CCA News

[Ray]

Catch-and-Release of Spotted Seatrout - This CCA-sponsored study investigated the mortality for hook-and-line-captured spotted seatrout as a function of bait type, hook type, angler skill level, fish size, and live-release tournaments. A relatively low overall short-term mortality for all treatments was observed with the majority of fish surviving. These data suggest that management options involving the release of spotted seatrout, including release of fish are viable management tools.

Is this the same thing LSU did in Big Lake?

Real-time movement patterns of Spotted Seatrout – “Wiring the Texas Coast” – A state-of-the-art acoustic network is being installed in the bays/lagoons from Port Mansfield to Aransas Pass, Texas, that can track spotted seatrout (or any species) that have been surgically implanted with special tags. This is Phase I of a larger project to “wire” the entire Texas coast. Driving this study is the fact that inlets such as the Port Mansfield Channel and Cedar Bayou in Texas have historically provided water exchange between the Gulf of Mexico and its estuaries, and there has been much recent concern over the rapid closure of theses inlets due to sedimentation. The closing of these channels may impact many recreational fishery species that require access to the bays via these inlets. The CCA and HRI are partnering to use acoustic tracking, field sampling, and otolith- and genetic-based techniques assess migration patterns of spotted seatrout.