Natural spawning and larviculture of southern flounder Paralichthys lethostigma

摘要

Southern flounder Paralichthys lethostigma is an important recreational and commercial flatfish, ranging from North Carolina in the western Atlantic Ocean south (discontinuous around the southern tip of Florida) and along southwestern Florida to southTexas in the Gulf of Mexico (Daniels 2010). It lives in a wide range of salinity from freshwater to full-strength saltwater but is most commonly regarded as an estuarine and bay species within its range. Flounder are harvested by gig and rod and reel, with most fish in Texas taken during the annual spawning run to the Gulf of Mexico from October through December. During this time, Southern flounder are concentrated in great numbers in tidal passes that connect estuaries and bays with the Gulf of Mexico, where they are much easier to catch compared to other times of the year. Larger, gravid female flounder, in particular, are targeted by fishermen and generations of anglers have enjoyed the benefits of the spawning migration.