Demographic characteristics of southern flounder, Paralichthys lethostigma, harvested by an estuarine gillnet fishery

Published source details Smith W.E. & Scharf F.S. (2010) Demographic characteristics of southern flounder, Paralichthys lethostigma, harvested by an estuarine gillnet fishery. Fisheries Management and Ecology, 17, 532-543.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

	Action	Category
	Set a minimum landing size for commercially fished species Action Link
	Use a larger mesh size Action Link

Set a minimum landing size for commercially fished species

A before-and-after study in 2000–2007 of an estuarine system in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean on the North Carolina coast, USA (Smith & Scharf 2010) reported that management measures including increasing the minimum size limit and mesh size of gill nets in a commercial southern flounder Paralichthys lethostigma fishery reduced the catches of the youngest, but not older fish at two of three sites, compared to before. Relative frequency of age one flounder in catches from two different areas decreased in the two years following management measures, compared to the previous five-year period (after: 24–27%, before: 45–55%). Catches of older (age two and three) fish increased (after: 20–50%, before: 5–45%). However, at a third site, flounder catches after management changes were made were predominantly age one, immature, fish (90%) indicating only a small proportion of the harvestable stock would have the opportunity to reproduce (no figures reported for the period before changes). In 2005, management changes included a 25-mm increase to 356-mm in flounder minimum size limit and increased minimum mesh size for large-mesh gillnets to 140-mm. Southern flounder age and length data were collected during the period after management changes (2005–2007) from 1,970 legal-sized flounder caught by commercial fishers and tagged and released in the New River. A total of 627 of these were recaptured, mainly by the commercial gillnet fishery. Catch-at-age patterns for other flounder commercial gillnet fisheries in the state were estimated for 2000–2006 by combining length-specific regional landings with annual age-length data.

(Summarised by: Natasha Taylor)
Use a larger mesh size

A before and after study in 2000–2007 of an estuarine system in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean on the North Carolina coast, USA (Smith & Scharf 2010) reported that management measures including increasing the mesh size of gill nets and the minimum size limit in a commercial southern flounder Paralichthys lethostigma fishery reduced the catches of the youngest but not older fish at two of three sites, compared to before. Relative frequency of age one flounder in catches from two different areas decreased in the two years following management measures, compared to the previous five-year period (after: 24–27%, before: 45–55%). Catches of older (age two and three) fish increased (after: 20–50%, before: 5–45%). However, at a third site, flounder catches after management changes were made were predominantly age one, immature, fish (90%) indicating only a small proportion of the harvestable stock would have the opportunity to reproduce (no figures reported for the period before changes). In 2005, management changes included an increased minimum mesh size for large-mesh gillnets to 140-mm (previous mesh size not reported) and a 25-mm increase in flounder minimum size limit to 356-mm. Southern flounder age and length data were collected during the period after management changes (2005–2007) from 1,970 legal-sized flounder caught by commercial fishers and tagged and released in the New River. A total of 627 of these were recaptured, mainly by the commercial gillnet fishery. Catch-at-age patterns for other flounder commercial gillnet fisheries in the state were estimated for 2000–2006 (before and after changes) by combining length-specific regional landings data with annual age-length keys.

(Summarised by: Natasha Taylor)