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All About Florida Keys Fishing & Key West Fishing
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| Download complete report (including figures) |
Status and Trends 2007 Report
Florida’s Inshore and Nearshore Species
by Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute
Florida’s Inshore and Nearshore Species
by Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute
Spot, Leiostomus xanthurus
Spot occur from the Gulf of Maine to the Bay of Campeche, Mexico, and inhabit
estuarine and coastal waters to depths of at least 670 feet. In Florida, spot are found in all
coastal waters except those off the extreme tip of southeast Florida and the outermost
Keys. Juvenile spot enter bays during the winter and early spring and remain there until late
fall. Spot grow to about 5.9 inches total length (TL) at age 1, 8.7 inches TL at age 2, and 11
inches TL at age 3
(Table 1). Maximum age appears to be about 5 years (DeVries 1982). During the fall, they
migrate offshore to spawn or to escape low water temperatures. Spot mature at 1 or 2
years of
age. Spawning occurs from December through March off Florida (Springer and Woodburn
1960).
In 2005, statewide landings of spot in Florida were 38,596 pounds. Recreational fisheries
contributed 38% to the total statewide landings. Eighty-nine percent of the statewide
landings in 2005 were made on the Atlantic coast. Commercial landings in 2005 were
highest in St. Lucie County on the Atlantic coast (Fig. 1). Recreational landings in 2005
were uniform across the Atlantic coast and across the gulf coast south to the Big Bend
region, except in Monroe County where no commercial landings were reported (Fig. 2).
The 2005 total landings of spot were 65% lower than the average landings in the previous
five years (2000–2004) and were 96% lower than the 1982–2005 historical average
landings
Spot occur from the Gulf of Maine to the Bay of Campeche, Mexico, and inhabit
estuarine and coastal waters to depths of at least 670 feet. In Florida, spot are found in all
coastal waters except those off the extreme tip of southeast Florida and the outermost
Keys. Juvenile spot enter bays during the winter and early spring and remain there until late
fall. Spot grow to about 5.9 inches total length (TL) at age 1, 8.7 inches TL at age 2, and 11
inches TL at age 3
(Table 1). Maximum age appears to be about 5 years (DeVries 1982). During the fall, they
migrate offshore to spawn or to escape low water temperatures. Spot mature at 1 or 2
years of
age. Spawning occurs from December through March off Florida (Springer and Woodburn
1960).
In 2005, statewide landings of spot in Florida were 38,596 pounds. Recreational fisheries
contributed 38% to the total statewide landings. Eighty-nine percent of the statewide
landings in 2005 were made on the Atlantic coast. Commercial landings in 2005 were
highest in St. Lucie County on the Atlantic coast (Fig. 1). Recreational landings in 2005
were uniform across the Atlantic coast and across the gulf coast south to the Big Bend
region, except in Monroe County where no commercial landings were reported (Fig. 2).
The 2005 total landings of spot were 65% lower than the average landings in the previous
five years (2000–2004) and were 96% lower than the 1982–2005 historical average
landings
