Speckled Hind
| Life History Parameters | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum weight (kg) | 30 |
| Maximum age (year) | 45 |
| Age at length 0 (year) | -1.8 |
| Age at Maturity (months) | 79 |
| Maximum Length (cm) | 110 |
| Length at Maturity (cm) | 53 |
| Linf. Asymptotic Length (cm) | 88.8 |
| K - von Bertalanffy growth coefficient | 0.12 |
| Natural Mortality | 0.15 |
| - | - | - | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | - | - | - |
Habitat and Distribution
This species is found on reefs in the western Atlantic from North Carolina to the east coast of Florida and throughout the Gulf of Mexico.
Spawning season in the Gulf of Mexico
The spawning season for this species in the GOM is not well documented. The estimated spawning season for this species in the GOM is from April through September, but this information varies considerably among regions and reports. Spawning has been reported to occur in April, May, and August off the Gulf of Campeche, Mexico, and during August off west Florida. Other studies have reported spawning to occur during April and May and July to September in the GOM.
Spawning Patterns
Little is known about the spawning patterns of Speckled Hind in the Gulf of Mexico. However, courtship behavior of this species has been observed on deep, Oculina coral reefs where Gag and Scamp are known to aggregate for spawning.
Fishing Patterns in Relation to Spawning
Commercial landings show a small increase at the beginning of the spawning season in May and June, but then decrease for the remainder of the spawning season. Overall, average monthly landings are greater during spawning months than non-spawning months. Recreational landings are also greatest in May and June, but landings decline over the remainder of the spawning season. Average monthly landings were greater during spawning months than non-spawning months from 2009 to 2015.
Management of Spawning Aggregations
The commercial fishery is managed under the IFQ program and there are no seasonal closures for either the commercial or recreational fishery. Net and spearing gear are prohibited in federal waters for the commercial fishery. The recreational fishery in federal waters is subject to a daily catch limit of 1 that must fit within a total catch limit of 4 similar grouper. In state waters, the recreational catch limit is the same as the federal limit, except for Texas and Alabama which do not set a limit. Madison Swanson, Steamboat Lumps and the Edges are closed year round.