Study of Sand Seatrout of the Galveston Bay Area

Abstract

Sand seatrout (Cynoscion arenarius Ginsberg) were studied in the Galveston Bay area to provide information on seasonality, population composition, food items, growth, and spawning. Tagging efforts resulted in 518 tagged fish and a return of 16 tags during the 1968-70 period. Tag recovery data suggest a migration from the upper bay to the lower bay and Gulf waters in December and return in March. Electrophoretic analysis of multiple hemoglobin protein types were studied from 96 sand seatrout blood samples. Five protein types were observed without discernible differences that could be attributed to population heterogeneity. Analysis of stomach content revealed crustacea and fish as primary food items. Gonad development stages indicate a spawning period from March through August.