... 11 Pollution ........... 11 LITERATURE CITED ..... 13 v
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I am grateful to Stuart Wilk and Tony Pacheco of the National Marine Fisheries Service, Sandy Hook, New Jersey, for their reviews of the manuscript and helpful suggestions.
vi
ig Figure 1. Weakfish (Cynoscion regalis) (from Goode 1884).
WEAKFISH NOMENCLATURE/TAXONOMY/RANGE Leim and Scott 1966; Struhsaker 1969; Weinstein and Yerger 1976; Scientific name .... ...... Cynoscion Chao 1978). They are most abundant regalis from North Carolina to New York Preferred common name . . . . Weakfish (Figure 2).
(Figure 1)
Other common names . . . . Gray trout, squeteague, sea trout, trout, tide-runner MORPHOLOGY/IDENTIFICATION AIDS Class .... .......... .. Osteichthyes Order .... .......... .. Perciformes The following description is that of Family .... .......... .. Sciaenidae Johnson (1978), summarized from Jordan and Evermann (1896), Eigenmann (1901),
Hildebrand and Schroeder (1928),
Geographical range ......... Weakfish Ginsburg (1929), Perlmutter (1939),
occur along the Atlantic coast of Massmann (1963), Tagatz (1967), Miller the United States from southern and Jorgenson (1973), and Chao (1978).
Florida to Massachusetts Bay, straying occasionally to Nova Sco- Dorsal rays 24-29, modally 27. Anal tia and into the eastern Gulf of rays 10-13, modally 12. Vertebrae 25.
Mexico (Goode 1884; Hildebrand and Gill rakers 4-5 upper,10-12 lower, and Schroeder 1928; Bigelow and Schroe- typically 5 + 12. A pair of large der 1953; Guest and Gunter 1958; canine-like teeth at the tip of upper 1
jaw and a row of distinctly enlarged teeth in the lower jaw. Body elon-gate, moderately compressed. Head long, snout pointed. Mouth large, oblique, lower jaw projecting, maxil-lary reaching to posterior margin of pupil or beyond. Dorsal fin with a deep notch between the spinous and soft portions. Caudal emarginate in individuals less than 300 mm total length (TL). Color dark olive green above with the back and sides variously burnished with purple, lavender, green, blue, gold or copper, and marked with a large number of small dark spots which appear as oblique streaks running along scale rows above lateral line. Lower surface forward to tip of jaw white or silvery, sometimes iridescent.
Dorsal fins dusky, the lower edge yellowish at base. Pelvic and anal fins yellow; pectoral fin olive on outer side, usually yellow on inner side.
REASON FOR INCLUSION IN THE SERIES The weakfish is one of the most abundant fishes in the estuarine and nearshore waters of the Atlantic coast (Wilk 1979). It is a valuable recrea-tional species and a major component of the gill-net, pound-net, haul-seine, and trawl fisheries along the coast (Hildebrand and Schroeder 1928; Wilk 1981). Periods of high landings have generally been followed by sudden and precipitous declines in catch, the causes of which are not known.
Overfishing and habitat alterations have been suggested as possible causes.
LIFE HISTORY Spawning Weakfish mature at age I through-out their geographic range; however, Figure 2. General distribution of the length at maturity differs between weakfish along the Atlantic coast of northern weakfish (Delaware Bay and the United States (from Wilk 1976). north) and weakfish from North Caro-2
lina. In northern fish, females F = 21,198 + 1,279 W; matured at 256 mm and males at 251 mm TL (Shepherd and Grimes 1984); in r 2 = 0.88 North Carolina females spawned at 230 mm and males at 180 mm TL (Merriner and the New York Bight (Shepherd and 1976). Grimes 1984):
Weakfish spawn in the nearshore In F = -16.322 + 4.659 In TL; and estuarine areas of the coast after the spring inshore migration (Welsh r2 = 0.835 and Breder 1923; Hildebrand and Schroeder 1928). The spawning season In F = 1.975 + 1.542 In GW; of weakfish is earlier and somewhat 2 longer in North Carolina than in areas r = 0.839.
to the north; it extends from March to September, and peaks from April to Larvae June (Merriner 1976). In the New York Bight (Delaware Bay to New York), the The embryology and larval devel-season extends from May to mid-July opment of weakfish were described by (Shepherd and Grimes 1984). Two Welsh and Breder (1923), Pearson spawning peaks are reported for (1941), Harmic (1958), Scotton et al.
weakfish in New York Bight estuaries: (1973), Lipp.son and Moran (1974),
the earlier mid-May peak, attributed Johnson (1978), and Powles and Stender to the largest individuals or "tide- (1978). Hatching occurs in 36-40 runners," is followed by a June peak hours at 20-21 OC (Welsh and Breder developed by smaller fish (Shepherd 1923). Weakfish larvae range from 1.5 and Grimes 1984). to 1.75 mm TL at hatching and become demersal by 8 mm TL (Welsh and Breder Fecundity 1923; Pearson 1941). Weakfish larvae have been collected in nearshore Estimates of fecundity for southern waters to 70 km offshore in coastal weakfish differ from those for fish ichthyoplankton surveys (Berrien et from the New York Bight. A weakfish al. 1978).
500 mm TL from North Carolina produced 2,051,080 ova, whereas a northern fish Juveniles of the same length produced only 306,159 ova (Merriner 1976; Shepherd The *use of estuarine areas as and Grimes 1984). The following nursery grounds by weakfish is well relationships between fecundity (F) documented. Juveniles are collected and standard length (SL) in milli- most frequently in trawl sampling of meters, total length (TL) in milli- the deeper waters of rivers, bays, and meters, weight (W) in grams, and gut- sounds, rather than. in beach seine ted weight (GW) in grams, where In is collections from shoal areas (Greeley the natural logarithm and r is the 1939; Massmann et al. 1958; Schwartz coefficient of determination, were 1961, 1964a; Richards and Castagna presented for weakfish in North 1970; Thomas 1971; Chao and Musick Carolina (Merriner 1976): 1977).
In F = -2.154 + 2.776 In SL; Extensive sampling of North Caro-lina sounds revealed that juvenile r ý =0.85 weakfish were most abundant in areas designated by the North Carolina In F = -1.884 + 2.642 In TL; Division of Marine Fisheries as secon-dary nursery areas (usually shallow 2
r = 0.86 bays or navigation channels character-3
ized by moderate depths, slightly ,y'.
higher salinities, and presence of sand and/or sand-grass bottoms) rather than in primary nursery areas (shallow tributaries of low salinity and mud and/or mud-grass bottom) (Spitsbergen t*o and Wolff 1974; Purvis 1976). In P Chesapeake Bay and Delaware Bay juvenile weakfish migrate from high to low salinity areas throughout the summer, return to high salinity waters in fall, and leave the estuaries by December (Hildebrand and Schroeder 1928; Massmann et al. 1958; Thomas \O.
1971; Chao and Musick 1977).
Juvenile weakfish are distributed along the coast from Long Island to North Carolina at depths of 9-26 m in late summer and fall (Clark et al. VA 1969). Young-of-the-year weakfish were caught in ocean trawl surveys along the coast of North Carolina in 1968-11981 at depths of 9-18 m during
-0.1 fall and winter, and from North NC Carolina to Florida at depths of 9-11 m in winter and early spring (Wilk and Silverman 1976).
Adults SC Adult weakfish migrate seasonally 4
between inshore and offshore waters (Welsh and Breder 1923; Merriner 1973; Wilk 1976, 1979, 1980). Warming of ell, I coastal waters in spring prompts an GA inshore and northerly migration of adults from their wintering grounds to sounds, bays, and estuaries (Figure 3). The larger fish move inshore first and tend to congregate in the northern part of the range (Wilk and Silverman 1976; Wilk et al. 1977).
Catch records from the pound-net and haul-seine fisheries in Delaware Bay, '3'.
Chesapeake Bay, and Pamlico Sound indicate that the large fish are fol-lowed by a second group of smaller weakfish in sunmmer (Higgins and Pearson 1928; Massmann 1963; Daiber (PZr-
'Zý' "IX.
and Smith 1971; Sholar 1979; DeVries 1980, 1981). Shortly after their Figure 3. Movements of the weakfish initial appearance, weakfish return to along the Atlantic coast of the United the larger bays and possibly to the States during spring and summer (from ocean to spawn. In northern areas a Wilk 1976).
4
greater proportion of the adults spend the summer in ocean waters rather than ME '"
in estuaries.
NH A As water temperatures decline in faHl, weakfish form aggregations and MA move offshore and generally southward along the coast (Nesbit 1954; Massmann CT et al. 1958;-Wilk 1976; Wilk and Sil- NY \\\
verman 1976) (Figure 4). The Conti-nental Shelf from Chesapeake Bay to Cape Lookout, NC, appears to be the
~NJ major wintering ground for weakfish. A study of the winter trawl fishery off 0.
the Virginia and North Carolina. coasts -
indicated that most weakfish were MD \DE caught in the southern fishing area Ocracoke Inlet and Bodie between Island, NC, at depths of 18-55 m (Pearson 1932). Some weakfish may VA remain in inshore waters throughout - -,",-
the winter from North Carolina -
southward (Goode 1884; Higgins and -
Pearson 1928; Hildebrand and Cable 0 1934). NC GROWTH CHARACTERISTICS - -
Weakfish growth is particularly year. In Dela- .
rapid during the first ware Bay, juveniles may grow from 20 -,
to 35 mm/month during June-September (Ichthyological, Associates 1980) and may attain lengths ranging from 100 to 175 mm TL throughout the range. The GA variability of sizes within. year classes results from the extended . _
spawning season. Massmann et al.
(1958) and Thomas (1971) found two distinct size groups of young-of-the-year weakfish in fall in Chesapeake Bay (45 and 85 mm) and Delaware Bay (30-40 and 110-130 mm). This appar- . FL ently reflects two . separate spawning peaks. Thomas (1971) did not find a bimodal length distribution for adult weakfish which may be due to differen-tial mortality of late-spawned weak-fish or to compensatory growth. \0.
Weakfish age and growth studies Figure 4. Movements of the weakfish indicated geographic variations in along the Atlantic coast of the United growth, with a pattern of increasing States during fall and winter (from size toward the northern end of the Wilk 1976).
5
range (Table 1). Shepherd and Grimes TL compared to 480 mm TL in 1952 and (1983) found that northern weakfish 580 mm TL in 1980 (Perlmutter et al.
collected between Cape Cod, MA, and 1956; Shepherd and Grimes 1983).
Ocean City, MD, were largest at each Known longevity was 8 yr in 1929, 6 yr age and attained a greater maximum in 1952, and 11 yr in 1980. Simila.r size and longevity (810 mm TL at age changes in growth and longevity were XI). Size at age of weakfish collec- reported for weakfish in Delaware Bay ted between Virginia Beach, VA, and (Seagraves 1981).
Cape Fear, NC, was lowest (370 mm TL at age III) and similar to that Growth of weakfish was described by reported by Taylor (1916) and Merriner the von Bertalanffy growth curve:
(1973). In weakfish from Chesapeake Bay (Ocean City, MD, to Virginia It = L (1 - e -K(t-t 0 )),
Beach, VA) size at age and maximum size were intermediate and were where It is length at age t, L is the comparable to what Seagraves (1981) asymptotic length, K is the- Brody reported for Delaware Bay in 1979. growth coefficient, t is age, and t Shepherd and Grimes (1983) suggested is the hypothetical age at which th8 that these growth variations may fish would have been zero length. Von result from differing allocations of Bertalanffy growth parameters showed energy to somatic growth according a trend of decreasing values of L to environmental and migratory from north to south, with the requirements. Growth of weakfish of exception of Delaware Bay weakfish southern origin may also be limited by in 1979 (Seagraves 1981; Shepherd and prey availability or by genetic Grimes 1983) (Table 3). A larger differences. asymptotic .length was obtained for Delaware Bay weakfish in 1979 than in Records of weakfish size at various 1956.
ages show differences over time (Table 2). A comparison of female weakfish Length-wei ght relationships have from the New York Bight showed that been deve I oped for weakfish from age-IV females in 1929 averaged 340 mm throughout the Mid-Atlantic Region Table 1. Mean total lengths (mm) at age of weakfish from three regions (from Shepherd and Grimes 1983).
Ocean City, MD Virginia Beach, VA Cape Fear, NC to to to Cape Cod, MA Ocean City, MD Virginia Beach, VA Age 1979-81 1979-81 1979-81 group Male Female Male Female Male Female I 200 200 200 200 220 210 II 310 320 280 300 270 300 I11 460 480 450 460 320 370 IV 560 580 560 600 V 630 640 600 670 VI 660 680 710 VIl 660 700 VIII 680 720 IX 710 730 X 690 750 XI 700 810 6
Table 2. Mean total lengths (mm) at age of weakfish.
Chesa-peake a9New York Delaware Ba1 Bay a North Caroling Age 1929a 1952a 1965_ 1979-* 1929- 1916k 1967-69
- group M F M F M &.F M F M&F M& F M F 1 200 190 210 200 189 198 196 173 209 185 192 2 260 260 280 280 246 324 327 263 277 264 272 3 300 300 360 360 286 451 455 301 328 323 347 4 320 340 480 480 319 543 553 342 405 384 432 5 360 380 560 560 604 618 386 486 496 509 6 410 410 640 640 681 635 440 479 *680 7 440 430 675 489 560 8 520 440 737 589 9 762 a Perlmutter et al. (1956). c Taylor (1916).
b Seagraves (1981). d Merriner (1973)
- TL approximated by: TL = 1.21 SL.
Table 3. Von Bertalanffy growth parameters for weakfish (sexes combined) where L is the asymptotic length in mill'imeters (SL) (Standard length approximated by:
Sr=TL/1.21), t is the hypothetical age at which the fish would have been zero length, K is the Brody growth coefficient, and W is weight in grams.
Area L t o0 K W(g)
Cape Cod, MA -
Ocean City, MDa 683 0.031 0.274 5237.0 Ocean City, MD -
Virginia Beach, VAa 567 0.051 0.350 3026.0 Virginia Beach, YA -
Cape Fear, N.C. 331 -1.270 0.550 608.3 Delawgre Bay 1956 315 -0.500 0.327 Delaware Bay 1979 735 0.084 0.236 a Shepherd and Grimes (1983).
b Seagraves (1981).
7
(Table 4). Merriner (1973) found Merriner 1973; Wilk 1981). During significant length-weight differences the period 1940-49, pound nets, haul between males and females which he seines, gill nets, and trawls took attributed to proportionately greater approximately 63%, 11%, 3%, and 23% of development of ovarian tissue relative the total catch, respectively. Dur-to testicular tissue. ing 1970-79, the contribution of these same four gear types was 20%, 11%, 9%,
and 60%, respectively (Wilk 1981).
COMMERCIAL AND RECREATIONAL FISHERIES The principal commercial methods Commercial landings of weakfish
.used to harvest weakfish include have fluctuated widely since the late trawls, pound nets, haul seines, and 1800's. Two peaks in landings have gill nets. In addition, weakfish are occurred since 1940, an all-time high caught in purse seines, floating of 18,800 t in 1945 and 16,300 t in traps, trammel nets, fyke nets, hoop 1980. The distribution of weakfish nets,.and hand lines. Generally these landings has shifted historically from fisheries *can be classified as mixed one geographic. area to another (Wilk opportunistic fisheries that concen- 1980) (Figure 5). The Chesapeake Bay trate directly on weakfish for brief region (Maryland and Virginia) contri-periods (Wilk and Brown 1982). During buted most to the total weakfish land-the mid-1970's, high-speed pelagic ings in the 1940's, followed by the trawls in the form of paired trawls Mid-Atlantic Region (New York, New and mid-water trawls were introduced Jersey, and Delaware), and the South in the New Jersey-Delawarearea. Atlantic Region (primarily North Caro-lina). Weakfish landings remained low Although the methods used to harvest in all regions throughout the 1950's weakfish for food have essentially and 1960's. Since 1971, South remained significant the same, there have been Atlantic Region landings have exceeded shifts in the contribu- those in one or both of the northerly tions of trawls and pound nets during regions. The shift in catch to the the past 40 yr (Perlmutter 1959; South Atlantic Region is probably more Table 4. Length-weight relationships for weakfish using the equation: log-W (g)
= log a + b log L (mm), where W is weight in grams, L is length in millimeters
(*TL, +SL), and a and b are constant.
Length Location Sex Log a b r n range (mm)
New York Bighta* Combined -4.877 2.948 0.99 666 59-768 Cape Cod, MA b*
Ocean City, MD Combined -5.030 2.976 0.99 418 Delaware Bayc+ Combined -4.423 2.861 0.99 182 195-725 North Carolinad+ Male -4.558 2.851 0.99 482 Female -4.343 2.946 0.99 610 Combined -4.374 2.934 0.99 1,650 a From Wilk (1979),. b From Shepherd and Grimes (1983).
c From Seagraves (1981). d From Merriner (1973).
8
Table 5. Estimated number and weight of weakfish caught by recreational fishermen in the Mid-Atlantic Region (New York-Virginia) 1979-87. (National Marine Fisheries Service Marine Rec-reational Fishery Statistics Survey, Atlantic and Gulf Coasts 1979-87).
Year Number Weight (thousands) (t) 1979 5,157 5,793 1980 14,570 20,544 1981 8,833 6,397 1982 1,064 2,717 1983 5,779 5,397 1984 3,671 3,377 1985 3,099 3,013 1986, 11,106 N6,053 1987 6,982 4,093
- Preliminary data.
ECOLOGICAL ROLE Figure 5. U.S. commercial landings of Food Habits weakfish by geographic region.
Weakfish feed predominantly on penaeid and mysid shrimps, anchovies, a reflection of the increased mobility and clupeid fishes (Welsh and Breder of the North Carolina fishing fleet, 1923; Thomas 1971; Merriner 1975; and a concomitant shift in the center Stickney et al. 1975; Michaels 1984).
of landings to North Carolina, rather A shift of food habits with'growth was than an actual shift in distribution reported by Thomas (1971), Merriner of weakfish (Wilk 1981). (1975), and Stickney et al. (1975).
Young weakfish feed mostly on mysid Weakfish have also been important shrimp and anchovies; older weakfish to the recreational fishery since at feed on whatever clupeid species are least the 1800's (Goode 1884). Anglers abundant in an area. Michaels (1984) take weakfish from boats while troll- reported that anchovies (rather than ing and drift fishing,.and from boats clupeids) were the single most impor-and shore. while casting, live bait tant prey fish of weakfish fishing, jigging, still fishing, and collected offshore (depths > 6 m).
chumming, primarily during the warmer. Cannibalism was reported to be signif-months of the year (Freeman and Wal- icant in weakfish (Thomas 1971; ford 1974a, b, c, 1976a, b). Data Merriner 1975). Weakfish feed pri-from the National Marine Fisheries marily between dusk and dawn (Lascara Service Marine Recreational Fishery 1981; Michaels 1984). Chao and Musick Statistics Survey also indicate a peak (1977) correlated feeding structures in recreational landings in 1980 with the food habits of juvenile (20,544 t) followed by a sharp decline sciaenids. The weakfish has an by 1982 (Table 5). oblique mouth that enables it to cap-9
ture pelagic prey from above and in and food habits. Juveniles of these front of it. Other adaptations for species enter the estuaries at successful predation include a pair of different times of the year, and with-large canine teeth at the tip of the in a given period, the highest catches upper jaw for grasping larger swimming of each species are in different prey and a fusiform body shape for areas and depths. Although weakfish fast pursuit. and croaker both prefer the deeper water in or near channels, croaker A study of fish predator-prey do not enter estuarine areas until interactions in areas of eelgrass fall after most weakfish have left.
(Zostera marina) in Chesapeake Bay Differences in the morphology of the indicated that weakfish are important feeding apparatus enable each species top carnivores in this habitat to feed at different levels of the (Lascara 1981). Field data and lab- water column.
oratory observations have suggested that weakfish forage along the peri-phery of eelgrass beds during periods Diseases of low light (dusk to dawn). The high percentage of blue crabs (Calli- Mahoney et a]. (1973) reported that nectes sapidus) (40) and spot (Leio- weakfish, especially juveniles, are stomus xanthurus) (18) in weakfish one of the most susceptible species to stomachs indicated that some feeding the "fin rot" disease of marine -and occurred in eelgrass beds, since these euryhaline fishes in the New York animals were considerably more abun- Bight. The consistent and most dant there than at adjacent non-vege- striking feature of the disease in tated sampling sites. The lack of weakfish is necrosis of the caudal fin eelgrass in stomachs and the oblique followed by involvement on the other mouth position of the species sugges- fins. Pollution is suspected to have ted, however, that weakfish feed pela- a role in the disease. This disease gically and not deep within the vege- has also been observed in weakfish tation. In laboratory experiments, from Delaware Bay and Georgia.
weakfish captured fewer prey as the percentage of vegetative cover in-creased (Lascara 1981).
ENVIRONMENTAL REQUIREMENTS Community Ecology Temperature Surveys along the Atlantic coast indicated that estuaries provide feed- Weakfish eggs in all stages of ing areas and spawning grounds for development were collected in Peconic adult weakfish and are important Bay, NY, and Narragansett Bay, RI, at nursery areas for the young. Studies temperatures of 12-24 °C (Perlmutter in Delaware Bay (Thomas 1971) and 1939; Herman 1963). Laboratory tests Chesapeake Bay (Chao and Musick indicated that hatching of weakfish 1977) showed that several species of eggs was optimal between 18 and 24 C sciaenids, including weakfish, silver (Harmic 1958).
perch (Bairdiella chrysoura), spot, croaker (Micropogonias undulatus), and Weakfish have been collected over a black drum (Pogonias cromis) were temperature range of 9.5 to 30.8 oC able to coexist in the estuaries; (Massmann et a]. 1958; Richards and probable reasons include differences Castagna 1970; Merriner 1976). In in spatial and temporal distribution, areas of highest abundance of juvenile relative abundance (abundances of weakfish in Delaware Bay, water dominant competitors may be reduced by temperatures ranged from 28.0 °C in physical disturbance or predation), July to 17.2 °C in October (Thomas 10
1971). Decreasing water temperatures Salinity in fall appear to initiate movement of most weakfish out of the estuaries Weakfish are euryhaline and have to deeper water. Older weakfish been collected at salinities ranging appear to precede the young of the of 0.1 to 32.3 ppt (Massmann et al.
year, in moving out of the estuaries 1958; Richards and Castagna 1970; Wilk (Hildebrand and Cable 1934; Massmann and Silverman 1976; Wilk et al. 1977).
et al. 1958; Thomas 1971). Harmic (1958) collected eggs and larvae in Delaware Bay at salinities Only a few weakfish have been of 12.1 to 31.3 ppt. Juveniles have collected at temperatures below 10 oC been taken in salinities from 0.1 to in Delaware 'Bay or Chesapeake Bay 31.7 ppt, but areas of most abun-(Massmann et al. 1958; Abbe 1967; dant catches had salinities of 2.0 ppt Thomas 1971). Hildebrand and Cable in June to 10.8 ppt in August (Mass-(1934) reported that some small mann et al. 1958; Richards and Casta-weakfish (122-182 mm TL) remained in gna 1970; Thomas 1971). Adults were North Carolina estuaries and nearshore collected over a salinity range of 6.6 coastal waters year-round except dur- to 32.3 ppt (Richards and Castagna ing brief cold snaps. Dead and numb 1970; Wilk and Silverman 1976; Wilk et weakfish were seen in shallow waters al. 1977).
when water temperatures suddenly dropped to 5 oC (Smith 1907; Hilde- Dissolved Oxygen brand and Cable 1934).
Information on relationships be-Schwartz (1964b) subjected five tween dissolved oxygen and weakfish weakfish collected at 20.7 °C to tolerance or preferences is scarce.
normal winter water temperatures. Thomas (1971) reported that upriver Swimming speed slowed drastically as movement of juvenile weakfish in the the water temperature approached 10 Delaware River was blocked by low OC, feeding ceased at 7.9 OC, and'all oxygen concentrations (1.0-2.3 ppm).
fish died at 3.3 oC. Wilk (1979) In areas of the most abundant catches reported that as temperature was grad- of juvenile weakfish in Delaware Bay, ually increased (0.05 OC/h) from the mean dissolved oxygen ranged from 4.2 acclimated temperature range of 19-20 ppm in July to 7.4 ppm in October.
°C to almost 29 9C, weakfish showed a 35% increase in swimming speed accom- Pollution panied by tighter and more frequent schooling; however, as the fish became In ' a model of the effects of acclimated to 29 °C their activity pollution on a multispecies group of decreased to a point similar to that coastal fishes, weakfish showed before the temperature was increased. relatively large depressions in This increased activity may help to abundance in response to chronic or move the animals from regions of ad- acute pollution, but then recovered verse high temperature. relatively quickly (in 6-10 years)
(Schaaf et al. 1987).
11
LITERATURE CITED Abbe, G. R. 1967. An evaluation of Daiber, F. C., and R. W. Smith. 1971.
the distribution of fish populations Analysis of the weakfish population of the Delaware River estuary. M.S. in Delaware Bay. University of Thesis. University of Delaware, Delaware Project No. F-13. Job No.
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14
Lippson, A. J., and R. L. Moran. 1974. Fish. Serv. Fish. Bull. 71(1):301-Manual for identification of early 312.
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Dissertation. North Carolina State Perlmutter, A. 1959.) Changes in the University, Raleigh. 201 pp. populations of fishes and in their fisheries in the Middle Atlantic and Merriner, J. V. 1975. Food habits of Chesapeake regions, 1930 to 1955.
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17 1
REPORT DOCUMENTATION 1
- N O.REPRT . Recieient's Accaesson No.
PAGE Biological Report 82(11.109)*
- 4. Title and SWMbt*tl S Raoit Data Species Profiles: Life Histories and Environmental Requirements of August 1989 Coastal Fishes and Invertebrates (Mid-Atlantic)--Weakfish Oo
- 7. Author(s) I Parming Orgaization Root No L.P. Mercer
- 4. Performing Oranization Name and Address 10. Proloct/Task/Work Unit No.
North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries P.O. Box 769 11. Contrct(C) or Grant(G) No.
Morehead City, NC 28557 (C)
(GI and Address
- 12. So*soring Organintlon Name U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 13. Typeo#ReportPeodCoverd Washington, DC 20240 Waterways Experiment Station Fish and Wildlife Service P.O. Box 631 National Wetlands Research Center Vicksburg, MS 39180 14.
IS. Supplementary NotOs U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Report No. TR EL-82-4 14, Abstract(Umit: 200 words)
Species profiles are literature summaries of the taxonomy, morphology, range, life history, and environmental requirements of coastal aquatic species. They are designed to assist in environmental impact assessment. Weakfish are one of the most abundant fishes in the estuarine and nearshore waters of the Atlantic coast. Weakfish mature at age I throughout their range and spawning takes place in coastal and estuarine waters from March.to September. Juveniles utilize the deeper areas within estuaries as nursery grounds, migrate from high to low salinity areas throughout the summer, return to high salinity areas in fall, and most leave the estuaries by late fall. Some may remain in estuarine and nearshore coastal waters in winter, particularly in southern areas. Adult weakfish migrate seasonally, north in spring and south in fall and between inshore and offshore waters. Growth rates, maximum size, and longevity of weakfish are higher at the northern end of the range. Weakfish are an important recreational and commercial species in the Mid-Atlantic. Weakfish feed predominantly on mysid shrimp and anchovies as juveniles, and on clupeids and anchovies as adults. Weakfish have been found .over a temperature range of 9.5 to 30.8 °C. Juvenile weakfish have been found over a wider salinity range (0.1-31.7 ppt) than adults (6.6-32.3 ppt).
- 17. Oocument Analysis a. Descriptors Estuaries Temperature Fishes Growth Salinity Habitat requirements Life cycles Dissolved oxygen Food habits Fisheries
- b. Ideatfiers/Opeo-Endod Te*m Weakfish Cynoscion reqalis Spawning
- c. COSATI Field/Group
- 14. AvalailibtY S*tatemnt 19. Securit Classi (Thisi Repot 21. No. Of Pas" Unclassified 17 Unlimited 2.0..
S
- curiy .las (hiPge) 2L-Pric Unclassified (Sea ANSI--Z3.8 OPTIONAL FORM 272 (4-77)
(Formerly NTIS-35)
DCpartment of Com ltoC
.1 .
As the Nation's principal conservation agency, the Department of the Interior has responsibility for most of our nationally owned public lands and natural resources. This includes fostering the wisest use of our land and water resources, protecting our fish and wildlife, preserving the environmental and cultural values of our national parks and historical places, and providing for the enjoy-ment of life through outdoor recreation. The Department assesses our energy and mineral resources and works to assure that their development is in the best interests of all our people. The Depart-ment also has a major responsibility for American Indian reservation communities and for people who live in island territories under U.S.
administration.
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR m I II%.~&V. LaIN I~ I FISH AND WlULIFE SERVICE TAKE PRIDE in America UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR POSTAGE AND FEES PAID FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR INT-423 National Wetlands Research Center NASA-Slidell Computer Complex 1010 Gause Boulevard Slidell. LA 70458 OFFICIAL BUSINESS PENALTY FOR PRIVATE USE, $300