Greater Amberjack
| Life History Parameters | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum weight (kg) | 81 |
| Maximum age (year) | 15 |
| Age at length 0 (year) | -0.954 |
| Age at Maturity (months) | 27 |
| Maximum Length (cm) | 190 |
| Length at Maturity (cm) | 79 |
| Linf. Asymptotic Length (cm) | 143.6 |
| K - von Bertalanffy growth coefficient | 0.14 |
| Natural Mortality | 0.25 |
| - | - | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Habitat and Distribution
This species occurs in the Indo-central Pacific and both sides of the Atlantic. In the western Atlantic, it occurs from Nova Scotia to Brazil, including the Gulf of Mexico, where it is found in both the coastal pelagic environment and near the bottom and is often associated with dropoffs.
Spawning season in the Gulf of Mexico
The spawning season for this species varies by region. The most common spawning season reported is from March through June with a peak from March to May. Spawning reported to occur from April to June in Louisiana, and during April and May in the Florida Keys.
Spawning Patterns
Greater Amberjack form spawning aggregations of tens to a few hundred fish near reef and shelf edge dropoffs in offshore waters. Observations from the Caribbean indicate that spawning activity occurs in the evening after sunset on the days following the full moon. Courtship occurs in pairs, and adults are sexually dichromatic during spawning; Males exhibit a scrawled pattern on their body and are "electric" blue in appearance, while the heads and upper bodies of females appear black. Greater Amberjack are broadcast spawners with external fertilization.
Fishing Patterns in Relation to Spawning
Commercial landings are generally greater in non-spawning months than spawning months. Average landings are greatest in February and then drop close to zero during the peak spawning months (March - May), but increase again the last month of the spawning season (June). Recreational landings peak during the last two months of the spawning season (May - June) and are consistently greater during spawning months than non-spawning months.
Management of Spawning Aggregations
The commercial fishery for Greater Amberjack is subject to an annual catch limit in federal waters. The recreational fishery is subject to a daily catch limit of 1 in federal waters. In Louisiana state waters, the commercial fishery is managed by a per-trip catch limit. There are no catch limits in other states. Recreational catch limits in state waters mirror the federal daily catch limit of 1. The commercial fishery is closed Mar. 1 - May 31. The recreational fishery is closed Jun. 1 - Jul. 31. In season closures may also occur. The commercial closure coincides with peak spawning months and the recreational closure overlaps with only the last month of spawning. Madison Swanson, Steamboat Lumps and the Edges are closed year round. The minimum size is 36" FL for commercial and 34" for recreational.