[From the U.S. Government Printing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                                                                                           259 A






                         MARINE FISHERIES RESEARCH



























                                  North Carolina Department of Environment,
                                        Health, and Natural Resources


                                          Division of Marine Fisheries
                                          Morehead City, NC 28557


        SH                                        April 1992
        328
        .N6
        M37
        1992










                        MARINE FISHERIES RESEARCH







                                   Division of Marine Fisheries
                                      Morehead City, NC 28557


                             North Carolina Department of Environment,
                                   Health, and Natural Resources







                                        Completion Report
                                               for
                                           Project F-29









                                            April 1992






                       This project was conducted under the Federal Aid in Sport
                       Fish Restoration Act (Dingell-Johnson Act) through the
                       Wallop-Breaux Amendment, and funded, in part, by the U.S.
                       Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service,
                       under Project Number F-29.

                                                       US Department of Commerce
                                                       NOAA Capital Services Center Library
                                                       2234 South Hobson Avenue
                                                       Charleston, SC  29405-2413
 










                                             TABLE OF CONTENTS


                                                  STUDY I

                  MIGRATION, AGE AND GROWTH, AND REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY OF KING MACKEREL
                                 (SCOMBEROMORUS CAVALLA) IN NORTH CAROLINA

             ABSTRACT  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

             INTRODUCTION  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

             MATERIALS AND METHODS   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       2
                  Migration  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       2
                  Age and Growth   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       3
                  Reproductive Biology   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       7

             RESULTS   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       7
                  Migration  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       7
                  Age and Growth   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       25
                  Reproductive Biology   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       43

             DISCUSSION  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       51
                  Migration  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       51
                  Age and Growth   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       59
                  Reproductive Biology   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       63

             MANAGEMENT APPLICATIONS   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       66

             MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       68

             RESEARCH RECOMMENDATIONS  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       69

             ACKNOWLEDGMENTS   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       69

             LITERATURE CITED  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       71

             APPENDIX A
             APPENDIX B                           STUDY 2

                               MIGRATION, AGE AND GROWTH OF SPANISH MACKEREL
                                (SCOMBEROMORUS MACULATUS) IN NORTH CAROLINA



             ABSTRACT  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .      iii

             INTRODUCTION  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       I



                                                       (ii)











              MATERIALS AND METHODS    . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       3
                   Tagging  Study  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       3
                   Age and  Growth   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       5

              RESULTS  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .         8
                   Tagging  Study  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       8
                   Age and  Growth   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .      19

              DISCUSSION  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       36
                   Tagging  Study  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .      36
                   Age and  Growth   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .      37

              MANAGEMENT APPLICATIONS    . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .      45

              RECOMMENDATIONS   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       47


              ACKNOWLEDGMENTS   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       48

              LITERATURE CITED  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       49

              APPENDIX



                                                   STUDY 3a


                            MIGRATION AND POPULATION DYNAMICS OF SUMMER FLOUNDER
                                   (PARALICHTHYS DENTATUS) IN NORTH CAROLINA

              ABSTRACT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        iii

              INTRODUCTION  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        1

              MATERIALS AND METHODS    . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       4
                   Tagging Studies   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       4
                   Age and Growth    . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       5
                   Mortality  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        6

              RESULTS  i * * * ' *   * **  ' * * * * * ' * * *  * * * * * ' * *  ' * *     8
                   Tagging Studies   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       8
                   Age and Growth    . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .      22
                   Mortality  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       28

              DISCUSSION  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       28

              RECOMMENDATIONS   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       32

              ACKNOWLEDGMENTS   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       32

              LITERATURE CITED     . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .      33

              APPENDIX











                                                  STUDY 3b

                   TAGGING STUDIES OF SOUTHERN FLOUNDER (PARALICHTHYS LETHOSTIGMA) AND
                         GULF FLOUNDER (PARALICHTHYS ALBIGUTTA) IN NORTH CAROLINA


              ABSTRACT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       iii

              INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        1

              MATERIALS AND METHODS   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       2

              RESULTS  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        4

              DISCUSSION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       14

              RECOMMENDATIONS   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .      19

              ACKNOWLEDGMENTS   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .      19

              LITERATURE CITED    . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .      20



                                                   STUDY 4

                             LIFE HISTORY AND POPULATION DYNAMICS OF RED DRUM
                               (SCIAENOPS OCELLATUS) IN NORTH CAROLINA WATERS

              ABSTRACT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

              INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

              METHODS AND MATERIALS   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       3

                   Age and Growth   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       3
                   Reproductive Biology   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       5
                   Juvenile Distribution  and Relative Abundance   . . . . . . . . .      6
                   Tagging Studies  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       9
                   Fishery and Population Dynamics  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .      10

              RESULTS  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       11

                   Age and Growth   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .      11
                   Weight-Length and Length-Length Relationships   . . . . . . . . .     22
                   Maturity, Spawning Season and Spawning Grounds    . . . . . . . .     22
                   Juvenile Distribution and Relative Abundance    . . . . . . . . .     34
                   Tagging from Gill Nets and Pound Nets, 1986-1990    . . . . . . .     43
                        Pamlico River Pound Net, July to October, 1986-1990     . . .    49
                        Outer Banks Grassflats, Gill Nets,
                             April 1987-December 1990    . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     58



                                                     (iv)










                         New River Anchored Gill Net,
                               August-October, 1987-1990    . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       65
                         Miscellaneous Tagged Red Drum, 1987-1990      . . . . . . . . .      69
                    Tagging by Volunteer Sportfishermen Using Hook and Line       . . . .     69
                         Red Drum <813 mm FL Tagged Between Topsail Inlet
                               and Cape Fear  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .         77
                         Red Drum <813 mm FL Tagged Between Cape Lookout
                               and Oregon Inlet    . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        77
                         Red Drum >813 mm FL tagged in Pamlico Sound, and
                               Along the Beaches from Drum Inlet    to the
                               Virginia Eastern Shore    . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        80
                    Fisheries  and Population Dynamics   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        86

              DISCUSSION  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .          102

                    Age and Growth    . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        102
                    Maturity, Spawning Seasonality and Spawning Grounds      . . . . . .     103
                    Juvenile Distribution and Relative Abundance       . . . . . . . . .     107
                    Tagging Studies and Migration Patterns      . . . . . . . . . . . .      109
                    Fishery and Population Dynamics    . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       113

              MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS    . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        117

              RESEARCH RECOMMENDATIONS    . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        117

              ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .         122

              LITERATURE CITED   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .         124




























                                                       (v)






















                                       MARINE FISHERIES RESEARCH

                                    Completion Report Project F-29

                                              April 1992



                                              STUDY 1


                   MIGRATION, AGE AND GROWTH, AND REPRODUCTIVE

              BIOLOGY OF KING MACKEREL (SCOMBEROMORUS CAVALLA) IN

                                         NORTH CAROLINA

                                                  By

                                          Elizabeth B. Noble

                                            Linda P. Mercer

                                                  and

                                          Randall W. Gregory











                                             TABLE OF CONTENTS



             ABSTRACT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .


             INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

             MATERIALS AND METHODS   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .      2
                  Migration  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .      2
                  Age and Growth   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .      3
                  Reproductive Biology   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .      7

             RESULTS  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       7
                  Migration  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .      7
                  Age and Growth   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .      25
                  Reproductive Biology   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .      43

             DISCUSSION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       51
                  Migration  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .      51
                  Age and Growth   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .      59
                  Reproductive Biology   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .      63

             MANAGEMENT APPLICATIONS   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... . . .      66

             MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .      68

             RESEARCH RECOMMENDATIONS  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .      69

             ACKNOWLEDGMENTS   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .      69

             LITERATURE CITED  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .      71

             APPENDIX A


             APPENDIX B











                                                    ABSTRACT

                   Declines in king mackerel (Scomberomorus cavalla) landings during the 1980s
             led to recreational -commercial conflicts and management efforts to resolve them.
             Migration, age and growth, and reproductive studies were conducted by the North
             Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries to provide king mackerel life history
             information to state and federal resource management agencies. From 1985 through
             1990, 4,364 king mackerel were tagged and released off the central and northern
             coast of North Carolina. Sizes of fish tagged were significantly different
             (p <.0001) between areas tagged and seasons. Fall and summer separated out with
             high (746 mm FL) and low (563 mm FL) mean lengths, respectively. Largest fish
             (mean=769 mm FL) were tagged north of Cape Hatteras and smallest fish (mean=678
             mm FL) were tagged south of Cape Lookout.        The size of king mackerel did not
             influence distance or direction traveled nor probability of recapture. Seventy-
             four percent (n=63) of the king mackerel returns came from North Carolina, 18%
             (n=15) from Florida, 6% (n=5) from South Carolina, and 2% (n=2) from Virginia.
             Mean distance between release and recapture sites was 435 km (max=1,176 km) for
             fish tagged off the northern coast, and 146 km (max=1,117 km) for fish tagged off
             the central coast.    Days at large ranged from eight days to almost five years
             (1,816 days) .    No correlation was found between days at large and distance
             between release and recapture site (r=0.0696). King mackerel were recaptured
             predominately (90%) by hook-and-line fisheries (65% recreational and 24%
             commercial).    Thirty-nine percent were recaptured in the fall and 32% in the
             summer.    Results provided evidence for a separate migratory group of king
             mackerel in North Carolina waters with some degree of mixing with more southern
             stocks.

                   Ages were determi ne for 521 ki ng mackerel from whol e otol i ths and 896 ki ng
             mackerel from sectioned otoliths. Females ranged in age from I to 26 years (460-
             1,520 mm FL) and males from 1 to 20 years (420-1,245 mm FL).          Correlations of
             fish length with otolith radius were significant (<0.0001) for whole and
             sectioned otoliths from males, females, and sexes combined.                   Frequency
             distributions of distance from focus to each annulus for successive age groups
             were unimodal . Mean back-cal cul ated I engths at age were greater for femal es than
             males in each age group.      Growth increments were largest for the first three
             years, after which they gradually decreased. Asymptotic lengths for males from
             whole and sectioned otoliths were 770 mm FL and 1,153 mm FL; for females they
             were 897 mm FL and 1,370 mm FL, respectively.           The von Bertalanffy growth
             constant was greatest for males from whole otoliths (K=1.065).            Attempts to
             validate annual ring deposition (marginal increment analysis and mark-recapture
             studies) were inconclusive.

                   Gonads were examined macroscopically from males and females sampled at king
             mackerel tournaments June through October, 1988 and 1990. Very few fish <650 mm
             FL were present.    Mature king mackerel dominated all samples with 100% of the
             males mature at 650 mm FL and 100% of the females mature at 800 mm FL. Results
             showed that king mackerel have a prolonged spawning season off North Carolina
             that peaks June through August. Overall sex ratio male to female for 13,064 king
             mackerel sampled at tournaments (1986-1990) was 1:2.











                                               INTRODUCTION


                  The king mackerel (Scomberomorus cavalla) is a coastal migratory pelagic
            scombrid which ranges from Massachusetts to Brazil and throughout the Gulf of
            Mexico (Collette and Russo 1984). It is a highly sought sport fish from North
            Carolina to Texas, a primary target species of recreational charterboats and the
            focus of numerous saltwater angling tournaments (Manooch 1979, Trent et al.
            1983). It is an important commercial species, as well, caught by hook and line
            and gi 11 nets (Trent et al . 1983). Decl i nes i n ki ng mackerel 1 andi ngs duri ng the
            1980s, especially in the Gulf of Mexico, led to recreational -commercial conflicts
            and management efforts to resolve them.     A joint fishery management plan was
            developed by the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic Fishery Management councils
            (GMFMC and SAFMC 1982, 1985, 1987, 1989a,b, 1990). Two groups of king mackerel
            are recognized based on tagging studies, an Atlantic migratory and a Gulf of
            Mexico group, with some overlap and mixing along the southern Florida coast.
            Annual quotas are established for each group and allocated to the recreational
            and commercial fisheries based on historical catch rates.


                  King mackerel research efforts have largely been concentrated in Flor     ida
            and the Gulf of Mexico under the Coastal Pelagics Program of the National Marine
            Fisheries Service (NMFS) and by state fisheries agencies and universities,
            principally in the Gulf of Mexico.     Tagging studies (Williams and Godcharles
            1984, Sutherland and Fable 1980, Sutter et al. 1991) have provided information
            on movements and migrations and provided the basis for the recognition of two
            migratory groups. Age and growth has been examined (Beaumariage 1973, Johnson
            et al. 1983, Manooch et al. 1987, Collins et al. 1989) and a historical database
            of length frequencies established (Trent et al. draft).      Reproductive biology
            (Beaumariage 1973, Ivo 1974, Finucane et al. 1986), food habits (DeVane 1978,
            Naughton and Saloman 1981, Saloman and Naughton 1983), distribution and relative
            abundance by means of a charter boat catch and effort survey (Manooch and Laws
            1979, Trent et al. 1983), and stock identification (May 1983, Williams and
            Godcharles 1984, Fable 1988, Johnson 1988, Sutter et al. 1991) have also been
            described.


                  This study was conducted for North Carolina waters from 1986 through 1990
            to provide king mackerel life history information for the northern part of its








                                                  2


            range to state and federal resource management agencies.         With increased
            management efforts and more stringent regulations, these data were needed in king
            mackerel stock assessments.      Research from 1986 to 1990 concentrated on
            migration, age and growth, and reproductive studies (Mercer et al . 1987, Reed et
            al. 1988, Monaghan et al. 1989, North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries
            1990). The primary objectives were:
                  1.    identify and summarize available information for the South
                        Atlantic;

                  2.    analyze existing data on DMF Biological Database;

                  3.    determine seasonal migration patterns off North Carolina;

                  4.    determine exploitation patterns by season and gear;

                  5.    validate an ageing procedure;

                  6.    determine age composition of recreational catches;

                  7.    determine the sex ratio by size, age and season;

                  8.    determine size and age of maturity;

                  9.    determine spawning season and peaks of spawning.


                  Objectives I and 2 were completed by Mercer et al. (1987) in the 1986
            annual report and will not be included in this report.


                                          MATERIAL AND METHODS
            Migration
                  King mackerel for tagging were caught by charterboat and commercial
            fishermen under contract with North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF),
            and by DMF and NMFS biologists using natural and artificial baits. Fish in good
            condition were placed ventral side up in a foam rubber-lined tagging box and
            measured to the nearest millimeter fork length (mm FL). All fish lengths in this
            report are fork lengths. An internal anchor tag (33 x 8 x 1 mm) with an 80 mm
            long streamer was inserted into the abdominal cavity through a small incision
            made in the left side of the ventral wall. Tagged fish were returned quickly to
            the water, usually within a half minute after de-hooking.   Latitude, longitude,
            and condition of each release were recorded.     Routine tagging was done using
            international orange tags while fish injected with tetracycline for age








                                                  3


            validation were marked with blue tags. Fish were tagged in Onslow Bay, Raleigh
            Bay, and north of Cape Hatteras (Figure 1).


                  Each tag was uniquely and sequentially numbered with return instructions
            to receive a reward. All tags used from 1986 to 1989 had a NMFS Miami Laboratory
            return address as part of a cooperative tagging initiative and to reduce tag
            return bias from different tagging locations. In 1990, all tags had a DMF return
            address to encourage more tag returns.      The tagging program was publicized
            through posters, newspaper articles, news releases, television and radio
            interviews, and talks to sport fishing clubs. A $10 reward was paid by NMFS for
            each return and each return was included in a drawing for a $1,000 prize also
            paid by NMFS at the end of each year. Along with returning tags, fishermen were
            asked to provide information on date and location of capture, length of fish,
            type of recapture gear, and whether they were fishing commercially or
            recreationally. Fishermen catching fish with blue tags were asked to save the
            fish for a $25 reward.


                  The molded nylon double-barb dart tag, designed by NMFS (Fable 1990), was
            tested in 1988 by comparing it to the internal anchor tag. Eighty-seven king
            mackerel were double tagged with one internal anchor tag and one double-barb dart
            tag. Methods were the same as for fish tagged with only the internal anchor tag.


                  Tag returns were analyzed for temporal and spatial relationships.        The
            relationship between size and movement was examined using length at tagging of
            recaptured fish (length at recapture was not always accurate or available).
            Returns were also analyzed for which fishery and gear harvested king mackerel by
            season and area.


            Age and Growth
                  King mackerel were collected along the North Carolina coast from September
            1986 through December 1990 from the recreational and commercial hook-and-line
            fisheries and the commercial gill net fishery. Fish were measured to the nearest
            millimeter and sexed. Otoliths (sagittae) were removed and stored dry. Otoliths
            from male longer than 800 mm and female longer than 900 mm were sectioned.









                                                                                                A'bemorle So


                                                                          Pamlico
                                                                          ..River               Alligator.
                                                                                                 River







                                                                      Neuse


                                                   NeW River                                    Pamlico Sounc



                                                                                            Ocracoke Inlet
                            Cope Four
                                                     Bogue  Soun
                                Rive                                                 Core Sound
                                              ONSLOW                                        RALEIGH
                                                                                               BAY
                                                BAY                      Cape Lookout
                                                    2@387
                        Cape Fear                                           70



                       Figure 1.    Primary tagging locations and numbers of king mackerel tagged off North
                                    1985-1990.










                   Whol e otol i ths were i 11 umi nated wi th ref I ected I i ght and exami ned, concave
             si de up, i n a watch gl ass of glyceri n under a di ssecti ng mi croscope (37X) . Af ter
             Johnson et al . (1983) and Col I ins et al . (1989), opaque bands on the otol i th were
             considered growth marks (annuli), and the translucent bands were treated as
             interspaces. Measurements were made from the focus to the distal edge of each
             opaque ring and to the otolith margin with a sonic digitizer on a video monitor
             along an axis approximating the extension of the sulcus acousticus (Johnson et
             al. 1983, Collins et al. 1989) (Figure 2). Annuli were only measured after they
             were completely deposited so that the marginal increment was never zero.


                   Transverse sections of either the left or right sagitta of each pair that
             were sectioned were made through the focus on a plane perpendicular to the long
             axis, with a Buehler Isomet low speed saw.         Sections were mounted on slides,
             polished, and viewed under a dissecting microscope. Measurements were made with
             a sonic digitizer on images projected on a video monitor. The focus was not
             always definite on sections so measurements were standardized by defining the
             focus as the mid-point of a line connecting the two most distant points of the
             first ring (Collins et al. 1989). This method agreed with actual focus locations
             for sections in which the focus was apparent. Sections were measured in two
             parts because the axis of sagittal growth changed after the first year.
             Measurements of the distance to the first annulus were made at 92X from the focus
             to that point on the first ring, on the dorsal side of the sulcus acousticus,
             which minimized the length of the line without crossing the sulcus acousticus.
             Measurements from the first ring to the margin of the section were made at 204X
             on a line perpendicular to the rings, along the recognizable major axis of
             sagittal growth after year 1 (Figure 2). After Beaumariage (1973) and Johnson
             et al. (1983), otoliths were classified into age groups, based on the number of
             opaque nonmarginal marks.


                   The time of annulus formation was evaluated by plotting mean marginal
             increments by month. Least squares regressions of fork length on otolith radius
             were performed for sexes separately and combined to determine the relationship
             of the otolith to the size of the fish. Mean size at age were back-calculated
             for male, female, and sexes combined for both whole and sectioned otoliths by the
             direct proportion method (Lea 1910, Bagenal 1978) using DisBCAL89 microcomputer
             software packages (Missouri Department of Conservation 1989). Von Bertalanffy








                                                6


                                          C)orsal


             Annui'l





                                                                                      Anterior
       s-Leri or






                      Otofith Radius                            Focus


                                         Ventral


                                            Dorsal




                                                             nnutus 1 to Edge




                     Annuii                                  ocus to Annuius 1



                      SUICUS
                      Acousticus-,,                         'Focus









                                           Ventral

                  Figure 2.   Di agram of a whole and sectioned king mackerel
                              otolith. Dotted line shows path of measurement.
                              Diagram is not to scale.







                                                      7


             growth equations were fitted to back-calculated lengths at age using the
             Marquardt nonlinear iterative procedure (SAS Institute 1985).


             Reproductive Biology
                    King mackerel were sampled for sex ratio by size, age and season at king
             mackerel tournaments June through October from 1986 through 1990.             Sex, fork
             length to the nearest millimeter and weight in kilograms (kg) were recorded for
             each fish. A subsample of otoliths was taken from each tournament 1987 through
             1990.   The goal was to collect a minimum of three otolith pairs/50 mm size
             class/sex/month.    Sex ratios were calculated for 50 mm size classes by season
             (summer:   May-August, fall:     September- November) and year.      Ratios were also
             calculated for each age class (age 1-23 and 26).


                    Spawning season and spawning peaks were determined by visual inspection of
             gonads for both sexes acquired at tournaments June through October, 1988 and
             1990.    Macroscopic stages of gonad development were determined using a
             modification of Kesteven's (1960) classification (Table 1). Fork length to the
             nearest mm and weight were recorded for each fish.           Seasonal maturation was
             determined by plotting percent frequency of each of the five stages across the
             months sampled.
             Migration                               RESULTS
                    A total of 4,364 king mackerel was tagged in North Carolina waters from
             1985 through 1990. Overall, 86 (2.0%) king mackerel were recaptured (Table 2).
             Since no recapture information was available from one return, analyses were based
             on 85 fish.    Annual return rates (1985-1990) ranged from 0.0% (1990) to 6.8%
             (1987). Individual release and recapture information is presented in Appendix
             A.


                    Sizes of king mackerel tagged varied among seasons (Figure 3) and among
             tagging areas (Figure 4). Mean lengths by season and by area were significantly
             different (p <.0001). Fall and summer separated out with high (746 mm) and low
             (563 mm) mean lengths, respectively, using Duncan's Multiple Range Test (Table
             3).   Spring (714 mm) and winter (707 mm) values were intermediate and are not
             clearly distinguishable from one another. South of Cape Lookout, larger fish








                                                                           8









                    Table 1. Criteria used for macroscopic classification of maturity stages for king mackerel (after Kesteven
                    State     1960).                 Females                                           Mates

                    Immature                         Ovaries very small, round transparent,            Testes small, ribbonlike in
                                                     colorless to gray. Eggs invisible to              appearance, transparent, color-
                                                     naked eye.                                        Less to gray.

                    Maturing/resting                 Ovaries opaque, gray-red with                     Testes opaque, gray to white with
                                                     vascularization. Length about half                vascularization. Occupy about
                                                     the Length of ventral cavity.    Eggs             half of ventral cavity.
                                                     visible to the eye as whitish
                                                     granular.

                    Well developed                   Ovaries reddish-yettow. Eggs                      Testes reddish-white. No mitt
                                                     clearly discernabLe, opaque. Occupy               grops appear under pressure.
                                                     about two-thirds of ventral cavity.               Occupy about two-thirds of
                                                                                                       ventral cavity.

                    Ripe (Spawning)                  Ovaries fill ventral cavity. Eggs                 Testes white, fitting ventral
                                                     completely rounded, translucent.                  cavity. Drops of mitt felt with
                                                                                                       pressure.

                    Spent                            Ovaries dark yellow to red, very                  Testes gray-red, blood vessels
                                                     flaccid and reduced in overall                    easily seen, flaccid and reduced
                                                     size, well vascuLarized.                          in size.




















                     Table 2. King mackerel tag returns by year tagged 1985-1990.

                                                                                                                                           Return
                     Year         Number                                       Year recaptured                                              rate
                     tagged       tagged          1985         1986         1987         1988         1989        1990        Total       by year

                     1985          177             1             3            6             1          0            1          12            6.8%


                     1986          605                           8           11             8          2            3          32            5.3%

                     1987         1,111                                       3             7          8            3          21            1.9%

                     1988         1,100                                                   11           4            0          15            1.4%

                     1989          591                                                                 3            3            6           1.0%


                     1990          780                                                                              0            0           0.0%


                     Total        4,364            1            11           20           27           17          10          86            2.0%


                     Percent of
                     total returns             1.2%          12.8%        23.2%        31.4%       19.8%        11.6%









                              400                                                                                                                             500
                                        Spring                                                                                                                          Fall
                                                                               XX
                                                                                                                                                                        N    2219                                    :.:-X--:-
                                       N       1178                                                                                                                                                                  X......
                                                                                                                                                              400
                             .300


                                                                                                                                                              300                                                    ....
                                                                                                                                                                                                                  . ..... .....
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     .....  .....
                                                                    .....                                                                                                                                         .. ..... .....
                                                                                    ....                                                                                                                          ... .....  .....
                                                                    x'.X-:
                          E 200                                     ....

                                                                                                                                                              200
                                                                    .....    ....   ...                                                                                                                              .... ....  .....
                                                                    .....    ....   ....                                                                                                                                 .. .... .....
                                                                                                                                                                                                                         .. ..... .....
                                                                    .... .....   . .....                                                                                                                      .....
                                                                    .....    .....                                                                                                                 . . . ...... .
                                                                    .... .....   . .....
                                                                    .....        . .....
                                                                    X.X.-
                              100                                                                                                                                                                    .:-:-:'X
                                                                                                                                                                                                                            X,

                                                                                                                                                                                           ... . ... . ..... ...
                                                                                                                                                                                          ..... . ..... .....
                                                                                                                                                                                                   . ..... .. ..
                                                                    "X.:-                                                                                     100

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                w:-
                                                                             ..... .....
                                                                                                                                                                                                . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .-
                                                                    ....                                                                                                                                          ..                  ..


                                                                                             rm__
                                  0                                                                                                                                01
                                    300 400 500 600                          700        800       900 1000 1100                                                      300 400 500                     600      700        800       900       1000 1100
                                                                    Fork Length (mm)                                                                                                                 Fork Length (mm)
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  CD



                              70                                                                                                                              200
                                    Summer         7                                                                                                                    Winter
                                    N=308
                                                   .....                                                                                                                N=653
                              60


                                                                                                                                                              150
                              50


                                                         ..... .....
                          @j 40
                                                         :-:X
                                                                                                                                                                                                              ,x:
                                                                                                                                                          E   100
                          E
                                                                                                                                                                                                     .....    . ... .....
                                                                                                                                                                                                     .....    ......
                              30                         X,         . .. .....
                                                                                                                                                                                                     Xww
                                               .....                                                                                                                                                          .. . .....


                              20               ....
                                                                                                                                                                                                   . .....    ... . .....
                                                                                                                                                                                                     .... ....    . .....
                                                                                                                                                                 50
                                               ...                  ....                                                                                                                                          ...
                                               .....     . ..... .... .....
                                                                                                                                                                                                     X.,
                                                                                                                                                                                                              X.
                                               ....      ..... ....          .....                                                                                                                   ....
                                                                                                                                                                                                     .....    .. ...
                                               ...       .... ..... ... .....

                                               .....     ..... .....
                              10                         ..... .....
                                               ....      ..... ....
                                                                             ..... .....
                                                             ...X.           X-X
                                                                                                                                                                                                   . ..... .. ..
                                                                                                                                                                                                              X


                                                   .....            ....



                                               ..... ....                               77
                                        .....  .... .. .
                                Oij                                                    F     r                                                                    0
                                  300 400 500                     600        700 800 900 1000 1100                                                                   300 400 500                     600      700        800 900 1000 1100
                                                                    Fork Length (mm)                                                                                                                 Fork Length (mm)
                                                   Figure       3.           Length frequencies (FL, mm) of king mackerel tagged                                                                off North Carolina, 1985-
                                                                             1990, by season (Spring: April--May; Summer: June--August; Fall: September--
                                                                             November; Winter: December, March).






















                      -T,
                                                                                               Percent Frequency

                n r+ r-           wo          al         0         al         0          m  0            8             0             0                o        al
                AJ CU CD          Ul
                -0 to =           0
                (D to c-ca+ -n                                                        0
                (D
                =: 0- =r  0
                lw
                C+                                                                    0
                CD    (D  77      all,                                                                                                          Ca
                C) -0                                                                 T
                = =               0
                14    =ID
                          (D      01
                                  0
                0
                s
                C+ CO CL          01
                ,Zr(iw @.
                <                 0
                C.,
                                  a)
                70                ol
                                  0
                0
                (D    c-f-
                          3       o
                al 0      3       80
                Q.                                                                    14
                00'-<                                                                                                                           m

                                  0
                CL U3


                0

                C*
                      (D
                      -5
                0 (D







                                                  12


            occurred in the winter and spring, intermediate-sized fish in fall, and smallest
            fish in the summer (Table 3).    No seasonal differences were observed for fish
            tagged between Cape Hatteras and Cape Lookout, and all fish tagged north of Cape
            Hatteras were tagged in th e fall.


                  Differences in mean lengths between areas were observed in all seasons.
            Largest fish were tagged north of Cape Hatteras and smallest fish were tagged
            south of Cape Lookout (Table 4). Seasonal differences existed between areas in
            fall and spring, with larger fish to the north in both cases (Figure 5).


                  Tagged king mackerel were recaptured during each season, but most were
            recaptured during the summer (32%) and fall (39%) when fishing effort was
            greatest (Table 5).    Seventy-four percent (n=63) of the king mackerel returns
            came from North Carolina, 18% (n - 15) from Florida, 6% (n=5) from South
            Carolina, and 2% (n=2) from Virginia (Table 6).       North Carolina and Florida
            returns occurred in all seasons, with North Carolina recaptures primarily in the
            fall and Florida recaptures primarily in spring and summer (Figure 6). Returns
            from Virginia and South Carolina were only in the summer.


                  A total of 1,683 king mackerel was tagged off the northern coast of North
            Carolina (Oregon Inlet area) in the fall. Forty-five (2.7%) were recaptured from
            Virginia to Florida (Tables 7 and 8).     One fish was recaptured north of the
            tagging site (Virginia), ten were recaptured in the vicinity of the tagging site,
            18 were recaptured south along the North Carolina coast, four in South Carolina
            waters, and 12 off the Florida coast (Figure 7). Distance between release and
            recapture sites ranged from 0 to 1,176 km and averaged 435 km. Average distance
            for fish recaptured >20 km from release site was 489 km.


                  A total of 2,387 king mackerel was tagged off the central North Carolina
            coast between Cape Lookout and Cape Fear.     Forty fish (1.7%) were recaptured,
            including one from Virginia, 35 from North Carolina, one from South Carolina, and
            three from Florida. Distance between release and recapture site ranged from 0
            to 1,117 km and averaged 146 km. Average distance traveled of fish recaptured
            >20 km from release site was 191 km.








                                                                               13



                     Table 3. Comparison of mean Lengths (mm) of tagged king mackerel by season (1985-1990) using Duncan's Multiple
                                Range Test (means with the same Letter are not significantly different).

                     Tagging                          Duncan                                                         Mean
                     area                           grouping            Season*                  N                  Length             Length range

                     ALL                                A               FaLL                   2,219                 746                  455-1,160
                                                        8               Spring                 1,178                 714                  "0-1,140
                                                        6               Winter                   653                 707                  550-1,180
                                                        C               Summer                   308                 563                  388- 930

                     North of                           A               Fall                   1,683                 769                  515-1,160
                     Cape Hatteras

                     Cape Hatteras                      A               Spring                   236                 759                  "0- 950
                     to Cape Lookout                    A               Fall                        4                745                  640- 873
                                                        A               Winter                     48                707                  550-1,120

                     South of                           A               Winter                   605                 707                  560-1,180
                     Cape Lookout                       A               Spring                   942                 702                  550-1,140
                                                        B               Fall                     532                 671                  455-1,080
                                                        C               Summer                   308                 563                  388- 930

                     Total                                                                     2,387


                        Season: Fall (September -November), Winter (December-March), Spring (ApriL-May), Summer (June-August).











                     Table 4. Comparison of mean Lengths (mm) of tagged king mackerel by area (1985-1990) using Duncan's Multiple
                                Range Test (means   with the same    Letter are not significantly different).

                                   Duncan                                                                                 Mean
                     Season*      grouping          Area                                                   N              Length       Length range

                     ALL              A             North of Cape    Hatteras                             1,683            769            515-1,160
                                      B             Cape Hatteras    to Cape Lookout                       288             750            440-1,120
                                      C             South of Cape    Lookout                              2,387            678            388-1,180

                     Fall             A             North of Cape    Hatteras                             1,683            769            515-1,160
                                      A  B          Cape Hatteras    to Cape Lookout                          4            745            640- 873
                                         B          South of Cape    Lookout                               532             671            455-1,080

                     Winter           A             Cape Hatteras    to Cape Lookout                         48            707            550-1,120
                                      A             South of Cape    Lookout                               605             707            560-1,180

                     Spring           A             Cape Hatteras    to Cape Lookout                       236             759            440- 950
                                      B             South of Cape    Lookout                               942             702            550-1,140

                     Summer           A             South of Cape    Lookout                               308             562            388- 930


                       Season: Fall (September-November), Winter (December-March), Spring (ApriL-May), Summer              (June-August).









               50                                                               30
                  ERaleigh Bay ElOnslow Bay            SPRING                         North of Cape Hatteras El Onslow Bay   FALL

                                                                                25
               40


                                                                                20
             C                                                                C
             QS 3 0

                                                                                15
             U_                                                               U_

             C                                                                C
               20
                                                                                10
             a.                                                               a_


               10                                                                5

                                                                                          F]
               0- 41 -1--- 0
                 350  450   550   650   750  850   950 1050 1150                   350  450   550   650   750  850   950 1050 1150
                                  Fork Length (mm)                                                  Fork Length (mm)

                                                                                                                                           4@b
               25                                                              40
                  ElOnslow Bay                        SUMMER                       N Raleigh Bay El Onslow Bay         WINTER

               20
                                                                               30


                                                                             W
             :3 15
             Cr                                                              Cr
             2                                                               (2
             LL                                                                20

             C:                                                              C
               10                                                            CD

                                                                             (U
             a.                                                              0-
                                                                               10
                5
               Ohl       L.     L       F                                       0                    1     If HUI -
                                        750                                                                    50
                        0
                 350 45     550   650        850 950 1050 1150                   350 450     550 650 750      8     950 1050 1150
                                                                                          JL[1 I         I
                                  Fork Length Imm)                                                Fork Length (mm)
                       Figure 5.     Seasonal length-frequency distribution of king mackerel tagged in Onslow Bay,
                                     Raleigh Bay, and north of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, 1985-1990. Four fish
                                     tagged in the fall in Raleigh Bay are not shown. Seasons are Spring (April-May),
                                     Summer (June-August), Fall (September-November), Winter (December-March).








                                                                              15






                     Table 5. King mackerel tag returns by season and year, 1985-1990. Seasons are winter (December, January, February,
                                March), spring (April, May), summer (June, July, August), fall (September, October, November).

                                                                                                                                       Percentage
                     Season            1985          1986           1987        1988            1989*        1990        Total          by seas2n

                     Spring               0             2             5           10              1           2            20              23.5%


                     Summer               0             3             5            8              7           4            27              31.8%


                     Fall                 1             5            10            8              5           4            33              38.8%


                     Winter               0             1             0            1              3           0              5             5.9%


                     Total                1            11            20           27            16            10           85              100%




                       Notei 1989 - 1     unknown recapture location   and date.



















                     Table 6. King mackerel recaptures by state and season, 1985-1990. Seasons are winter (December, January,
                                February, March), spring (April, May), summer (June, July, August), fall (September, October,
                                November).


                     Season                       VA                   NC                       SC                    FL                   Total


                     Spring                       0                    13                       0                     7                      20


                     Summer                       2                    15                       5                     5                      27


                     Fall                         0                    31                       0                     2                      33


                     Winter                       0                      4                      0                     1                        5


                     Total                        2                    63                       5                    15                      85


                     Percentage                2.4%                  74.1%                  5.9%                 17.6%                     100%
                     by state






                                                       16



       SPRING                                                FALL
        N=20                                                N=33

                                    VA                                                   VA






                                  NC                                                   NC




                          SC                                                   SC



                  GA                                                   GA
















                         FL                                                   FL









       SUMMER                                               WINTER
        N@27                        VA                        N=5                        \OA


                                  NC                                                   NC


                           SC          3                                        SC

                  GA                                                   GA















                          FL                                                  FL
                  GA



































                        Figure 6.     King mackerel recaptures by season of fish      tagged
                                      off North Carolina, 1986-1990.








                                                                            17





                    Table 7. King mackerel tag recaptures by area for fish released off North Carolina, 1985-1990.

                                                                         Number recaptured by area
                                                                                       NC
                                                              Oregon      Cape          Cape              Cape
                    Release area                   VA         Inlet       Hatteras      Lookout           Fear       SC      Fl.        Total

                    Oregon Inlet                   1            10             7             5             6         4       12          45


                    Beaufort Inlet                 1             2             1             24            8         1         3         40


                      Total                        2            12             8             29           14         5       15          85



















                    Table 8. King mackerel tag recaptures by season and area tagged for fish released off North Carolina,
                               1985-1990.


                                                                         Number recaptured by season
                                                                                       NC
                    Recapture season/                         Oregon      Cape          Cape              Cape
                    Release area                   VA         Inlet       Hatteras      Lookout           Fear       SC      FL         Total

                    Spring
                      Oregon Inlet                                             2             2             3                   7         14
                      Beaufort Inlet                                                         3             3                                6



                    Summer
                      Oregon Inlet                 1             2                           1             2         4         4         14
                      Beaufort Inlet               1                                         9             1         1         1         13


                    Fait
                      Oregon Inlet                               8             5             2                                 1         16
                      Beaufort Inlet                             2             1             10            3                   1         17


                    Winter
                      Oregon Inlet                                                                         1                                1
                      Beaufort Inlet                                                         2             1                   1            4














                            King Mackerel                                              OREGON INLET
                            Tag Recapture                                                Fall Tagging
                                Areas                   VA                                 N= 45                     VA


                                                       NC              Oregon Inlet                                NC

                                                                      Cape Hatteraa
                                                                   Cape Lookout                                               5
                                                  C            Cape Fear                                    Sc

                                       GA                                                          GA







                                                                                                          FL
                                              FL







                         L
                                                S


















                          Figure 7.      King mackerel tag recapture areas for fish tagged in North Carolina, 1
                                         Also shown are those recaptures from fish tagged out of Oregon Inl
                                         Carolina during October and November, 1985-1990.







                                                   19


                  King mackerel were tagged year-round off central North Carolina. Fish that
            were tagged in the spring, summer, and fall were recaptured off North Carolina
            and south to Fl ori da (F i gure 8) . Ki ng mackerel tagged i n the f al I , however, were
            recaptured off North Carolina only.


                  Length frequencies and mean lengths of fish at time of release were
            compared for the 85 tag returns (Figure 9). No differences in mean lengths were
            apparent among recapture states or by season of recapture. Recaptured fish that
            had been tagged north of Cape Hatteras were predominantly larger at time of
            release than those tagged south of Cape Lookout. Recaptured fish tagged north
            of Cape Hatteras ranged from 660 mm to 1010 mm at release with a mean of 829 mm,
            while fish tagged south of Cape Lookout ranged from 500 mm to 1130 mm at release
            with a mean of 686 mm.


                  King mackerel were at large for eight days to almost five years (1,816
            days) (Figure 10). Fifty-seven percent of the returns (n=48) were at large less
            than a year and 29% (n=25) were at large for 365-724 days (seven fish up to three
            years, four fish up to four years, and one fish up to five years). The fish at
            large for the longest period was recaptured out of Oregon Inlet, North Carolina,
            only 10 km from the release site.


                  Distance between release and recapture site ranged from 0 to 1,176 km
            (Figure 10). Fifty-five percent (n=47) of the returns were recaptured within 150
            km of the release site. The fish that traveled the farthest was recaptured off
            Palm Beach, Florida. The fish that traveled the farthest and fastest was tagged
            out of Beaufort Inlet, North Carolina, and recaptured in 105 days off Pompano
            Beach, Florida. Fish recaptured in Florida had the greatest distance between
            release and recapture sites, but days at large ranged from 105 to 1,325 days.
            No correlation was found between days at large and distance between release and
            recapture site (r=0.0696).


                  King mackerel recaptures were predominately harvested by hook-and-line
            fisheries (65% recreational and 24% commercial) (Table 9).      North Carolina's
            recreational hook-and-line fishery accounted for 73% of the recreational
            recaptures and 50% of the total recaptures (Table 10). North Carolina's hook-
            and-line commercial fishery accounted for 86% of the commercial fishery






                                                                                    20




              Spring Tagging                                                                    Fall Tagging
                  N=17                                                                              N=6

                                                       VA                                                                               \A
                                                                     CD

                                                                      T


                                                     NC                                                                             NC


                                         SC                                                                               SC              0)

                            GA                                                                              GA















                                        FL                                                                              FL











                Summer Tagging                                                                  Winter Tagging
                      N=8                                                                            N=9

                                                       VA                                                                               \A


                                         SC          NC                                                                   Sc        NC
                            G
                            GA                                                                              GA
                             A          Fl.                                                                              FL

                                Figure 8.            King mackerel recaptures (N=40) of fish tagged
                                                     off central North Carolina by season tagged,
                                                     1985-1990.






           14 MNorth N=45
           12 M South N=41

           10-




            8-
          C
          a)


          Q) 6-
          U-


            4-




            2-



            01
              0   0  0   0  0   0   0  0   0
              0   U) 0   LO 0   U') 0  LO  0  M
              Ln  U') (0 (D r-  r-  00 00  M  M
              I-L IL VL  IL VL  "L  vi rL  rL I
              LO  0  LO  0  LO  0   LO 0   LO 0
              Ict LO LO  (D (D  r-- r- oo  00 m   M  0   LO
                                                     0   0

                              Fork length (mm)
           Figure 9. Fork lengths (mm) at release of king mackerel recaptures. Fish were tagged
                  either south of Cape Lookout (south) or north of Cape Hatteras (north), North
                  Carolina, between 1985 and 1990.



                       M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M










                             50                                                                                                                                 10




                             40                                                                                                                                  a




                             30                                                                                                                                  5
                          C                                                                                                                                  C
                                                                                                                                                             ID

                         IL  20                                                                                                                             IL   4



                             10                                                                                                                                  2




                                                                                                                                                                 0
                              0 0         0       0       0       0        0       0       0       0       0        0       0                                       0       0        0                           0
                                                                                                                                                                            04               8                            8                     1@8           8     8
                                                  MI      90                                       09      09                                                                        C@      9                   1-9      9
                                                  5       6                                        5       5                                                                         &       x        9          i        r                        T          T
                                                  W       CO               to              N                                                                                                 N        M                   W       0                        rM,      SM

                                                                      Distance (km)                                                                                                                      Days at large



                                               Figure 10.                  Distance between release and recapture sites and days at large for king mackerel
                                                                           tagged off North Carolina, 1985-1990.








                                                                             23









                     TabLe 9. King mackereL recaptures by fishery and gear for fish tagged 1985-1990 in North Carotina.

                                 RecreationaL                                          Commercial                         Unknown
                                      Hook                      Hook                     Drift
                                         &                        &         Pound         giLL       GiLL        Purse
                     Year             line                      line         net          net         net        seine                    TotaL


                     1985                                          1                                                                          1


                     1986                7                         4                                                                        11


                     1987              14                          3                                    1                       1           19


                     1988              18                          8                       1                       1                        28


                     19,9              '1                          2                                    1                       3           17


                     1990                6                         3           1                                                            10


                     TotaL             56                         21           1           1            2          1            4           86








                                                                               24



                     Table 10. King mackerel recaptures by stale, season, fislery, and gear for fish tagged off North Carolina
                                  1985-1990.                NC               SC                 FL          VA               Total         Percent

                     Recreational Fishery
                               Hook and line
                                  Spring                    12                                  6                              18           22.0%
                                  Summer                    12                 4                4                              20           24.4%
                                  Fall                      15                                                                 15           18.3%
                                  Winter                      2                                 1                                3           3.7%


                     Total                                  41                 4                11                             56


                     Commercial Fishery
                               Hook and tine
                                  Spri rig                                                      1                                1           1.2%
                                  Summer                      2                1                1                                4           4.9%
                                  Fall                      14                                                                 14           17.0%
                                  Winter                      2                                                                  2           2.4%


                     Total                                  18                 1                2                              21


                               Other gear
                                  Spring                                                                     3,4                 0              0%
                                  Summer                      1                                 2           2                    2           2.4%
                                  Fall                      2                                   1                                3           3.7%
                                  Winter                                                                                         0              0%


                     Total                                    2                                 1               2                5




                     Overall total                          61                 5                14              2              82            100%




                     1. GiLL net                3. Pound net
                     2. Drift gilt net          4. Purse seine









                     Table 11. Least squares regression of fork Length (mm FL) on otolith radius (mm OR) for sectioned and whole
                                  ototiths.


                                                            Sectioned                                                       Whole
                                                                            N           r2                                           N            r2

                     Kate               Ft. = 576.76 + 281.05 OR            283        0.38          Fl. = 0.83 + 156.61 OR         156         0.80


                     Female             Fl. = 510.19 + 455.27 OR            521        0.52          FL = 106.30 + 139.54 OR        325         0.68


                     Combined           FL = 446.80 + 469.60 OR             804        0.46          Fl. = -33.67 + 167.51 OR       481         0.80







                                                   25



             recaptures and 22% of the total recaptures. Most recaptures from North Carolina
             recreational and commercial fisheries occurred in the fall.


                   Two fish double tagged the same day at the same location were recaptured.
             One was recaptured 116 days later (24 km from the release site) with the internal
             anchor tag in place and the dart tag missing. The second fish was recaptured 142
             days later (16 km from the release site) with the dart tag in place and the
             internal anchor tag missing.


             Age and Growth
                   The correlations of fish length with otolith radius were significant
             (P <0.0001) for whole and sectioned otoliths of males, females, and sexes
             combined (Table 11).    The least square regressions provided a better fit for
             whole otoliths than sectioned otoliths. Log transformations of the data did not
             improve the fit and are not reported.


                   Minimum values of mean marginal increments occurred from June through
             August for whole otoliths and August through October for sectioned otoliths
             (Figure 11); however sample sizes during November-April were insufficient to
             determine a clear trend during the winter. Examination of marginal increments
             on whole otoliths by sex resulted in lowest values in June for males and July for
             females (Figure 12).   Lowest mean marginal increments from sectioned otoliths
             occurred in September and October for both males and females (Figure 12).      Mean
             marginal increments for whole otoliths by age showed similar patterns (Figure
             13). Excluding winter months, since sample size was insufficient, maximum values
             of mean marginal increments occurred in late fall and early spring.


                   Frequency distributions of the distance from the focus of the otolith to
             each annulus for successive age groups through age 4 for whole otoliths (Figure
             14), and age 6 for sectioned otoliths were unimodal (Figure 15). Distances to
             the annuli varied little with age, indicating that ring formation was consistent
             for different age groups.


                   Ages were determi ned f or 521 ki ng mackerel f rom whol e otol i ths and 896 ki ng
             mackerel from sectioned otoliths.    Fish ranged in length from 351 to 1,520 mm
             (Figure 16). King mackerel of undetermined sex ranged from 351 to 550 mm (age




                       0.06                              26
                                          7
                       0.05-                               Sectioned                      20    3
                                                      5
                       0.04                                 58    85   137
                                                                             323
                       0.03 -                                                       .se


                       0.02 -



                       0.01-



                           0

             Lij
                       -0.01
                              1     2     3     4     5     6     7     8     9     10    11   12
             LLJ
             rT-
             0



             <


                                                             Whole                              2
                     0.8-
             rr

                                                                                    89
             <                                                               1.9
                     0.6-


                                                                      115
                     0.4-                      12

                                                                                           5



                     0.2   -





                       0
                            1     2      3     4     5     6      7    8     9      10     11   12
                                                          3
                                         11 A2             3                        @5

                                                    MONTH
                           Figure 11.  Monthly mean marginal        increments on    'whol e and
                                       sectioned otoliths of       king mackerel.       Vertical
                                       bars = +/- one standard deviation; number over
                                       each month's value = sample size.



      M M M = M M M M = = w M M M M M M M @


                    0.8                              23                                                                  0.07
                                                                               Whole male
                                                                                                                                                5                                   Sectioned male
                                                                               37                                        0.06 -
                    0.6
                                                                                       31                                                                                                                  .2
                                                                                                                         0.05 -
                                        4

                    0.4
                                                             5    10                                                     0.04  -                                         24     50

                    0.2                                                                                                  0.03  -                             3                               so
                                                                                                                                                                     7
                                                                                                                                                                                      95





                                                                                                                         0.02  -


                       0
                                                                                                                         0.01                                            JL



                    .0.2                                                                                                     0
                           1     2      3     4      5       a    7      8      9      10    11    12                             1    2        3    4       5     a     7      9      9     10     11    12

             rr



                                                                                                                                                                                                                       14

             <         1                                                                                                  0.07
             7                                       35                     Whole female                                                                                         Sectioned female
             (D     0.8                                                                             2                     0.06    -                                                                 12
             Cc                                                                        58                                                                    2
             <                                                                 102                                        0.05    -
                    0.6                                                                                                   0.04    -                                  41         86
                                                                                                                                                                           1          228    108
                    0.4                                                          1--                                      0.03    -             2
                                                                  25
                    0.2                                                                                                   0.02    -

                                                                                -                                         0.01    -


                       0                                                                                                     0
                                                                  -10                                                                           \\3




                                                             7                                                                                                       T

                                                                         60                                                                     2









                    -0.2                                                                                                  -0.01
                           1     2      3     4      5       6    7      8      9      10    11    12                             1      2      3     4      5       6    7      8     9     10     11    12
                                                                                                         MONTH
                                    Figure 12. Monthly mean marginal increments on                                        whol e     and    sectioned otoliths of                   male and
                                                         female king mackerel. Vertical bars                                       one standard deviation; numbers over
                                                         each month's value = sample size.





                1.4                                                                                           0.4                3
                        Age 1                   13                                                                    Age 3
                1.2                                                                                                                    8
                                                       3                      19                                                                   12     15
                                                                                                              0.3
                    1                                                                                                                        4                                     3
                                                                                                                                                                20             1

                0.8                                                                       AE
                                                                  42                                          0.2                                                     211

                0.6
                                                              28



                0.4



                0.2

            LU

                       1     2     3     4      6      6      7   8     9     10    11     12                        1     2     3     4     6      6     7     8     9      10    11    12
            W




            <       0.6                          38                                                           0.25                                                                                  00
            Z            Age 2                                                                                         Age 4+                                                 12
            (D      0.5-            6     4            16
            cc                                                7               37                               0.2 -
            <       0.4                           \                     30
                                                                  28                                          0.15 -                                                  30
                    0.3-                                                                                                                                        25



                    0.2-                                                                                                                                   a

                    0.1                                                                                       0.05
                    0


                    .0.1                                                                                         0
                                                                  4
                                                       @
                                                              8
                                                              2





































                        1     2     3     4      5     6      7    8     9    10     11    12                         1     2     3     4     6     6      7     8     9     10    11    12
                                                                                                MONTH

                               Figure 13.         Monthly      mean     marginal increments on whole otoliths of                           king mackerel,           by age.
                                                  Vertical bars = +/- one standard deviation; numbers over each month's                                             value
                                                  sample size; ages 4+ = fish aged four and older.






                            Percent Frequency                                      29

                            35                                                                   5
                            30-                                      Age 1                       40-                                      Age 3

                            25 '


                            20 '                                                                 30-


                            15,
                                                                                                 20-



                            10,


                                                                                                 10,

                            5 .




                            0                                                                    0
                            0           2                                                        0           2             4             6            8











                            50                                                                   50

                                                                    Age 2                                                                 Age 4


                            40                                                                   40 '






                            30-                                                                  30 -






                            20-                                                                  20






                            10,                                                                  10,






                            0                                                                    0
                            0           2             4                                          0            2            4                           8
                                                                  Focus-Annulus Distance                         (mm)


                                 Figure 14.           Frequency distributions of the distance from the
                                                      f ocus of the otol i th to each - annul us on whol e
                                                      king mackerel otoliths from North Carolina, 1987-
                                                      1990.





                            Percent Frequency                                         30
                         50                                                                           5


                                                                         Age 3                                                                     Age 6


                         40.                                                                          40.






                         30                                                                           30 *






                         20-                                                                          20-






                         10-                                                                          10 -






                            0                                                                         0
                            0     0.2    0.4    0.6      0.8    1     1.2    1.4    1.0               0    0.2    0.4    0.6    0.8     1      1.2    1.4   1.6




                         40                                               Age 4                       40                                           Age a
                                                                                                      35-



                         30                                                                           30.



                                                                                                      25-



                         20-                                                                          20-



                                                                                                      15 -



                         10                                                                           10



                                                                                                      5

                            Ol                                                                        Ol
                            0     0.2    0.4     0.6     0.8    1     1.2    1.4     1.6              0    0.2    0.4    0.6    0.8      1     1.2     1.4   1.6
                                                                    Focus - Annulus Distance (mm)


                                     Figure 15.            Frequency distribution of the distance from the
                                                           focus of the otolith to each annulus on sectioned
                                                           king mackerel otoliths from North Carolina, 1987-
                                                           1990.








                                                  31







                         M Maie                 Fernaie            unknown

               50-




                                                             N   1417
           (_)40-
           7
           LLJ
           D
           0
           LLJ30

           U


           Z20 -
           LLJ
           0

           LIJ
           CL 10 -




                0                                             . . . . . . . .
                    3    4    5     6    7    8    9    1     1    1    1    1    1
                    0    0    0     0   0     0    0    0     1    2    3    4    5
                    0    0    0     0   0     0    0    0     0    0    0    0    0
                                                        0     0    0    0    0    0
                                      FORK LENGTH (MM)


                      Figure 16.   Length-frequency of king mackerel age samples, by
                                   sex, collected in North Carolina, 1987-1990.








                                                    32


            1), females from 460 to 1,520 mm (age 1-26), and males 420 to 1,245 mm (age I-
            20).


                   Two readers agreed on annual ring counts for 92% of double-read otoliths
            0=221), including both whole and sectioned sagittae. Of those with different
            counts, 67% disagreed by one year.       This discrepancy resulted from the NMFS
            Panama City Laboratory convention of adding one year at the established birth
            date (January 1) for age-length key purposes regardless of whether or not an
            annulus had formed. Comparisons of ring counts on whole and sectioned otoliths
            were not made.     The direct proportion method of back-calculation (Lea 1910)
            rather than the regression method was used for both whole and sectioned otoliths
            because intercepts from the otolith radius and fish length regressions were
            either large or negative.     Back-calculated lengths at age were determined for
            males and females separately because of the differences in mean observed size at
            age (Tables 12 and 13). Back-calculated lengths at age were not determined for
            fish greater than age 20 due to small sample size and ageing system logistics.


                   Fish aged from whole otoliths ranged from 372 to 905 mm (age 1-6). Fish
            aged from sectioned otoliths ranged from 590 to 1,520 mm (age I to 26). A clear
            progression of modes in length frequency distributions can be seen with
            increasing age (Figure 17). When data from annual age length keys (1987-1990)
            were compared to length frequency distributions of North Carolina's recreational
            catch (1987-1991) (Figure 18), a dominant 1986 year class could be followed
            through 1987, 1988, and 1989. In 1987, large numbers of age 1 fish (500-650 mm)
            were harvested. The remainder of the catch consisted primarily of age 2-13 males
            and age 2-9 females. Approximately seven percent of the fish harvested in 1987
            were larger than 950 mm (age 14+ males and age 6+ females).        Fewer age I fish
            were harvested in 1988 and 1989. Dominant age classes in 1988 were 2-5 for males
            and 2-3 for females. In 1989, age 3-7 males and age 2-4 females dominated the
            catch.   In 1990, another strong year class was seen with greater than 50% of the
            catch age I fish (<600 mm). This year class was dominant in 1991 also. Mean
            back-calculated lengths at age from whole and sectioned otoliths were similar for
            females (Figure 19). Whole otoliths resulted in larger back-calculated lengths
            for age 2 to 4 males than sectioned otoliths. Mean back-calculated size at age
            was greater for females than males in each age group based on both whole and
            sectioned otoliths (Tables 14 and 15).      Growth increments were largest for the








                                                                              33



                    Table 12. Observed mean sizes for king mackerel from sectioned ototiths from North Carolina 1987-1990.
                                                                    Mean fork                              SECTIONED
                    Age                  Sex                       length (mm)                SE                  Minimum-Maximum                   N_

                   1                     Mate                           540                       -                           -                     1


                   2                     Mate                           765                  15.0                   750- 780                        2


                   3                     Mate                           798                  23.9                   692- 990                     11
                                         Female                         896                  19.4                   795-1,125                    19
                                         Combined                       854                  16.8                   692-1,125                    30

                   4                     Mate                           802                   6.2                   745- 845                     20
                                         Female                         898                  16.4                   780-1,110                    33
                                         Combined                       862                  12.3                   745-1,110                    53

                   5                     Mate                           841                  11.5                   740-1,050                    29
                                         Female                         928                  11.9                   813-1,180                    49
                                         Combined                       896                   9.8                   740-1,180                    78

                   6                     Mate                           843                   8.5                   750-1,020                    34
                                         Female                         972                  12.1                   815-1,180                    54
                                         Combined                       922                  10.4                   750-1,180                    88

                   7                     Mate                           893                  12.4                   775-1,050                    27
                                         Female                      1,028                   16.7                   825-1,210                    34
                                         Combined                       968                  13.8                   775-1,210                    61

                   8                     Mate                           889                  10.4                   820-1,130                    31
                                         Female                      1,069                   12.7                   851-1,235                    55
                                         Combined                    1,004                   12.9                   820-1,235                    86

                   9                     Mate                           885                  11.8                   750-1,010                    23
                                         Female                      1,068                   20.6                   730-1,300                    41
                                         Combined                    1,002                   17.7                   730-1,300                    64

                   10                    Mate                           901                   7.7                   805-1,015                    34
                                         Female                      1,091                   10.8                   860-1,270                    70
                                         Combined                    1,029                   11.7                   805-1,270                    104

                   11                    Mate                           937                  13.4                   800-1,120                    25
                                         Female                      1,096                   15.8                   875-1,300                    38
                                         Combined                    1,033                   14.7                   800-1,300                    63

                                         Mate                           952                  16.7                   875-1,090                    15
                                         Female                      1,128                   15.0                   915-1,320                    43
                                         Combined                    1,083                   15.7                   875-1,320                    58

                   13                    Mate                           993                  20.2                   920-1,145                    11
                                         Female                      1,145                   14.7                   980-1,250                    21
                                         Combi ned                   1,093                   17.5                   920-1,250                    32

                   14                    Mate                           975                  14.1                   914-1,041                       9
                                         Female                      1,202                   14.1                 1,067-1,360                    26
                                         Combined                    1,144                   20.3                   914-1,360                    35

                   15                    Mate                           962                  16.5                   845-1,050                    14
                                         Female                      1,141                   27.9                   815-1,420                    27
                                         Combined                    1,080                   23.3                   815-1,420                    41

                   16                    Mate                        1,011                   16.9                   935-1,105                    10
                                         Female                      1,192                   15.9                 1,025-1,370                    28
                                         Combined                    1,145                   18.1                   935-1,370                    38

                   17                    Mate                        1,016                   18.0                   990-1,067                       4
                                         Female                      1,261                   40.6                 1,054-1,520                    13
                                         Combined                    1,204                   40.4                   990-1,520                    17









                                                                            34



                  lable 11. lConlimiedl
                                                                  Mean fork                          SECTIONED
                  Age                   Sex                      Length (mTO                SE                 Minimum-Maximun                 N


                  18                    Mate                       1,005                  50.3                  800-1,245                      7
                                        Female                     1,264                  30.2                1 117-1,440                    11
                                        Combined                   1,164                  40.1                  800-1,440                    18

                  19                    Mate                       1,030                      -                           -                    1
                                        Female                     1,241                  29.5                11055-1,350                      9
                                        Combined                   1,220                  33.8                1,030-1,350                    10

                  20                    Mate                          980                 20.0                  960-1,000                      2
                                        Female                     1,288                  22.2                18220-1,360                      5
                                        Combined                   1,200                  59.0                  960-1,360                      7

                  21                    Female                     1,233                  88.0                1,030-1,445                      4

                  22                    Female                     1,461                      -                                                1

                  23                    Female                     1,382                  76.6                1,245-1,510                      3

                  26                    Female                     1,370                      -                                                1











                     Table 13. observed mean sizes of king mackerel from whole otoliths       from North Carolina 1987-1990.

                                                                                                       Whole
                                                                   Mean fork
                     Age                   Sex                    length (mm)                 SE              Minimum-maximum                N

                     1                     Unknown                      432                   7.1                 372-660                    38
                                           Mate                         533                   9.9                 420-660                    37
                                           Female                       618                   5.8                 460-756                    83
                                           Combined                     553                   7.4                 372-756                   158


                     2                     Mate                         700                   4.6                 620-775                    51
                                           Female                       727                   4.0                 615-860                   117
                                           Combined                     719                   3.3                 615-860                   168


                     3                     Mate                         754                   3.6                 685-800                    48
                                           Female                       806                   5.9                 710-902                    66
                                           Combined                     7B4                   4.4                 685-902                   114


                     4                     Mate                         773                   4.5                 720-800                    19
                                           Female                       842                   4.6                 765-895                    46
                                           Combined                     822                   5.2                 720-895                    65


                     5                     Mate                         800                      -                        -                    2
                                           Female                       869                   7.7                 838-905                    10
                                           Combined                     858                   10.0                800-905                    12


                     6                     Female                       883                   6.5                 865-895                      4








                                                      35




                                              Male          Female           Unknown


                      70.                Age 1                    so,                Age 4
                                         N=159
                      60,                                                            N=118

                      50,                                         60,

                      40
                                                                  40,
                      30

                      20,                                         20,



                                                                  0'                       r-4-
                        3 4      7              1                   3 4 5 8 7 8 9 1 1 1 1
                        5 6 0 0    0 0 5 5 2 3                        5          5 0 1 2 3
                        0 0                   5 6                     0          0 5  5 5 5
                                         0 0 0 0                                     0 0 0 0







                      100                                         so,
             0                           Age 2                                       Age 5
             77         so               N=170                                       N=90
             LLI                                                  60.
             D
             0          60.
             Uj         40,                                       40,
             f'r
             LL                                                   20.
                        20



                        0                                         0 i
             Uj            4 5 6 7  11 9 1 1 1 1                    3 4 5    7
                                      5 0  1  2 3                   5 5 6 5              2 3
                                  0 0 0 5 5 5 5                     0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 5 5 5
             0
             CE                          0 0 0  0                                    0 0 0 0
             Uj





                      80.                                         70,
                                         Age 3                                       Age 6
                      60,                N=144                    60,                N=92
                                                                  50,


                                                                  40,
                      40-                                         30,

                                                                  20m
                      20-

                                                                  10,


                        0                                         0 14
                        3 4 7 8 9 1             1                   3 4 5    7    9 1 1
                        . 5 : : 5 5 5 0 3                           5 5 5 5 5 0 11 11 3
                        0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 5 5 5                       0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 6 5 5
                                         0 0 0 0                                     0 0 0 0

                                                  LENGTH (MM)
                        Figure 17.   Length-frequencies of king mackerel by age and
                                     sex collected in North Carolina, 198771990. Ages
                                     12+ = fish aged 12 and older.








                                            36




                                          Male          Female
                    so,          Age 7                  so,          Age 10
                                 N=61                   40,          N104
                    40'



                                                        30,
                    30.


                    20.                                 20,


                                                        10,



                                                        0 - 4-
                    0.                                  78 9  1 1 1  1 1  1
                    7 8 9 1                             0  0 0 1 2 3 4 5
                    0 0 0 0 1 2    4                    0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
                    00 0  0 0 0 0 0 0                         0 0 0 0 0 0
                            0 0  0 0  a




                    60.          Age 8                  40'          Age 11
                    50,          N=86                                N=63
          7-                                            30
          w         40'

          0         30                                  20
          U-1
          a:        20                                  10
          LL
                    10"


                    01                                  0
                    7 8 9 1 1 1 1 1 1                   7 8 9 1 1 1 1 1 1
          w         0       1 2 3 4                     00 0  0 1 2 3 4 5
                                                                       0  0
                    0 0 0   0 0  0 0                    0 0 0 0 0 0 0
          0               0 0 0 0 0 0                         0 0 0 0 0 0
          T-
          w


                    so.          Age 9                               Age 12 +
                    50'          N=64                                N=265

                                                        30'

                    40'


                    30                                  20-


                    20'

                                                        10




                                                        0
                    7 8 9 1 1 1 1 1 1                   7 8 9 1 1 1 1 1 1
                                                                       4  5
                    00 0 1    2 3  4  5                 0 0 0 0 1 2 3
                    00 0 : 0  0 0  0  0                 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
                          0 0 0 0 0 0                         0 0 0 0 0 0
                    Figure 17. Continued. LENGTH (MM)





                                                                                                            37


                                                                                                         coastai                        EEZ                                 1987
                             CA  -                                                                                                                                Coastal n=218
                                                                                                                                                                     EEZ n=853

                             IE3 -




                             _4.




                             IC>



                             CDP                                                                                                                                            1988
                                                                                                                                                                  Coastal n=105
                                                                                                                                                                     EEZ n=648





                             4=0                                                                                                                  rL                            . . . . . .



                          _t a.  -
                          -9                                                                                                                                                1989
                                                                                                                                                                     Coastal n=45
                                                                                                                                                                      EEZ n=728




                CL








                         -1 .4.

                                                                                                                                                                            1990
                                                                                                                                                                  Coastal n=129
                                                                                                                                                                     EEZ n=1034


                                             nJ                                                                                                                 rL -


                                                                                                                                                                            1991
                                                                                                                                                                  Coastal n=164
                                                                                                                                                                     EEZ n=894





                             C'                     j
                                 :-I_- @5 C)                        C> C>        f__ __2t           @5 C>        je@ 71 ES     -I C>C>C> -1 -1 __@f5              --aE5CD, -1                      e_'C>CD'
                                                                                                            Uri
                                                                                 J@


                                                                                                                       146

                                                                                         Fork Length (mm)
                             Figure 18.               Length-frequency distributions of king mackerel sampled from the
                                                      recreational catch in coastal waters and the Exclusive Economic Zone
                                                      (EEZ) off North Carolina, 1987-1991 (from D. Mumford and P. Phalen,
                                                      NC DMF personal communication).








                                                       38

                     1200


                     1000-          Male                                      + + +     +

                       800-                  +   + +


                       600 -    +

                       400-                                             + sectioned
                                                                            whole


                       200-




                          0
                              1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21






                     1400
              Lij                                                                           +
                                                                                  + + +
                     1200-          Female                                 +   +

                     1000 -                         + +
              0                               +
              LL       800-               +


                       600-


                       400-                                             + sectioned
                                                                            whole


                       200-



                          0
                              1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 IL7 1L8 1L9 20 21
                                                      AGE

                            Figure 19.   Mean back-calculated lengths at age from whole
                                         and sectioned otoliths for male and female king
                                         mackerel from North Carolina, 1987-1990.








                                                                       39




                  Table 14. Mean Lengths (m FL) at capture and mean back-calculated lengths (mm FL) at ages from whole ototiths
                             of males, females, and both sexes of king mackerel from North Carolina 1987-1WO.




                                                                                MALE


                                                 Mean Length         Mean back-caLculated lengths at successive annuli
                  Age                   N        at capture        1            2            3            4            5


                                      37          533          439
                 2                    51          700          451           657
                 3,                   48          754          456           658          729
                 4                    19          773          433           642          716          757
                 5                     2          800          407           607          685          739          783


                            Total number                       157           120           69           21             2
                           Weighted mean                       447           654          724          756          783
                        Growth increment                       447           205           72           42           43



                                                                             FEMALE


                                               Mean length                 Mean back-catculated Lengths at successive annuli
                 Age                  N        at capture        1           2             3            4            5            6


                 1                    83          618          512
                 2                   117          727          465           677
                 3                    66          806          484           688          777
                 4                    46          842          480           686          775          826
                 5                    10          869          466           678          778          825          858
                 6                     4          883          475           766          739          7B8          834          867


                            Total number                       326           243          126           60           14             4
                           Weighted mean                       483           682          775          823          851          867
                        Growth increment                       483           209           89           51           36           33







                                                                       SEXES COMBINED


                                               Mean Length               Mean back-calculated Lengths at successive annuli
                 Age                  N        at capture        1           2             3            4            5

                 1                   120          591          490
                 2                   168          719          461           671
                 3                   114          784          472           675          756
                 4                    65          822          466           673          758          806
                 5                    12          858          456           666          763          811          845
                 6                     4          883          475           655          739          788          834          867


                            Total number                       483           363          195           81           16             4
                           Weighted mean                       471           673          757          806          842          867
                        Growth increment                       471           207           83           48           37           33










                Table 15.          Mean lengths (mm FL) at capture and mean back-calculated lengths (mm FL) at ages from sectioned otoliths of males, females, and both sexes of
                                   king mackerel from North Carolina, 1987-1990.

                                                                                                        MALE

                                        Mean
                                     length                                                     Mean back-calculated lengths at successive annuli
                                        at
                   Age        N      capture          1     2       3      4      5      6      7       8      9      10      11      12      13     14      15      16      17     IB      19      20

                     1        0           0           0

                     2        2         765       594    741

                     3      11          798       546    672     756

                     4      19          800       504    631     712    774

                     5      28          850       502    623     707    771    820

                     6      30          842       490    604     683    741    788    827

                     7      24          897       503    616     696    754    805    848    883

                     8      27          874       490    588     663    720    765    806    844     876

                     9      23          885       461    556     629    683    729    770    807     843     873
                    10      31          900       443    545     615    671    715    757    794     828     861    889                                                                          4b@

                    11      23          933       462    558     627    679    721    761    799     832     864    895     922

                    12      13          944       440    534     600    656    701    738    774     809     841    873     904     932

                    13      10          997       474    567     633    687    732    771    806     838     872    903     933     964     992

                    14        8         980       437    527     599    649    692    728    766     801     830    860     888     914     940    965
                    15      14          962       399    494     559    610    651    688    721     755     788    817     846     875     903    927     950
                    16        9         1014      427    516     582    632    675    713    747     780     813    844     872     899     926    952     980     1004
                    17        4         1016      375    481     550    604    646    686    721     755     785    816     844     870     900    930     960     988    1007
                    18        6         1040      429    519     576    623    665    703    738     771     801    831     858     885     909    935     961     984    1008    1031
                    19        1         1030      356    467     540    595    635    677    707     734     763    784     808     835     859    880     905     934     964     988    1013
                    20        1         960       362    453     512    557    589    618    646     671     696    723     744    764      786    810     830     850     870     893     910    939
                              Total number        284    284     282    271    252    224    194     170     143    120       89      66      53     43      35      21      12     80      24       1
                            Weighted mean         472    577     650    702    742    772    800     822     844    868     890     906     927    937     956     984     992    1008     962    939
                         Growth increment         105    105       74     56     45     40     36      34      32     30      28      28      27     26      26      24      22     23      21      28











           Table 15. (Continued)

                                                                                                   FEMALE


                                  Mean
                                  length                                                   Mean back-calculated lengths at successive annuli
                                  at
              Age       N         capture       1      2       3      4     5      6       7       8      9      10      11      12      13     14      15      16     17      18      19      20

                1       0            0          0


                2       0            0          0      0

                3       18        888        586    730     835

                4       29        901        566    702     797    869

                5       46        928        543    677     773    846   903

                6       45        966        561    684     770    840   901    950

                7       34        1028       560    685     776    845   907    963     1011

                8       51        1066       545    669     756    827   888    944     996    1045

                9       33        1072       535    652     734    801   859    912     964    1012    1055

              10        63        1090       518    633     719    785   841    893     942    989     1035   1074

              11        36        1097       499    616     699    764   817    866     913    958     1001   1044    1083

              12        37        1126       509    622     701    762   814    861     905    950     994    1036    1076    1113

              13        18        1149       487    600     680    744   797    845     892    937     981    1022    1064    1104   1139

              14        26        1202       506    616     697    761   815    863     908    951     993    1035    1074    1113   1153    1190
              15        25        1141       461    570     644    705   754    800     840    882     920     957      992   1029   1065    1099    1131
              16        28        1192       481    585     664    724   776    821     862    904     943     982    1017    1052   1086    1120    1153   1183
              17        12        1277       480    591     1667   731   784    833     881    926     969    1010    1050    1089   1126    1163    1200   1236    1267
              18        10        1272       478    584     663    721   760    814     861    903     943     982    1021    1056   1092    1128    1165   1199    1232    1260
              19        9         1241       464    567     643    700   753    796     840    881     920     957      990   1022   1055    1086    1116   1147    1176    1204     1232
              20        3         1287       512    610     674    735   785    834     871    913     949     986    1018    1049   1082    1110    1143   1174    1205    1234     1262    1283
                        Total number         523    523     523    505   476    430     385    351     300     267      204     168    131     113      87      62     34      22      12       3
                        Weighted mean        525    644     729    792   843    887     927    964     993    1025    1049    1078   1104    1134    1150   1190    1227    1234     1240    1283
                   Growth increment          525    119       85     66    56     50      47      45     43      40      38      37     36      35      33     32      31      28      28      21











            Table 15. (Continued)

                                                                                                   SEXES COMBINED


                                  Mean
                                  length                                                      Mean back-calculated lengths at successive annuli
                                    at
              Age        N        capture         1      2       3      4      5      6       7       a       9      10      11      12      13      14      15      16      17      18      19      20

                 1       0             0          0

                 2       2          765        594    741

                 3       29         854        571    708     805

                 4       48         861,       542    674     764    831

                 5       74         894        528    657     748    817    872

                 6       75         916        533    652     735    800    856    901

                 7       58         974        537    657     743    807    865    915     958

                 8       78       1004         526    641     724    790    846    896     944     987
                 9       56         995        505    613     691    753    805    854     899     942     980                                                                                       .0b
                                                                                                                                                                                                     rIQ
               10        94       1027         494    604     685    747    799    848     893     936     977     1013

               11        59       1033         485    593     671    730    780    825     868     909     948     986    1020

               12        50       1079         491    599     675    734    785    829     871     913     954     993    1032    1066
               13        28       1095         483    588     663    724    774    819     861     901     942     979    1017    1054   1086
               14        34       1150         490    595     674    735    786    831     874     916     955     993    1030    1066   1103    1137
               15        39       1077         439    543     614    671    717    760     797     836     873     906     940     974   1006    1037    1066
               16        37       1149         468    569     644    702    751    795     834     874     911     948     982    1015   1047    1079    1111    1139
               17        16       1211         454    564     638    699    749    796     841     883     923     961     999    1034   1069    1105    1140    1174     1202
               18        16       1185         460    560     630    684    731    773     815     854     890     925     960     992   1023    1056    1089    1119     1148    1174
               19        10       1220         453    557     632    689    741    784     827     866     904     940     971    1003   1036    1065    1095    1126     1155    1182     1210
               20        4        1205         475    571     634    691    736    780     815     853     886     921     950    977    1008    1035    1064    1093     1121    1149     1174    1196
                         Total number          807    807     805    776    728    654     579     521     443     387     293      234     184    156     122      83       46      30      14        4
                         Weighted mean         506    620     702    761    808    848     884     918     945     977    1000    1030   1053    1079    1094    1138     1166    1174     1200    1196
                    Growth increment           506    114       81     63     52     47      43      42      39      37      35      34      33     32      31       30      29      27      27      23








                                                    43


            first three years, after which they gradually decreased. Frequency distributions
            of the back-calculated size at age showed greater overlap between the sizes of
            males and females at age 1 than at older ages (Figures 20 and 21).         The total
            length frequency distribution of the females was shifted to the right of that of
            the males at older ages.


                   Von Bertalanffy growth equations were generated for each sex and the
            combined data sets based on mean back-calculated lengths at age from whole and
            sectioned otoliths (Table 16). Females grew more rapidly and reached a larger
            theoretical size than males (Figure 22).       Asymptotic lengths calculated from
            sectioned otoliths were larger than those from whole otoliths.


                   Age varied greatly within a single length group (Table 17). For example,
            at 901-950 mm mal es were ages 6 to 18 and f emal es were ages 3 to 12. Age I mal es
            were all under 701 mm, age 2 males were all between 601 and 800 mm, and all but
            one age 3 male were between 651 and 850 mm. In contrast, females ranged from 451
            to 800 mm at age 1, 601 to 900 mm at age 2, and except for two fish, 701 to 950
            mm at age 3. Female king mackerel were 250-300 mm larger at age than males after
            age 3. Annual age-length keys are presented in Appendix B.


                   In addition to the standard age validation techniques utilized, a subsample
            of tagged king mackerel were injected with tetracycline which is known to result
            in a fluorochrome label on bony parts of fish.       None of these fish have been
            returned.


            Reproductive Biology
                   Females were more abundant than males in all size classes sampled, but this
            varied with season. The overall sex ratio male to female for the 13,064 king
            mackerel sampled at tournaments 1986-1990 was 1:2 (Table 18).           Female king
            mackerel were dominant in all size classes. The proportion of females at lengths
            greater than 1,050 mm was 96% and 100% at lengths greater than 1,250 mm. The
            proportion of males to females was closest to 1:1 between 750 and 900 mm. The
            degree of dominance varied with size class and season (Table 19). During peak
            spawning, females dominated each size class, with the largest percentage of males
            38% at 850-900 mm. During the fall, sex ratio more closely approached 1:1, with
            the proportion of males between 750 and 900 mm at 51%. The proportion of males










                  26                                                                                        so


                             Maio                                                                                      Maio
                  20         Female                                     Age 1                               40 -       Female                                       Age   3

                  16                                                                                        30

                                   p



                  10                                                                                        20
              0
              z     5                                                                                       10
              Uj

              0     0                                                                                        0
              W     300 350   400 450 5oo r.50 600        650 700 750 800 850 900 950                        300 350 400 450 500 @50 600 650              700 750 800      850 900 950
              rr
              LL

                                                                                                                                                                                            4*
              ;7
              Uj  40                                                                                        so

                             male                                                                                      Male
                             Female                                                                         40         Female                                         Age   4
              0-- 30                                                      Age 2


                                                                                                            30


                  20


                                                                                                            20




                  10
                                                                                                            10
                                   p







































                    0-                                                                                       0
                    300 360 400 450 500 550 600 850 700               750  800 860 900 960                   300 350 400 450 600 660 600 050 700                760   800 860    900 960
                                                          BACK-CALCULATED FORK LENGTH (MM)
                             Figure 20. Frequency distributions of the back-calculated length (FL, mm) at ages 1-4 for
                                                male and female king mackerel from whole otoliths.









                     20                                                                                                        2
                               Maio                                                                                                     Mal*
                           a.. Female                                                                                                   Female
                                                                                      Age 1
                                                                                                                                                                                               Age 3
                     15 -                                                                                                      15-




                     10 -                                                                                                      10




                        5



                LLJ
                        0                                                                                                      0            1''   t
                        250 300 350     400 450 500 550 600 650 700 750 800 850 9:0 950                                        400 450 500 650        600 650 700 750 800 850 900 950 100010501100

                Uj
                M                                                                                                                                                                                                          -P.
                LL                                                                                                                                                                                                         vi

                F_
                     20                                                                                                        20
                                Male                                                                                                    Male
                                Female                               e.                                                                 Female                                                  Age 4
                     15 -                                                             Age 2                                    16
                Uj


                     10 -                                                     'a                                               10-



                        6-
                                                         a*
                                                                                      Ag

                                                                                                                                                                               a




                                                                              0








                        0-                                                                                                     0
                        260 300 360 400 450 500 550 600 660 700 760                      800 850 900 960                       400 460 500 550 600          660 700 750 800 850 900 950 100010501100
                                                                    BACK-CALCULATED FORK LENGTH (MM)
                                       Figure 21. Frequency distributions of the back-calculated length (FL, mm) at ages 1-4 for
                                                            male and female king mackerel from sectioned otoliths.









                                                                            46














                                            Table 16. Von BertaLanffy growth parameters of king
                                                       mackerel from North Carolina, 1986-1990.


                                                                        Lco                              t
                                                                      (mm FL)            K              (yF)

                                            Whole
                                               Female                   897           0.568             -0.49
                                               Male                     770           1.065               0.21
                                               Combined                 859           0.659             -0.29


                                            Sectioned
                                               Female                 1,370           0.087             -8.67
                                               Male                   1,153           0.065             -13.50
                                               Combined               1,413           0.061             -10.-n










                    1000                                                                                      1400

                              Whole mate                                                                                  Sectioned male
                                                                                                              1200 -

                    800

                                                                                                              1000 -


                    600                                                                                         00 -
                                                                                                               :00 -
                    400


                                                                                                               400 -


                    200
                                                                                                               200 -



                       0                                                                                           0
                               1             2             3             4             5                             1 2 3 4 6 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 16 16 17 18 19 20


              0

                                                                                                                                                                                              14


                    1000                                                                                      1600
              rr             Whole female                                                                     1400   -      Sectioned female
              0
                    800                                                                                       1200   -


                                                                                                              1000   -
                    600


                                                                                                               800


                    400                                                                                        600


                                                                                                               400
                    200

                                                                                                               200


                       0                                                                                          0  . . .
                             1           2           3          4           5           6                            1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
                                                                                                  AGE
                               Figure 22. Von           Bertalanffy growth curves for male and                       female king mackerel from whole and
                                                  sectioned otoliths. Bars indicate the range in size at age.



       M M M M M M M M M @ M M M M M M M M M



       Table 17. Length composition, in percent, of mate and femate king mackerel by age group in North Carolina, 1987-1990.


                                                                                                      MALE
       Length
       group                                                                                         ANNULI
       (mm FL)         1      2       3       4      5       6      7      8      9      10     11    12     13     14     15    16     17     18     19    20      21    22     23   24 25      26    Total

       401-450         100.0                                                                                                                                                                                2
       451-500         100.0                                                                                                                                                                                12
       501-550         100.0                                                                                                                                                                                10
       551-600         100.0                                                                                                                                                                                8
       601-650         55.6  44.4                                                                                                                                                                           9
       651-700         3.7   81.5    14.8                                                                                                                                                                   27
       701-750               46.2    40.4     5.8    3.8     1.9                  1.9                                                                                                                       52
       751-800                4.2    38.9    37.5    6.9     6.9    1.4           1.4           1.4                                            1.4                                                          72
       801-850                        8.1    14.5   24.2    24.2    9.7    8.1    3.2    6.4                               1.6                                                                              62
       851-900                                       8.2    11.8   14.1   21.2   12.9  16.5     8.2   5.9                  1.2                                                                              85
       901-950                                               3.9    3.9    9.8   11.8  23.6   13.7    5.9    7.8    5.9    7.8   3.9           2.0                                                          51
       951-1000                       2.6            2.6           10.3    5.1    2.6    7.7  17.9    7.7    5.1    7.7  10.3    5.1    5.1    5.1          5.1                                             39
       1001-1050                                     3.3     3.3    6.7           3.3    3.3    6.7  10.0    13.3  10.0  13.3   13.3    3.3    6.7    3.3                                                   30
       1051-1100                                                                                             33.3               33.3   33.3                                                                 3
       1101-1150                                                          25.0                25.0           25.0               25.0                                                                        4
       1151-1200                                                                                                                                                                                            0
       1201-1250                                                                                                                              100.0                                                         1
       Total                                                                                                                                                                                             467



                                                                                                      FEMALE                                                                                                 00
       Length
       group                                                                                          ANNULI
       (mm FL)         1     2       3       4      5       6      7      8      9     10     11     12      13    14    15     16     17     18    19     20      21    22     23   24 25     26     Total

       451-500         100.0                                                                                                                                                                                3
       501-550         100.0                                                                                                                                                                                5
       551-600         100.0                                                                                                                                                                                23
       601-650         87.9  12.1                                                                                                                                                                           33
       651-700         45.7  54.3                                                                                                                                                                           46
       701-750         1.4   83.3    13.9                                         1.4                                                                                                                       72
       751-800         1.9   41.5    39.6    17.0                                                                                                                                                           53
       801-850                5.3    34.0    39.4   12.8     3.2    1.1           2.1                                      2.1                                                                              94
       851-900                1.2    18.3    24.4   26.8    18.3    3.7    1.2    1.2    2.5    1.2                        1.2                                                                              82
       901-950                        9.1    10.9   16.4    21.8    7.3   10.9    9.1    5.5    3.6   3.6                  1.8                                                                              55
       951-1000                                      2.2    19.6   19.6   13.0   10.8    8.7  10.9    6.5    6.5    2.2                                                                                     46
       1001-1050                              3.3    4.9    11.5    6.6   18.0    4.9  24.6     9.9   8.2    1.6           1.6   3.3                                1.6                                     61
       1051-1100                      1.4     4.1    2.7     8.2   11.0   17.8    6.8  15.1   12.3    5.5    1.4    1.4    4.1   4.1    2.7           1.4                                                   73
       1101-1150                      1.2     1.2    1.2     4.7    4.7    5.8    9.3  19.8     9.3  11.6    10.4   8.1    5.8   2.3    2.3    2.3                                                          86
       1151-1200                                     1.4     2.9    4.3   12.9   11.4  12.9     4.3  14.3    7.1    7.1    4.3  12.9           1.4    1.4           1.4                                     70
       1201-1250                                                    1.9    9.4    3.8  11.4     7.5   7.5    7.5   13.2    9.4   9.4    5.7    3.8    5.7   1.9                  1.9                        53
       1251-1300                                                                  5.9    5.9    5.9  11.8          11.8  14.7   14.7    2.9    8.8    5.9   8.8     2.9                                     34
       1301-1350                                                                                     12.5          12.5         12.5   25.0   12.5   25.0                                                   8
       1351-1400                                                                                                   16.7         16.7          16.7          16.7                16.7            16.7        6
       1401-1450                                                                                                         25.0          25.0   25.0                 25.0                                     4
       1451-1500                                                                                                                       50.0                              50.0                               2
       1501-1550                                                                                                                       50.0                                     50.0                        2
       Total                                                                                                                                                                                             911








                                                                           49



                   Table 18. Sex ratio of king mackerel by 50 mm Length class sampled at king mackerel tournaments in North
                   Length     Carolina, 1986-1990.       Male                                          Female                          Total
                   class                              (N=4,225)                                     (N=8.839)                        N=13.59@
                   (mm FL)                         N                  %                       N                     %


                      51-100                       2                  67                        1                   33                    3
                    101-150                        0                    0                       3                  100                    3
                    151-200                        0                    0                       0                    0                    0
                    201-250                        0                    0                       1                  100                    1
                    251-300                        0                    0                       3                  100                    3
                    301-350                        0                    0                       0                    0                    0
                    351-400                        1                  100                       0                    0                    1
                    401-450                        0                    0                       0                    0                    0
                    451-500                        7                  32                      15                    68                  22
                    101-551                        50                 46                      58                    54                 108
                    551-600                        45                 30                     105                    70                 150
                    601-650                        33                 22                     119                    78                 152
                    651-700                        91                 31                     204                    69                 295
                    701-750                    297                    37                     514                    63                 811
                    751-800                    579                                           729                    56               1,308
                    801-850                    827                    45                     1017                   55               1,844
                    851-900                    1103                   47                     1247                   53               2,350
                    901-950                    725                    38                     1174                   62               1,899
                    951-1000                   300                    23                     982                    77               1,282
                   1001-1050                   113                    12                     833                    88                 946
                   1051-1100                       25                   4                    661                    96                 686
                   1101-1150                       18                   3                    508                    97                 526
                   1151-1200                       8                    3                    310                    97                 318
                   1201-1250                       1                    1                    183                    99                 184
                   1251-1300                       0                    0                     91                   100                  91
                   1301-1350                       0                    0                     43                   100                  43
                   1351-1400                       0                    0                     20                   100                  20
                   1401-1450                       0                    0                       8                  100                    8
                   1451-1500                       0                    0                       4                  100                    4
                   "0""0                           0                    0                       4                  100                    4


                   1851-1900                       0                    0                       1                 1000                    4


                   2301-2350                       0                    0                       1                 1000                    4


                   Ratio     1:2








                                                                          50



                 Table 19. Sex ratios of king mackerel by length class and season sampled from North Carolina ling mackerel tournaments
                             1986-1990.   Esummer (May, June, July, August), fall (September, October, November)].


                   Length                              Summer (N=4.411)                                              Fall (N=8.653)
                  class                        Male                         Femake                        Mate                       Female
                 (mm FL)                  N            %              N              %               N                            N           %

                 51-100                   0            0              0              0               2            67              1          33
                 101-150                  0            0              0              0               0               0            3         100
                 151-200                  0            0              0              0               0               0            0           0
                 201-250                  0            0              0              0               0               0            1         100
                 251-300                  0            0              2            100               0               0            1         100
                 301-350                  0            0              0              0               0               0            0           0
                 351-400                  1           100             0              0               0               0            0           0
                 401-450                  0            0              0              0               0               0            0           0
                 451-500                  0            0              2            100               7            35            13           65
                 501-550                  3            60             2             40             47             46            56           54
                 551-600                14             42            19             58             31             26            86           74
                 601-650                22             23            75             T7             11             20            44           80
                 651-700                51             28           133             72             40             36            71           64
                 701-750               140             35           260             65            157             38           254           62
                 751-800               223             37           384             63            356             51           345           49
                 811-850               235             34           416             66            592             51           561           49
                 851-900               288             38           460             62            815             51           787           49
                 901-950               196             36           349             64            529             39           825           61
                 951-1000               78             22           277             78            222             24           705           76
                 101-1050               29             12           203             88             84             12           630           88
                 1051-1100                7            4            186             96             18                4         475           96
                 1101-1150                6            4            1"              96             12                3         364           97
                 1151-1200                3            4             77             96               5               2         233           98
                 1201-1250                1            2             40             98               0               0         143          100
                 1251-1300                0            0             27            100               0               0          64          100
                 1301-1351                0            0             11            100               0               0          32          100
                 1351-1400                0            0              5            100               0               0          15          100
                 1401-1450                0            0              2            100               0               0            6         100
                 1451-1500                0            0              0              0               0               0            4         100
                 1501-1550                0            0              0              0               0               0            4         100


                 1851-1900                0            0              0              0               0               0            1         100


                 2301-2350                0            0              0              0               0               0            1         100


                 Total                 1297                         3114                          2928                        5725


                 Seasonal ratio                        1:2.4                                                      1:2








                                                     51


             to females approximated 1:1 between age 5 and age 17 (Table 20). Fish younger
             than age 5 were predominately female, and fish 21 years and older were all
             female.


                    King mackerel have a prolonged spawning season off North Carolina that
             peaks June through August. Maturity stages of male and female kin.g mackerel were
             determined for 2,157 fish from June through October, 1988 (Figure 23) and 3,094
             fish from June through October, 1990 (Figure 24). In both 1988 and 1990, ripe
             males were found from June through September and most frequently occurred in June
             and July 1988 and in June and August 1990.       Spent males occurred from      June
             through October, but were most prevalent in September and October. Ripe females
             occurred June through September and were most prevalent June through August.
             Spent females occurred July through October and predominated in September and
             October.


                    Mature king mackerel dominated all samples (Tables 21 and 22).             The
             smallest mature male observed was 451 mm. Fifty percent of the males were mature
             in the 501-550 mm size class and 100% were mature in fish > 650 mm. Spent males
             were first observed in the 701-750 mm size class. All male king mackerel ag     e 2+
             were mature (Table 23). No fish age 0 or I were sampled.


                    Virtually all females sampled were mature. The smallest mature female was
             501 mm. Fifty percent of the females were mature in the 501-550 mm size class,
             and except for a few anomalies, 100% were mature in fish > 800 mm. Spent females
             were first observed in the 601-650 mm size class. All female king mackerel age
             2+ were mature (Table 23). No fish age 0 or 1 were sampled.


                                                 DISCUSSION
             Migration
                    Some movement of king mackerel occurs between North Carolina and Florida,
             but the majority of fish tagged in North Carolina waters were recaptured there.
             In the present study, 74% of the recaptures were in North Carolina and 18% were
             in Florida. Over 1,000 king mackerel were tagged off North Carolina by Fable
             (1987). Two were recaptured in Florida and the rest (12) recaptured in North
             Carolina. Williams and Godcharles (1984) tagged 108 fish off North Carolina.
             Seven of the eight recaptures occurred in North Carolina (May through December),








                                                                           52






                    TabLe 20. Sex ratio of king mackerel by age sampled at king mackerel tournaments in North Carolina 1986-1990.


                                                        Mate                                             Female
                      Age                             N=3.055                                         (N=3.712)                      Total
                    (years)                     N                   %                            N                  %             (N=6.767)

                        1                       30                  29                           73                 71                 103
                        2                    114                    30                        267                   70                 381
                        3                    213                    33                        437                   67                 650
                        4                    219                    34                        434                   66                 653
                        5                    348                    48                        383                   52                 731
                        6                    257                    45                        314                   55                 571
                        7                    217                    48                        239                   52                 456
                        8                    242                    57                        184                   43                 426
                        9                    230                    54                        195                   46                 425
                      10                     223                    57                        170                   43                 393
                      11                     169                    50                        170                   50                 339
                      12                     158                    54                        135                   46                 293
                      13                        97                  45                        119                   55                 216
                      14                     101                    57                           77                 43                 178
                      15                     124                    47                        140                   53                 264
                      16                        68                  45                           82                 55                 150
                      17                        48                  42                           65                 58                 113
                      18                        91                  65                           49                 35                 140
                      19                        29                  36                           51                 64                    80
                      20                        78                  76                           25                 24                 103
                      21                        0                    0                           T7                100                    77
                      22                        0                    0                           4                 100                    4
                      23                        0                    0                           16                100                    16
                      24                        0                    0                           a                    0                   0
                      25                        0                    0                           0                    0                   0
                      26                        0                    0                           5                 100                    5








               70-                                MALE                                                 80-                               FEMALE
                             Immature             Maturing            Wall Developed                           M Immature                 Maturing             Well Developed
               60 -          Ripe                 Spent                                                70-           Ripe                 Spent

                         N   6r1Q                                                                      60 -
               50                                                                                                         N    1,498
                                                     g

                                                                                                       50

           Z 40
                                                                                                   z
           w
                                                                                                   w
           0                                                                                       040-
           cc                          ...
                                                                                                   cc
           w                            ..                                                         w
               30
           CL
                                                                                                       30-



               20-
                                                                                                       20-


                                                                    ..                                                           ..           ...


               10-
                                                                                                       10-



                 0                                                                                       0-
                                                                       wo
                                                                       M






                       JUN           JUL           AUG            SEP           OCT                             JUN           JUL           AUG            SEP           OCT
                                                MONTH                                                                                    MONTH


                              Figure 23.         Reproductive stages of male and female king mackerel sample June through October
                                                 1988 at North Carolina king mackerel tournaments.








               100-                           MALE                                          80-                            FEMALE

                            Immature          Mature            Well Developed                           Immature          Maturing               Developed
                            Ripe              Spent                                                      Ripe              Spent


               80-          N   1,139
                                                                                            60-         N   1,955



               60-
           z                                                                            z
           w                                                                            LLJ
           C)                                                                               40-
                                                                                        C)                                                                           4@b

           w
                                                                                        w
               40-





                                                                                            20-

               20-





                 0                                                                           0
                       JUN         JUL         AUG         SEP          OCT                         JUN         JUL          AUG          SEP         OCT
                                            MONTH                                                                         MONTH


                             Figure 24. Reproductive stages of male and female king mackerel sampled 3une through October
                                              1990 at North Carolina king mackerel tournaments.








                                                                           55


                  Table 21.         Percent maturity stages for male king mackerel by 50 mm size class.           Greatest percentage of
                                    samples were in taken September and October, at the end of the spawning season.



                                                                                             Percent maturity stage

                    Size class                                                                     Well
                    (mm, FL)                      N           Immature        Maturing           developed            Ripe              Spent


                      451-500                     2               50.0            50.0

                      501-550                    12               25.0            75.0

                      551-600                     1              100.0

                      601-650                     4               25.0            50.0                                25.0

                      651-700                    22                               40.9               45.5             13.6

                      701-750                    91                               12.1               27.5             38.5                22.0

                      751-800                  283                                  8.5              20.1             46.3                25.1

                      801-850                  340                                12.1               26.2             36.2                25.6

                      851-900                  482                                18.7               24.3             27.0                30.1

                      901-950                  333                                23.1               29.4             20.1                27.3

                      951-1,000                136                                16.2               23.5             26.5                33.8

                    1,001-1,050                  65                               27.6               20.0             26.2                26.2

                    1,051-1,100                  10                               20.0               40.0             30.0                10.0

                    1,151-1,200                   5                                                  40.0             20.0                  0.0

                    1,101-1,150

                    1,201-1,250                   4                               25.0               25.0             25.0                25.0








                                                                             56


                  Table 22.          Percent maturity stages for female     king mackerel by 50 mm size class. Greatest percentage of
                                     samples were taken in September and October, at the end of the spawning season.



                    Size class                                                                       Well
                    (mm, FL)                     N             Immature          Maturing          developed            Ripe              Spent


                      451-500                       1              100.0

                      501-550                     15                26.7            73.3

                      551-600                       8               62.5            37.5

                      601-650                     18                5.6             50.0               27.8                 5.6               11.1

                      651-700                     50                2.0             38.0               26.0               26.0                  8.0

                      701-750                    193                2.1             40.4               20.7               13.5                23.3

                      751-800                    258                1.2             26.4               17.1               25.2                30.2

                      801-850                    487                                21.6               17.9               27.9                32.7

                      851-900                    546                0.4             21.1               16.7               24.7                37.2

                      901-950                    467                                22.1               16.3               15.4                46.3

                      951-1,000                  414                0.2             19.3               13.5               15.0                51.9

                    1,001-1,050                  313                                19.8               11.8               13.1                55.3

                    1,051-1,100                  279                0.4             16.1               17.2               15.8                50.5

                    1,101-1,150                  174                                14.4               14.4               21.3                50.0

                    1,151-1,200                  104                                  3.9              18.3               23.1                54.8

                    1,201-1,250                   63                                12.7                 7.9              20.6                58.7

                    1,251-1,300                   30                                  3.3              20.0               16.7                60.0

                    1,301-1,350                   11                                                     9.1                9.1               81.8

                    1,351-1,400                     7                               14.3               14.3               14.3                57.1

                    1,401-1,450                     3                                                                     33.3                66.7

                    1,411-1,101                     2                                                                                         100.0

                    1,501-1,550                     1                                                                                         100.0








                                                                          57










                     Table 23. King mackerel age at maturity. No immature fish were sampled. No reproductive stages were
                              sampled for males greater than age 14 and females greater than age 16.

                                                      MALE                                                     FEMALE
                                                  Mature    Running                                     Mature     Running
                     Age           Maturing       (ripe)      ripe        Spent           Maturing      (ripe)        ripe        Spent

                     1


                     2                                           1                                          1            2            1


                     3                                           1                             1            1            1            1


                     4                                           2                                          1            1            1


                     5                                           1                             1            1            1


                     6                                                                         1            1            2


                     7                                                                                      1


                                                                                                            1            2            1


                     9


                     10                                          1                                          2                         1


                     11                1                         1                                          1            1

                     12                                                                                     1


                     13


                     14                                          1                                          1


                     15


                     16                                                                                                               1


                     Total             1           1             1          1                  4           11           11            6







                                                      58


             and one occurred in Florida in May. Fable (1988) concluded that fish that were
             tagged off North Carolina were either recovered there or off the east coast of
             Florida in warm months.


                   Although the present study did not demonstrate reproductive isolation,
             results do provide evidence for a separate migratory group of king mackerel in
             North Carolina waters with some degree of mixing with more southern fish.
             Williams and Godcharles (1984) were able to distinguish a Gulf and an Atlantic
             stock of king mackerel from tagging in Florida. They concluded that north of
             Florida, especially off the Carolina coasts, the Atlantic stock probably occurred
             year-round.    Williams and Godcharles (1984) thought it was likely that more
             stocks would be discovered through more extensive tagging in areas other than
             Florida and through other methods such as electrophoresis. Fable (1988) found
             tagging evidence of two stocks (migratory groups) of king mackerel in the Gulf
             of Mexico and one stock on the Atlantic Coast.


                    Previous tagging studies off South Carolina (William and Godcharles 1984)
             demonstrated that king mackerel movement was southward in summer and northward
             in fall, contrary to expectations based on seasonal temperatures. Williams           and
             Godcharles (1984) also found that fish tagged in the summer off southeast Florida
             moved north and those tagged in the winter moved south and into the Gulf. Fish
             tagged off South Carolina were recaptured off Florida only during the warm
             months, and never during the winter months, even though fishing effort in eastern
             Florida is greatest during the winter. Sutter et al. (1991) also found Atlantic
             stock fish traveled south from South Carolina during the spring and summer and
             northward i n the 1 ate summer and earl y f al I .   Results from the present study
             support these findings with 12 of the 15 Florida recaptures occurring in the
             spring and summer, and only three in the fall and winter.


                    The present study agreed with Sutter et al. (1991) in that size of king
             mackerel at release did not influence distance or direction traveled nor
             probability of recapture. Fish recaptured off Florida had the same size range
             as 71% of the fish recaptured off North Carolina. Length range when tagged of
             recaptured fish was between 450 and 1,150 mm, the same range as 99% of all tagged
             fish. Although Sutter et al. (1991) found that distance traveled was correlated
             with number of days at large, the present study found no correlation. Some of








                                                         59


              the fish at large the longest were recaptured very near their release site. Days
              at large for fish which traveled the furthest (Florida) ranged from 105 to 1,325
              days.


                    Results from the tag testing study were inconclusive.              Only two double
              tagged fish were recaptured, one with only a dart tag and the other with only an
              internal anchor tag.      Fable (1990) found internal anchor tags yielded a 8.1%
              return rate, whereas single-barb dart tags yielded only a 1.1% return rate.
              Double tagging by Fable (1990) found double-barb tags to be somewhat less
              effective than internal anchor tags. However, since dart tags can be inserted
              into fish still in the water, it is preferred for recreational angler taggers.


              Age and Growth
                     Van Oosten (1929) established the        following criteria that must be met
              before check marks on scales or bones can        be considered annuli: (1) scales or
              bones must remain constant in number and identity throughout the life of the
              fish, (2) growth of the scale or bone must      be proportional to the overall growth
              of the f i sh, (3) growth check marks must be    formed at approximately the same time
              each year, and (4) back-calculated lengths should agree with empirical lengths
              of younger age groups. The number of otol i ths remai ns constant i n ki ng mackerel ,
              and thus fulfills the first criteria.


                     Previous age and growth studies on king mackerel have attempted to validate
              the use of otol i ths (Beaumari age 1973, Johnson et al . 1983, Manooch et al . 1987,
              Col 1 i ns et al . 1989, Sturm and Sal ter 1990) . Al I of these studi es except Col 1 i ns
              et al. (1989) based their age determinations on whole otol iths. Johnson et al.
              (1983) found a 96% agreement and Manooch et al. (1987) found an 87% agreement
              between whol e and secti oned otol i ths and concl uded that the use of whol e otol i ths
              was val i d f or agei ng ki ng mackerel .     Compari sons by Col 1 ins et al . (1989) ,
              however, resulted in only a 47% agreement and the ages were significantly
              different.    They suggested that the higher agreement found by Johnson et al.
              (1983) and Manooch et al. (1987) might be due to differences in the opacity and
              appearance of otoliths from Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic king mackerel.                  The
              present study used sectioned otoliths for larger fish based on Collins et al.'s
              (1989) conclusion that they gave a more accurate age than whole otoliths.







                                                   60


                  A stronger correlation between otolith radii and fish lengths was reported
            by previous investigators (Johnson et al. 1983, Manooch et al. 1987, Collins et
            al. 1989) than found in our study. These studies used least squares regressions
            of power curves, whereas the present study used a least squares linear
            regression.    Unlike Collins et al. (1989), the present study found that
            correlations were stronger for whole otoliths (especially from males) than
            sectioned otoliths. The low correlations found in our study are troublesome and
            will be investigated further as more data are collected.


                  Marginal increment analysis indicated that annulus formation probably
            occurs in late spring or early summer, based on whole otoliths, and summer to
            early fall based on sectioned otoliths; however, otoliths were not collected in
            sufficient numbers during all months of the year. Collins et al. (1989) also
            reported a peak in annual ring-formation in August to September from sectioned
            otoliths.   They found a multimodal distribution of the monthly percentages of
            whole otoliths with opaque margins suggesting non-annual ring formation or
            reading errors. Beaumariage (1973) examined whole otoliths of king mackerel from
            Florida and found most otolith margins opaque during April-June. Manooch et al.
            (1987), also using whole otoliths, found a peak in ring formation during
            February-May, but also found ring formation in September for some fish taken off
            northwest Florida, and suggested the difference may be due to separate spawning
            groups in the Gulf of Mexico. Thus, it appears that analyses of whole otoliths
            result in an earlier time of annulus formation than do sectioned otoliths.
            Although king mackerel were chemically marked in the tag and release portion of
            this study, none have been recaptured to date.        Chemical marking should be
            continued in order to provide direct evidence of annual ring formation.


                  Back-calculated lengths at age differ between various studies and may be
            due to differences in back-calculation techniques (power curve, linear equation,
            direct proportion), use of whole or sectioned otoliths, geographical sampling
            range, or study time period.    Mean back-calculated lengths derived from whole
            otoliths in the present study were most similar to those of Beaumariage (1973)
            and Col I i ns et al . (1989) (Tabl e 24) . Femal es were I arger than mal es at each age
            in all studies.    Comparisons of back-calculated lengths at age derived from
            sectioned otoliths (Table 25) revealed slightly larger sizes at age for both
            males and females in the present study than reported by Collins et al. (1989).












               Table 24. Mean back-catculated Lengths (mm FL) at age for males, females, and sexes combined of king mackerel derived from whole otoLiths.

                                                     MaLe                                                                    Female                                                 Combined
                                                                       Sturm                                                                          Sturm
                        Beau-     Johnson      Manooch     CoLLins      and                         Beau-     Johnson     Manooch       Collins        and                      Collins
                        mariage     et at.       et at.     et at.     Satter                       mariage    et at.      et at.       et al.        Satter                      et al.
               Age       (1973)     (1983)       (1987)     (1989)     (1990)     NCDMF            (1973)     (1983)      (1987)        (1989)       (1990)      NCDMF          (1989)    NCDMF

                 1       457         414          415        453        437        447              491        434          425           475          418        483             418       471

                 2       643         613          614        649        576        654              703        652          635           673          586        682             633       673

                 3       705         689          698        719        660        724              793        747          738           764          680        T75             730       757

                 4       752         734          756        760        709        746              857        807          799           817          768        823             786       806

                 5       795         777          812        788        793        783              928        854          866           861          851        851             833       842

                 6       822         809          863        803        859                         986        899          929           901          931        867             872       867

                 7       839         851          903        827                                   1,033       939          988           943         1,001                       912

                 8                                948        853                                                          1,035           992         1,056                       961

                 9                                989        871                                                          1,094         1,022                                     984

               10                                1,021                                                                    1,137         1,054                                   1,048

               11                                1,045                                                                    1,174         1,073                                   1,067

               12                                                                                                         1,201         1,077                                   1,077

               13                                                                                                         1,235

               14                                                                                                         1,269








                                                                            62


                  Table 25.          Mean back-calculated lengths (mm FL) at age derived from sectioned otoliths.


                                             Male                                 Female                             Sexes combined

                     Age       Collins et al.             NCDMF         Collins et al.            NCDMF         Collins et al.          NCOMF
                                   (1989)                                    (1989)                                  (1989)

                     1               426                  472                 486                  525                497                 506

                     2               566                  577                 635                  644                638                 620

                     3               639                  650                 716                  729                712                 702

                     4               689                  702                 772                  792                763                 761

                     5               724                  742                 817                  843                802                 808

                     6               753                  772                 852                  887                833                 848

                     7               779                  800                 886                  927                864                 884

                     8               801                  822                 917                  964                892                 918

                     9               822                  844                 949                  993                920                 945

                     10              839                  868                 975                 1,025               943                 977

                     11              857                  890               1,002                 1,049               964               1,000

                     12              175                  906               1,017                 1,078               975               1,030

                     13              896                  927               1,032                 1,104               989               1,053

                     14              914                  937               1,064                 1,134              1,020              1,079

                     15              916                  956               1,110                 1,150              1,060              1,094

                     16              937                  984               1,118                 1,190              1,086              1,138

                     17                                   992               1,120                 1,227              1,124              1,166

                     18                                  1,008              1,126                 1,234              1,130              1,174

                     19                                   962               1,100                 1,240              1,102              1,200

                     20                                   939               1,152                 1,282              1,154              1,196

                     21                                                     1,192                                    1,194








                                                      63


              Lengths at ages greater than one derived from sectioned otoliths were generally
              less than those from whole otoliths.


                    Compari son of von Bertal anf fy growth parameters reveal ed that L. was 1 arger
              for females than males in all studies (Table 26).         As in the present study,
              Collins et al. (1989) derived larger values of L_ from sectioned otoliths than
              from whole otoliths. Values of K were larger based on whole otoliths from our
              study than all other areas, suggesting faster growth in the northern part of the
              range of king mackerel.


                    Older king mackerel were found in the present study than in previous
              studies. The oldest fish aged by Collins et al. (1989) who also used sectioned
              otoliths was an age 21 female (1,192 mm) compared with nine females ranging from
              21 to 26 (1,030-1,510 mm) in the present study.          Manooch et al. (1987) and
              Johnson et al. (1983) reported maximum age of 14, based on whole otoliths from
              Gulf of Mexico fish.      Collins et al. (1989) suggested that these differing
              results might be due to separate groups of king mackerel with different life
              history characteristics or to differences in techniques.


                    The importance of age validation was thoroughly discussed by Beamish and
              McFarlane (1983).    Errors in ageing can result in overestimates of mortality,
              incorrect growth rates, and large errors in estimates of stock production.
              Annual stock assessments of king mackerel have relied on the various age and
              growth studies reported herein, as well as age-length keys derived from the
              present study. None of these age and growth studies have successfully validated
              an ageing technique for king mackerel. Thus, there is a clear need to continue
              the present ageing study, not only to validate successfully our ageing technique,
              but also to provide data needed for annual stock assessments. This work should
              include validating the use of sectioned otoliths, determining time of annulus
              formation through marginal increment analysis, and documenting the formation of
              a single annual mark through our mark-recapture study.


              Reproductive Biology
                    The present study found a greater proportion of female to male king
              mackerel. Sturm and Salter (1990), who had similar results, speculated that more
              females were hatched, mortality was higher in males, and/or males grew slower.







                                                                             64









                   Table 26. Comparison of von Bertatanffy growth parameters from whole and sectioned otoLiths of king mackerel.

                                        North Carolina                   Southeastern United States               Gulf of Mexico        Trinidad


                                                                                                      Johnson
                                                                                                      at at.                            Sturm
                                                                 Collins                              (1983)         Manooch              and
                                                                 et at.          Beaumariage       (excluding        et at.             Salter
                        Parameters            NCDMF              (1989)              (1973)            LA)            (1987)              (1990)

                   Whole otoLiths


                   Mate      L0                  770                 853                 903             965           1,113              1,123
                             K                1.065               0.517               0.350           0.280            0.208              0.180
                             t                  0.21              -0.53               -2.50           -1.17            -1.48              -1.79
                              0


                   Female    L'D                 897              1,122               1,243           1,067            1,417              1,401
                             K                0. 5"               0.228               0.210           0.2%             0.136              0.150
                             t                -0.49               -1.66               -2.40           -0.97            -1.98              -1.52
                              0





                   Sectioned  otoLiths


                   Mate       LO              1,153                  942
                              K               0.065               0.192
                              t               -13.50             -2.501


                   Female     LO              1,370               1,2011
                              K               0.087               0.124
                                              -8.670             -3.745
                               0








                                                   65


             Behavioral differences or gear selectivity could also explain dominant female
             numbers. Slower growing males would recruit to the hook-and-line fishery later
             and thus would bias sex ratio towards the larger, faster growing females. All
             samples in the present study were collected at king mackerel tournaments.
             Targeting this fishery produced high numbers of samples and provided an
             opportunity to work closely with king mackerel recreational fishermen, however,
             a bias towards larger fish did exist.    Most of the small fish were discarded,
             released, or kept for personal use.      The hook-and-line fishery is directed
             towards large female fish.       Even at the same sizes, females frequently
             outnumbered males. When dealing with larger fish, this is to be expected since
             females grow faster and live longer. Trent et al. (1983) also found females to
             dominate catches from Texas to North Carolina with the degree of dominance
             relative to fish size.


                   King mackerel in North Carolina spawn during a protracted season. Ripe
             males were found in all months sampled (June through October), and ripe females
             were found June through September. Finucane et al. (1986) demonstrated that the
             seasonal progression of mean gonadosomatic indices (GSI) and egg diameters (ES)
             in king mackerel indicated a prolonged spawning season (May through September)
             off the Carolinas.    Finucane et al. (1986) also concluded that king mackerel
             exhibited serial spawning because multimodal ED distributions and highest
             coefficients of variation for GSIs occurred during the spawning months.
             Beaumariage (1973) concluded that multiple spawning was indicated by successive
             increases in vitellogenic oocyte size during the summer.      He also correlated
             gonadal development with seasonal change in photoperiod suggesting extended
             spawning throughout the summer in Florida. Seasonal distribution of larval king
             mackerel in the south Atlantic support the occurrence of protracted spawning off
             North Carolina (Collins and Stender 1987, DeVries et al. 1990).


                   The peak spawning period for king mackerel off North Carolina occurs during
             June through August. Ripe males and females were found June through October, but
             the highest percentage were found June through August. Finucane et al. (1986)
             found the highest GSIs and EDs for female king mackerel off the Carolinas during
             July. Beaumariage (1973) found peak spawning in Florida occurred June through
             September. Marginal increment analyses from the present study suggested annulus
             formation for king mackerel in North Carolina occurring in late spring or early







                                                     66


             summer based on whole otoliths and summer to early fall based on sectioned
             otoliths. This time frame correlates well with peak spawning period.


                   Length at maturation was difficult to determine because of a limited sample
             of small fish < 600 mm.   In North Carolina waters during September and October,
             > 70% of the female king mackerel > 600 mm were gonadosomatically active (or
             spent) and > 50% of the 650+ mm fish were mature (well developed, ripe, or
             spent).  Spent males were seen in only 700+ mm fish, but > 50% of the 650+ mm
             fish were mature (well developed, ripe, or spent). Finucane et al. (1986) found
             that 50% of the females off the Carolinas were mature at 650-699 mm, and that all
             females from all areas were mature at 850-899 mm. Beaumariage (1973) determined
             that fish this size may or may not actually spawn. Unfortunately, in the present
             study, distinctions between a fish that will spawn and one that is in an early
             developing stage were made macroscopically. Greater certainty that these fish
             would spawn could in the future be provided by histological examination of the
             gonads.


                   The few king mackerel sampled (for both age and maturity data) were           2
             years old and mature. Beaumariage (1973) determined that males first spawned       at
             age 3 and females first matured at age 4.          Beaumariage (1973) also found
             precocious gonadogenic activity in immature males and females.


                                          MANAGEMENT APPLICATIONS
                   Management of king mackerel in North Carolina is under state authority for
             coastal waters to three nautical miles (nmi) offshore and federal authority in
             the Exclusive Economic Zone (3-200 nmi). Catch quotas for the Atlantic migratory
             group are established annually by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council
             and allocated to the recreational and commercial fisheries. Bag limits are also
             established annually by the councils for the EEZ and states are encouraged to
             adopt compatible rules.    The recreational and commercial landings, acceptable
             biological catch (ABC), and total allowable catch (TAC) for 1986 to 1990 are
             shown below (Table 27).








                                                                          67



                  Table 27.         Atlantic king mackerel catch summary by weight in thousands of pounds, 1986-1990 fishing season
                                    (April-March). Acceptable biological catch (ABC) and total allowable catch (TAC) are
                                    also given.


                                        Recreational landings                   Commercial landings

                                    Mid and                               Mid and
                                     North        South        North        North        South       North
                                   Atlantic2    Atlantic3     Carolina    Atlantic    Atlantic     Carolina          ABC         TAC

                    1986-1987'        100        5,138              -           4        2,823       1,040     6,900-15,400      9,680

                    1987-1988          58        3,740         1,748           16        3,430       1,394     6,900-15,400      9,680

                    1918-1989         184        4,526         1,729           15        1,165          801    5,510-10,710      7,000

                    1989-1990          94        3,094         1,171           10        2,619          858    6,900-15,400      9tOOO

                    1990-1991          39        3,435         1,274                     2,521       1,232     6,500-15,700      8,300

                  1.       Recreational  statistics prior to   1987 may be higher than   would be produced using current procedures.
                  2.       Includes areas north of North Carolina.
                  3.       Includes North Carolina and areas south of North Carolina.
                           Not available.



                           The Director of the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries has
                  proclamation authority to restrict the taking of king mackerel by specifying
                  areas, seasons, quantity, means/methods, and size. Bag limits have been in place
                  for state waters since 1989. There is also a daily landing limit of 3,500 pounds
                  of Spanish or king mackerel, in the aggregate, per day.


                           Data from this project have been provided annually to the National Marine
                  Fisheries Service Miami and Panama City laboratories from 1986 through 1990 for
                  use in annual king mackerel stock assessments. These data include length, age,
                  and sex data from both the commercial and recreational fisheries which harvest
                  king mackerel. These data have been used to determine fishing mortality rates,
                  abundance relative to an adequate spawning stock biomass, trends in recruitment,
                  and acceptable biological catch on a regional basis (South Atlantic). The status
                  of exploitation of king mackerel stocks is currently evaluated with age-based
                  sequential models (Virtual Population Analysis) and future fish utilization
                  levels (ABC) are estimated using fishing mortality rates and stock abundances
                  obtained from these models.                  The models require accurate information on total
                  catch and catch at age composition. Catch at age compositions are converted from
                  numbers caught at size (length) by means of annual age-length keys.


                           The Division of Marine Fisheries has been represented on the Mackerel Stock
                  Assessment Panel since 1988. The panel consists of scientists appointed by the








                                                  68


            Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic fishery management councils to review the
            annual stock assessments and make recommendations to the councils on stock
            divisions and levels of catch.     Through its membership on this panel, the
            Division has realized the importance of basic life history data and long term
            databases describing the size, age, and sex composition of the catches.       The
            North Carolina king mackerel database has been a valuable contribution to the
            regional stock assessment and management process. The reliability of the stock
            assessments has improved greatly since the inception of this project.         The
            sparseness of the database prior to 1987 resulted in discrepancies in the
            assessments and uncertainty in the status of the stocks.       This resulted in
            mistakenly categorizing the Atlantic migratory group of king mackerel as
            overfished in 1988 and a closure of the fishing season.       The status of the
            Atlantic stock since that year has been considered healthy.


                  In addition to reviewing the condition of the stock, the panel addresses
            stock identity and distribution. Tagging and biochemical studies have suggested
            that the Gulf migratory group of king mackerel consists of eastern and western
            stocks which intermingle in the northern Gulf from Texas to northwest Florida.
            Tagging data are reviewed annually to determine whether alternate management
            boundaries are more appropriate than those currently used for the Atlantic and
            Gulf migratory groups. North Carolina tagging data are incorporated in these
            analyses.


                                       MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS

            1.    Maintain the current limit of five fish/angler/day for the recreational
                  fishery to protect the existing spawning stock biomass. Adjust this bag
                  limit annually based on recommendations from the Mackerel Stock Assessment
                  Panel, the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, and also on
                  pertinent data collected by DMF.

            2.    Whenever possible,   enact state regulations consistent with federal
                  regulations.

            3.    Maintain the daily landing limit of 3,500 lb of Spanish or king mackerel,
                  in the aggregate, per day.

            4.    Advocate a king    mackerel release category in DMF's North Carolina
                  Saltwater Fishing  Tournament. Presently, a citation is only given for a
                  king mackerel @30  lb landed in the recreational fishery.







                                                   69


            5.    Support the minimum size limit of 28" FL enforced at most of North
                  Carolina's king mackerel tournaments to encourage conservation ethics.


                                        RESEARCH RECOMMENDATIONS

            1.    Increase tag and recapture efforts to better describe inter- and intra-
                  seasonal movement patterns of king mackerel within and between North
                  Carolina waters and other Atlantic Coast state waters. More king mackerel
                  should be tagged during the spawning season, and efforts to tag north and
                  south of Cape Hatteras should continue.

            2.    Initiate a king mackerel recreational angler tagging program to promote
                  conservation ethics, to hopefully increase tag and recapture data, and to
                  better educate the public about king mackerel life history.

            3.    Validate the use of sectioned otoliths for ageing king mackerel.        This
                  should include comparisons of ages from whole and sectioned otoliths.
                  Continued marginal increment analysis is needed from samples collected
                  during all months of the year from as wide a size range as possible.

            4.    Continue chemical marking of fish to aid in age validation.

            5.    Prepare annual age-length keys for use in stock assessments.    Establish a
                  birth date for king mackerel in North Carolina, and make         appropriate
                  adjustments when assigning ages for these keys.

            6.    Develop a more reliable maturity schedule of king mackerel off North
                  Carolina to aid in population level analyses.         Describe gonadogenic
                  activity for all months from both the recreational and commercial
                  fisheries from a wide range of length classes. Expand sampling of small
                  king mackerel (<650 mm FL), and collect otoliths with gonad samples to
                  more clearly define size and age at maturity.

            7.    Conduct histological examinations of a subsample of king mackerel gonadal
                  tissue from both sexes in all stages of reproductive development in all
                  months to better quantify macroscopic determinations and also spawning
                  frequency of king mackerel off North Carolina.

            8.    Investigate the sex ratio present in North Carolina's commercial king
                  mackerel fishery by season, age and length class.            Combined with
                  information already obtained from the recreational fishery, a clearer
                  picture of sex ratio for king mackerel off North Carolina over a broader
                  size/age range could be acquired.


                                             ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

                  We especially thank L. Phalen, D. Ward, M. Millard, and T. Murphey for
            their participation in this project, and all other DMF staff who assisted with
            the tagging, ageing, and reproductive studies. Thanks also go to Data Management
            personnel, especially P. Phalen, M. Tangadal, and A. Schmidt for statistical
            assistance and ageing system development. To all the fishermen who returned tags
            along with recapture information, our sincere appreciation.      We would like to










                                                    70

            gratefully acknowledge D. DeVries, NMFS-Panama City Laboratory, as the second
            reader of otoliths. Our gratitude to the following captains who assisted with
            king mackerel tagging efforts--D. Forbes, D. Willis, N. Wescott, R. Whittaker,
            B. Greene, and J. Oden.   And finally many thanks to J. -Ross, B. Burns, and R.
            Monaghan for their constructive reviews, and D. Willis and C. Guthrie for
            manuscript preparation.

                  A cooperative agreement to further cooperative research on coastal pel    agic
            resources was entered into in August 1986 by DMF and the National Marine
            Fisheries Service (NMFS), Southeast Fisheries Center.       For the next several
            years, king mackerel were tagged and released out of Beaufort Inlet on the NOAA
            RIV ONSLOW BAY by DMF and NMFS staff. During the early years of the project,
            king mackerel tags had the NMFS Miami Laboratory address on them. All rewards
            for returned king mackerel tags were paid by NMFS.         Data for all DMF king
            mackerel operations were supplied to NMFS, and NMFS provided all recapture
            information to DMF.








                                                       71



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             Finucane, J.H., L.A. Collins    ' H.A. Brusher, and C.H. Saloman.
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                    1985. Final amendment 1. Fishery management plan environmental impact
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                    1987. Revised amendment number 2 to the Fishery Management Plan for the
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                    1989a. Final amendment 3 to the fishery management plan for the coastal
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                    1989b. Final amendment 4 to the fishery management plan for the coastal
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                    1990.   Amendment number 5.       Fishery management plan for the coastal
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                                                      73


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             Manooch, C.S., III, and S.T. Laws.
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                                                       74



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                    1983. Food of ki ng mackerel , Scomberomorus caval 1 a, f rom the southeastern
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                    88:361-370.

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                    1968-1984. NOAA Tech. Mem. NMFS-SEFC, 70 p.

             Trent, L., R.O. Williams, R.G. Taylor, C.H. Saloman, and C.H. Manooch, III.
                    1983.   Size, sex ratio, and recruitment in various fisheries of king
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                                                                       A P P E N D I X A

                                    King mackerel tag return information from 1983-1990 tagging in North Carolina.

                                                                                                                                              Distance
                                                                                                                                              from tag
                                                                            Fork                                                   Days           release
                    Tag         Release                                     length     Return                                      at             site
                    number      date          Release location              (mm)        date       Return location                 large          (km)

                    5573*       11-24-83      Atlantic Beach, NC            1015      07-03-84     24 mi S Masonboro               222            177
                                                                                                   Inlet, NC

                    6147*       12-07-84      Atlantic Beach, NC            1100      11-10-85     Cape Lookout, NC                338            32

                    0-1601      11-11-85      25 mi E Oregon                740       11-27-85     Cape Hatteras, NC               16             121
                                              Inlet, NC

                    D-1563      11-11-85      25 mi E Oregon                660       05-06-86     2 mi E Masonboro                176            531
                                              Inlet, NC                                            Inlet, NC

                    8844        11-26-85      18 mi SE Oregon               870       05-14-86     Jupiter, FL                     169            1120
                                              Inlet, NC

                    08357       06-02-86      8 mi W Beaufort    sea        655       06-20-86     4 mi off Bogue Inlet,           18             23
                                              buoy, NC                                             NC

                    08333       05-29-86      8 mi SE Bogue Inlet,          610       07-04-66     3 mi S Bogue Inlet,             36             11
                                              NC                                                   NC

                    08460       05-31-86      18 mi SE Bogue                660       07-20-86     Off Jacksonville, NC            50             32
                                              Inlet, NC

                    08270       05-30-86      8 mi S Bogue Inlet,           700       09-10-86     10 mi S Frying Pan              103            193
                                              NC                                                   Tower, NC

                    0-1603      11-11-85      25 mi E Oregon                790       10-08-86     15 mi E Oregon Inlet,           331            16
                                              Inlet, NC                                            NC

                    08878       06-11-86      8 mi SW Beaufort, NC          657       10-10-86     New River Inlet, NC             121            43

                    19511       10-07-86      6 mi SE Beaufort              855       10-29-86     2 mi E Beaufort Sea             22               5
                                              Inlet, NC                                            Buoy, NC

                    20152       10-30-86      18 mi off Oregon              870       11-23-86     5 mi S Cape Lookout,            24             137
                                              Inlet, NC                                            NC

                    19612       10-29-86      Beaufort sea buoy,            800       12-12-86     9 mi W Cape Lookout,            44             32
                                              NC                                                   NC

                    20001       10-29-86      16 mi E Oregon                710       05-06-87     Frying Pan Shoals, NC           189            370
                                              Inlet, NC

                    D-1716      11-12-85      Wimble Shoals,    NC          820       05-16-87     Palm Beach, FL                  550            1115

                    08254       05-31-86      18 mi SE Bogue                650       05-19-87     3 mi off Wrightsville           353            80
                                              Inlet, NC                                            Beach, NC

                    20129       10-30-86      18 mi off Oregon              870       05-21-87     Palm Beach, FL                  203            1176
                                              Inlet, NC

                    D-1653      11-14-85      18 mi E Oregon                810       05-24-87     Jupiter, FL                     556            1150
                                              Inlet, NC

                    08391       05-31-86      8 mi W Beaufort sea           630       06-06-87     3 mi S Beaufort Bar,            371            19
                                              buoy                                                 NC

                    08455       07-22-86      1 mi  W Beaufort sea          500       06-14-87     Bogue Inlet, NC                 327            48
                                              buoy, NC

                    08787       09-29-86      4 mi W Beaufort sea           540       07-11-87     5 mi outside Beaufort           285            16
                                              buoy, NC                                             Inlet, NC

                    20009       10-29-86      16 mi SE Oregon               920       07-11-87     10 mi SW Frying Pan             255            370
                                              Inlet, NC                                            Tower, NC

                    8893        11-26-85      18 mi SE Oregon               930       08-30-87     Juno Beach, FL                  642            1126
                                              Inlet, NC








                                                                                A-2


                     Appendix A. (Continued)

                                                                                                                                               Distance
                                                                                                                                               from tag
                                                                             Fork                                                  Days        release
                     Tag         Release                                     length     Return                                      at             site
                     number      date          Release location              (mm)        date       Return location                large           (km)

                     D-1742      11-14-85      18 mi E Oregon                890       09-12-87     Stuart, FL                     668           1078
                                               Inlet, NC

                     8966        11-12-85      15 mi SE Oregon               870       09-24-87     Atlantic Beach, NC             692             219
                                               Inlet, NC

                     19704       09-21-87      6 mi W Beaufort               530       09-29-87     3 mi E Beaufort                   8            16
                                               Inlet, NC                                            Inlet, NC

                     20509       06-01-87      8 mi W Beaufort               580       09-30-87     Off Bear Inlet,    NC          121             40
                                               Inlet, NC

                     20136       10-30-86      24 mi SE Oregon               940       10-22-87     15 mi E Cape                   357             48
                                               Inlet, NC                                            Hatteras, NC

                     08719       06-11-86      6 mi SW Beaufort sea          610       10-30-87     7 mi E Hatteras                506             167
                                               buoy, NC                                             Light, NC

                     20247       05-18-87      12 mi SW Beaufort             810       10-31-87     Topsail Inlet, NC              166             72
                                               Inlet, NC

                     20209       11-07-86      Avon Rocks, NC                980       11-01-87     15 mi E Cape                   359             24
                                                                                                    Hatteras, NC

                     20140       10-30-86      24 mi SE Oregon               760       11-04-87     Diamond Light,                 370             45
                                               Inlet, NC                                            Hatteras, NC

                     1-1690      11-14-15      18 mi E Oregon                940       11-23-87     3 mi S Diamond   Shoals        739             71
                                               Inlet, NC                                            Light, NC

                     21020       11-04-87      35 mi SE Oregon               810       01-21-88     35 mi off                       78             282
                                               Inlet, NC                                            Wrightsville Beach,
                                                                                                    NC

                     20130       10-30-86      18 mi SE Oregon               800       04-02-88     Jupiter Inlet, FL              520           1120
                                               Inlet, NC

                     20217       11-07-86      25 mi off Oregon              1010      05-06-88     20 mi off Hatteras,            545             40
                                               Inlet, NC                                            NC

                     22005       03-02-88      25 mi SE Cape                 650       05-13-88     6 mi W Beaufort                 72             72
                                               Lookout, NC                                          Inlet, NC

                     21805       02-29-88      35 mi SE   Bogue              700       05-14-88     Beaufort Sea Buoy, NC           75             40
                                               Inlet, NC

                     20012       10-29-86      16 mi SE Oregon               940       05-17-88     8 mi SE Hatteras, NC           565             56
                                               Inlet, NC

                     21774       02-29-88      35 mi SE Bogue                760       05-19-88     30 mi S New River               79             64
                                               Inlet, NC                                            Inlet, NC

                     20002       10-29-86      16 mi SE Oregon               780       05-21-88     Bogue Inlet Pier,    NC        638             257
                                               Inlet, NC

                     D-1667      11-14-85      18 mi E Oregon                920       05-21-88     Jupiter, FL                    919           1150
                                               Inlet, NC

                     21311       11-04-87      35 mi SE Oregon               740       05-22-88     12 mi E Cape Lookout,          166             193
                                               Inlet, NC                                            NC

                     08904       05-29-86      8 mi S Bogue Inlet,           650       05-29-88     Swansboro, NC                  730             13
                                               NC

                     0-1564      11-11-85      25 mi E Oregon                890       06-07-88     Oregon Inlet, NC               939             40
                                               Inlet, NC

                     21027       11-04-87      35 mi E Oregon                760       06-19-88     22 mi off Murrell's            227             420
                                               Inlet, NC                                            Inlet, SC








                                                                               A-3

                     Appendix A. (Continued)

                                                                                                                                            Distance
                                                                                                                                             from tag
                                                                           Fork                                                   Days       release
                     Tag         Release                                   length     Return                                      at           site
                     number      date         Release location             (mm)        date       Return location                 large        (km)

                     19731       05-12-88     18 mi E/SE Bogue             630       06-24-88     5 mi W/SW Beaufort              43            13
                                              Inlet, NC                                           Inlet, NC

                     19716       05-12-88     18 mi E/SE Bogue             630       06-25-88     15 mi E New Inlet,    NC        44            88
                                              Inlet, NC

                     08332       05-29-86     8 mi SE Bogue Inlet,         640       06-30-88     Windmill Light, mouth           762          402
                                              NC                                                  of Rappahanock River,
                                                                                                  Chesapeake Bay, VA

                     21709       02-22-88     40 mi SE Cape                700       08-12-88     Little River Inlet,             202          241
                                              Lookout, NC                                         SC

                     21011       11-14-87     35 mi SE Oregon              750       08-21-88     40 mi S Cape Lookout,           291          193
                                              Inlet, NC                                           NC

                     21794       02-29-88     35 mi SE Bogue               620       08-28-88     30 mi S Brown's                 180           56
                                              Inlet, NC                                           Inlet, NC

                     08747       09-29-86     8 mi SW Beaufort Sea         540       09-08-88     Off Morehead City, NC           710           19
                                              Buoy, NC

                     21541       05-16-88     12 mi W Beaufort             620       09-09-11     8 mi SE Atlantic                116           21
                                              Inlet, NC                                           Beach, NC

                     21032       11-04-87     35 mi E/SE Oregon            790       09-25-88     21 mi E/SE Oregon               326           23
                                              Inlet, NC                                           Inlet, NC

                     E-01439     05-16-88     12 mi Beaufort               630       10-05-88     8 mi E/SE Brown's               142           16
                                              Inlet, NC                                           Inlet, NC

                     20939       10-30-87     36 mi SE Oregon              890       10-30-88     25 mi SE Oregon                 365           24
                                              Inlet, NC                                           Inlet, NC

                     21704       02-22-88     40 mi SE Cape                790       11-08-88     16 mi E Oregon Inlet,           260          161
                                              Lookout, NC                                         NC

                     20674       10-29-87     25 mi SE Oregon              850       11-14-88     25 mi E/SE Oregon               382             0
                                              Inlet, NC                                           Inlet, NC

                     20185       11-06-86     Oregon Inlet, NC             870       11-15-88     10 mi E Oregon Inlet,           740           16
                     19583       10-03-86     12 mi W Beaufort             790           -        NC                                -             -
                                              Inlet, NC

                     21646       02-08-88     55 mi SE Beaufort            920       01-26-89     Big Rock, NC                    353           37
                                              Inlet, NC

                     19625       06-02-87     1 mi SW Beaufort             600       01-28-89     34 mi off    Masonboro          605          117
                                              Inlet, NC                                           Inlet, NC

                     K27049      04-27-89     17 mi S Beaufort             790       05-29-89     35 mi off    Masonboro          33            88
                                              Inlet, NC                                           Inlet, NC

                     20789       10-30-87     36 mi SE Oregon              870       07-07-89     29 mi off    Murrell's          613          422
                                              Inlet, NC                                           Inlet, SC

                     21368       11-05-87     35 mi SE Oregon              680       07-09-89     Topsail Beach, NC               612          299
                                              Inlet, NC

                     20556       06-19-87     1 mi W Beaufort              570       07-12-89     20 mi off Atlantic              754             0
                                              Inlet, NC                                           Beach, NC

                     24069       11-15-88     26 mi E/SE Oregon            890       07-23-89     Murrell's Inlet, SC             250          444
                                              Inlet, NC

                     20811       10-30-87     36 mi SE Oregon              750       08-01-89     Ft. Pierce, FL                  641          1086
                                              Inlet







                                                                               A-4


                     Appendix A. (Continued)

                                                                                                                                            Distance
                                                                                                                                             from tag
                                                                           Fork                                                 Days         release
                     Tag         Release                                   length     Return                                      at           site
                     number      date         Release location             (mm)        date       Return location               large          (km)

                     K26802      04-18-89     23 mi S Beaufort             750       08-01-89     Pompano Beach, FL             105           1117
                                              Inlet, NC

                     20725       10-30-87     36 mi SE Oregon              800       08-19-89     St. Lucie, FL                 659           1118
                                              Inlet, NC

                     8680        06-11-86     8 mi SW Beaufort             700       09-02-89     Palm Beach, FL                1180           990
                                              Inlet, NC

                     21871       03-02-88     14 buoy off Cape             680       10-10-89     Brown's Inlet,    NC          587             84
                                              Lookout, NC

                     20720       10-29-87     26 mi SE Oregon              790       10-14-89     2 mi SE Oregon    Inlet,      652             45
                                              Inlet, NC                                           NC

                     K27091      04-27-89     19 mi S Beaufort             750       10-15-89     30 mi S Oregon    Inlet,      171            198
                                              Inlet, NC                                           NC

                     20639       10-29-87     31 mi SE Oregon              790       11-01-89     35 mi SE Oregon               732               0
                                              Inlet, NC                                           Inlet, NC

                     21669       02-22-88     40 mi SE Cape                680       12-19-89     Ft. Pierce, FL                665           1006
                                              Lookout, NC

                     24129       11-12-89     32 mi SE Oregon              850       04-28-90     40 mi off                     168            312
                                              Inlet, NC                                           Wrightsville, NC

                     21221       11-04-87     35 mi S/SE Oregon            760       05-04-90     Hobe Sound, FL                912           1107
                                              Inlet, NC

                     21408       11-04-87     35 mi SE Oregon              690       06-12-90     75 mi E North Inlet,          951            407
                                              Inlet, NC                                           SC

                     20075       10-29-86     25 mi S/SE Oregon            840       06-15-90     Jupiter, FL                   1325          1157
                                              Inlet, NC

                     20197       11-06-86     25 mi S/SE Oregon            900       07-05-90     Mouth York River,             1377           235
                                              Inlet, NC                                           Chesapeake Bay, VA

                     21243       11-04-87     35 mi SE Oregon              770       08-12-90     Ocean Isle Beach, NC          1012           431
                                              Inlet, NC

                     K27040      04-27-89     25 mi S Beaufort             1130      09-14-90     12 mi SW Beaufort             506             26
                                              Inlet, NC                                           Inlet, NC

                     K26884      04-19-89     Cape Lookout 14              770       09-25-90     E Cape Lookout, NC            525             23
                                              buoy, NC

                     19611       10-29-86     Beaufort Inlet,    NC        760       10-05-90     10 mi S Cape Fear,    NC      1437           167

                     1346        11-16-11     11 mi SE Oregon              750       11-16-90     Avon Rocks, NC                1116            10
                                              Inlet, NC

                             King mackerel    tagged by NMFS before 1985.



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                                                                                                A P P E N D I X B

                                                Length composition, in percent, of maLe and femate king mackeret by age group in North Carotina, 1987.

           Length                                                                                       MALE
           group                                                                                       ANNULI
           (mm FL)        1        2       3       4       5       6       7       8       9       10      11     12      13     14    15      16   17     18     19     20     21     22     23     TotaL

           501-550      100.0                                                                                                                                                                             7
           551-600      100.0                                                                                                                                                                             7
           601-650                                                                                                                                                                                        0
           651-700                100.0                                                                                                                                                                   1
           701-750                60.0     20.0   20.0                                                                                                                                                    5
           751-800                         57.1   28.6                                                                                                    14.3                                            7
           801-850                         18.2   27.2     18.2    18.2           18.2                                                                                                                    11
           851-900                                          9.1    9.1    22.7    22.7            22.7     4.6    9.1                                                                                     22
           901-950                                                                25.0            25.0     12.5 12.5    25.0                                                                              8
           951-1000                                                                                        20.0         40.0                20.0 20.0                                                     5
           1001-1050                                                                                                                        100.0                                                         1
           1051-1100                                                               100.0                                                                                                                  1
           1101-1150                                                                                                    100.0                                                                             1
           1151-1200                                                                                                                                                                                      0
           1201-1250                                                                                                                                     100.0                                            1

           TotaL                                                                                                                                                                                          77


           Length                                                                                        FEMALE
           group                                                                                         ANNULI
           (mm FL)       1         2       3       4       5       6       7       8       9       10      11     12      13     14    15     16    17     18     19     20     21     22     23     TotaL

           451-500      100.0                                                                                                                                                                             1
           501-550      100.0                                                                                                                                                                             2
           551-600      100.0                                                                                                                                                                             13
           601-650      91.7       8.3                                                                                                                                                                    13
           651-700               100.0                                                                                                                                                                    5
           701-750                60.0     40.0                                                                                                                                                           5
           751-800                50.0     50.0                                                                                                                                                           6
           801-850                 6.7     60.0   13.3             6.7     6.7             6.7                                                                                                            15
           851-900                         50.0   16.7     8.3     8.3    16.7                                                                                                                            12
           901-950                         5.6    16.6      5.6   27.8     5.6    16.6     11.1                  11.1                                                                                     18
           951-1000                                               33.3    11.1    11.1     11.1   22.2                  11.1                                                                              9
           1001-1050                                       4.6     4.6     4.6    22.7     9.1     9.1     18.2  18.2    4.6                  4.6                                                         22
           1051-1100                                               9.1    18.2     9.1             9.1     9.1    9.1                       27.2    9.1                                       -           11
           1101-1150                                                                       12.5   18.7     6.3   12.5   25.0    6.3   6.3           6.3    6.3                                            16
           1151-1200                                                                              11.1           44.4   22.2   11.1                                            11.1                       9
           1201-1250                                                                                       14.3  14.3          14.3  14.3           14.3                14.3                14.3          7
           1251-1300                                                                                                           16.7  16.7   16.7    16.7                16.7 16.7                         6
           1301-1350                                                                                             25.0                       25.0    25.0  25.0                                            4
           1351-1400                                                                                                                                                                                      0
           1401-1450                                                                                                                               100.0                                                  1

           Totat                                                                                                                                                                                      175














                                                                                               A P P E N D I X B

                                               Length composition, in percent, of male and female king mackerel by age group in North CaroHna, 198B.

         Length                                                                                        MALE
         group                                                                                        ANNULI
         (mm FL)           1       2        3        4         5        6        7        8         9        10       11       12        13       14       15      16      17      18      19        Total

          601-650         75.0    25.0                                                                                                                                                                    4
          651-700                 92.3      7.7                                                                                                                                                        13
          701-750                 81.8     18.2                                                                                                                                                        11
          751-800                          42.9      42.9     14.3                                                                                                                                        7
          801-850                                             16.7     50.0               33.3                                                                                                            6
          851-900                                                       8.3               33.3      41.7    16.7                                                                                       12


         Total                                                                                                                                                                                         53




         Length                                                                                        FEMALE
         group                                                                                         ANNULI
         (mm FL)           1       2        3        4         5        6        7         a        9        10       111       12       13       14       15      16      17      18      14        Total

          551-600        100.0                                                                                                                                                                            1
          601-650         85.7    14.3                                                                                                                                                                    7
          651-700         33.3    66.6                                                                                                                                                                 15
          701-750                 84.0     16.0                                                                                                                                                        25
          751-800                 50.0     33.3      16.7                                                                                                                                                 6
          801-850                   5.9    23.5      41.2     29.4                                                                                                                                     17
          851-900                          18.7      18.7     31.2     12.5                 6.3     6.3               6.3                                                                              16
          901-950                                                      50.0                                                                               50.0                                            2
          951-1000                                                                                 100.0                                                                                                  1
         1001-1050                                   50.0                                                                      50.0                                                                       2
         1051-1100                                            11.1     11.1     22.2      33.3              11.1               11.1                                                                       9
         1101-1150                          3.7                3.7      3.7      7.4                11.1    11.1      7.4      14.8     14.8     14.8      3.7      3.7                                27
         1151-1200                                             6.3                        12.5      6.3                        18.7     12.5     12.5              25.0                    6.3         16
         1201-1250                                                                        17.6      5.9               5.9               17.6     29.4      5.9     11.8            5.9                 17
         1251-1300                                                                                  20.0                       20.0                                40.0           20.0                    5
         1301-1350                                                                                                                                                                       100.0            1


         Total                                                                                                                                                                                        167














                                                                                              A P P E N D I X B

                                              Length composition, in percent, of mate and femate king mackerel by age group in North Carolina, 1989.

          Length                                                                                      MALE
          group                                                                                      ANNULI
          (m FL)           1         2         3        4        5         6        7        8        9        10       11       12       13       14       15       16       17       18        Total

          601-650        100.0                                                                                                                                                                        1
          651-700                   87.5      12.5                                                                                                                                                    8
          701-750                   37.5      37.5     25.0                                                                                                                                           8
          751-800                             41.7     4T.7      16.6                                                                                                                               12
          801-850                                                16.7    33.3      33.3                       16.7                                                                                    6
          851-900                                                          6.7      6.7     20.0              26.6      20.0    13.3                        6.7                                     15
          901-950                                                                   6.3      6.3      6.3     31.2               6.3      6.3      18.7    12.5      6.3                            16
          951-1000                                                                 16.7              16.7     16.7                                         33.3               16.7                    6
          1001-1050                                                                                                             25.0      12.5     25.0    12.5      12.5     12.5                    8
          1051-1100                                                                                                                                                          100.0                    1
          1101-1150                                                                         100.0                                                                                                     1

          TotaL                                                                                                                                                                                     82




          Length                                                                                     FEMALE
          group                                                                                     ANNULI
          (m FL)           1         2         3        4        5         6        7        8        9        10       11       12       13       14       15       16       17       18        Total

          501-550        100.0                                                                                                                                                                        2
          551-600        100.0                                                                                                                                                                        6
          601-650        100.0                                                                                                                                                                        5
          651-700          50.0     50.0                                                                                                                                                              6
          701-750                   91.7        8.3                                                                                                                                                 12
          751-800          11.1     33.3      55.6                                                                                                                                                    9
          801-850                     8.3     25.0     58.3      8.3                                                                                                                                12
          851-900                             33.3     33.3              33.3                                                                                                                         3
          901-900                             14.3               14.3      7.1     21.4     14.3      7.1     14.3      7.1                                                                         14
          951-1000                                               14.3    28.6      28.6     14.3                        14.3                                                                          7
          1001-1050                                                      33.3      11.1              11.1     44.4                                                                                    9
          1051-1100                                                      11.8      11.8     11.8     11.8     17.6               5.9      5.9      5.9     11.8                5.9                  17
          1101-1150                                                        8.3      8.3      8.3      8.3     16.7      8.3     25.0               8.3      8.3                                     12
          1151-1200                                                                 8.3     16.7     16.7     16.7      8.3               8.3              16.7      8.3                            12
          1201-1250                                                                                           42.8                                         28.6               28.6                    7
          1251-1300                                                                                                             16.7              33.3     16.7      16.7             16.7            6
          1301-1350                                                                                                                              100.0                                                1

          Total                                                                                                                                                                                    140



                                                           M owl                            MM M M M






                                                                                               A P P E N D I X 8

                                            Length composition, in percent, of maLe and femate king mackeret by age group sampLed in North Carotina, 1990.

        Length                                                                                      MALE
        group                                                                                      ANNULI
        (mm FL)        1       2      3      4      5     6      7      8      9     10     11     12    13     14    15     16     17     18    19     20    21     22     23    24     25     26    TotaL

         401-450     100.0                                                                                                                                                                                  2
         451-500     100.0                                                                                                                                                                               12
         501-550     100.0                                                                                                                                                                                  3
         551-600     100.0                                                                                                                                                                                  1
         601-650       25.0   75.0                                                                                                                                                                          4
         651-700       20.0   40.0   40.0                                                                                                                                                                   5
         701-750              32.1   53.6           7.1   3.6                  3.6                                                                                                                       28
         751-800               6.5   34.8   37.0    4.3  10.8    2.2           2.2          2.2                                                                                                          46
         801-850                      7.7   15.4   28.2  20.5   10.2    2.6    5.1   7.7                              2.6                                                                                39
         851-900                                   13.9  16.7   16.7   16.7   16.7   8.3    8.3    2.7                                                                                                   36
         901-950                                          7.4    3.7    7.4   18.5  18.5    22.2   3.7   3.7          7.4    3.7           3.7                                                           27
         951-1000                     3.6           3.6         10.7    7.1          7.1    21.4   10.7         10.7  7.1    3.6           7.1          7.1                                              28
        1001-1050                                   4.8   4.8    9.5           4.8   4.8    9.5    4.8   14.2   4.8   14.2   9.5           9.5   4.8                                                     21
        1051-1100                                                                                100.0                                                                                                      1
        1101-1150                                                                           50.0                            50.0                                                                            2

        TotaL                                                                                                                                                                                           255


                                                                                                                                                                                                            W
        Length                                                                                     FEKALE
        group                                                                                      ANNULI
        (w FL)         1       2      3      4      5     6      7      a      9     10     11     12    13     14    15     16     17     18    19     20     21    22     23    24     25     26    Totat

         451-500     100.0                                                                                                                                                                                  2
         501-550     100.0                                                                                                                                                                                  1
         551-600     100.0                                                                                                                                                                                  3
         601-650       77.8   22.2                                                                                                                                                                          9
         651-700       65.0   35.0                                                                                                                                                                       20
         701-750       3.3    83.3   10.0                                      3.3                                                                                                                       30
         751-800              40.6   34.4   25.0                                                                                                                                                         32
         801-850               4.1   32.7   40.8   12.2   4.1                  2.0                                    4.1                                                                                49
         851-900               2.0   10.0   28.0   32.0  22.0    2.0                 2.0                              2.0                                                                                50
         901-950                      9.5   14.3   28.6  23.8           4.8    9.5   4.7    4.T                                                                                                          21
         951-1000                            3.5   27.6  13.8   10.3   10.3    6.9  10.3    6.9    10.3                                                                                                  29
        1001-1050                            3.7    7.4  11.1    7.4   22.2         29.7    7.4                       3.7    3.7                               3.7                                       27
        1051-1100                     2.8    8.3    2.8   5.6    5.6   19.4    8.3  16.6    22.2   2.8                2.8                        2.8                                                     36
        1101-1150                            3.2          6.5    3.2   12.9    6.5  29.1    12.9   3.2   3.2    3.2   6.5    3.2     3.2   3.2                                                           31
        1151-1200                                   3.0   3.0    6.1   15.2    15.2 18.1    6.1    9.1          6.1   3.0   12.1           3.0                                                           33
        1201-1250                                                4.6    9.1    4.6  13.6    9.1    13.6  4.6    4.6   4.6   13.6           4.6   13.6                                                    22
        1251-1300                                                              5.9  11.8    11.8   11.8         5.9   17.6   5.9    17.6   5.9          5.9 11.8    11.8                                 17
        1301-1350                                                                                                                   50.0         50.0                                                       2
        1351-1400                                                                                               20.0        20.0          20.0                             20.0                20.0         5
        1401-1450                                                                                                     33.3                33.3               33.3                                           3
        1451-1500                                                                                                                  100.0                                                                    1
        1501-1550                                                                                                                   50.0                                   50.0                             2

        Totat                                                                                                                                                                                            1.:)C;



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