STOCK STRUCTURE ASSESSMENT OF SPOTTED SEATROUT ALONG THE TEXAS COAST
 Knowledge of geographic stock structure is critical to understanding the dynamics of marine fish populations. Despite recognizing the value of the spotted seatrout fishery to the Gulf Coast, there are significant gaps in our knowledge as to the stock structure of this fishery. We currently have new techniques that may help elucidate these stock structures, and retrospectively identify the source (natal origin) and the relative contribution of different nursery grounds. The long-range goal of this proposal is to characterize the stock structure and make predictions about bays of natal origin for adult populations. The rationale for the proposed research is that this information be used to address the health of natural ecosystems and provide data for fisheries managers to make informed decisions concerning seatrout conservation and management.
The specific objectives of this study are to 1) Collect young-of-the-year spotted seatrout to validate (“fingerprint”) bay specificity using stable isotope and microchemistry analyses; 2) Collect adult spotted seatrout from Texas bay systems and near-shore waters and perform stable isotope and microchemistry analyses on the core (juvenile stage) of the otoliths; 3) Examine geographic stock structure and retrospectively determine bays of natal origin in adult spotted seatrout stocks.
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