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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
Tripletail, Lobotes surinamensis
Tripletail occur worldwide in warm seas. In the western Atlantic Ocean, they occur from
Cape Cod to Argentina and throughout the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean. Tripletail are
attractedto floating objects and are often caught around buoys, channel markers, and
floating debris.
While little information on their biology is available, a preliminary analysis of samples taken
from commercial fishery landings made in Florida has provided some information on their
age,growth, and reproduction (Armstrong et al. 1996a). Apparent maximum ages in these
samples were 6 years for males and 7 years for females (Armstrong et al. 1996a). The
ages from otoliths, although preliminary and unvalidated, indicate that tripletail grow rapidly
during their first few years of life (Table 1). Females were slightly larger than males. The
smallest mature male found was 11.8 inches total length (TL), and the smallest mature
female was 14.2 inches. It was estimated that males mature at about 11.8–15.7 inches
and females at about 13.8–19.7 inches TL.
Total annual landings of tripletail in Florida during 2005 were 197,337 pounds. These
landings were fairly evenly distributed by coast (53% Atlantic, 47% gulf) and mostly by
recreational fishers (97% of statewide landings by weight). Commercial landings were
highest in Brevard County on the Atlantic coast (Fig. 1). The recreation landings were evenly
distributed along both coasts (Fig. 2). The 2005 total landings of tripletail were 36% lower
than the average landings in the previous five years (2000-2004) and were 15% lower than
the 1982–2005 historical average landings (Fig. 3). Tripletail landings have fluctuated
greatly on the Atlantic coast. Estimated total annual landings between 1986 and 1991 do
not include commercial landings of tripletail because they were not reported separately
from other fishes. Since 1991, Atlantic landings have fluctuated without trend but with high
landings from 1995-2002, followed by low landings in 2003, 2004, and 2005 (Fig. 3). In
2005, Atlantic coast landings were only about 104,000 pounds. After peaking at about
600,000 pounds in 1996, gulf coast landings have
Tripletail occur worldwide in warm seas. In the western Atlantic Ocean, they occur from
Cape Cod to Argentina and throughout the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean. Tripletail are
attractedto floating objects and are often caught around buoys, channel markers, and
floating debris.
While little information on their biology is available, a preliminary analysis of samples taken
from commercial fishery landings made in Florida has provided some information on their
age,growth, and reproduction (Armstrong et al. 1996a). Apparent maximum ages in these
samples were 6 years for males and 7 years for females (Armstrong et al. 1996a). The
ages from otoliths, although preliminary and unvalidated, indicate that tripletail grow rapidly
during their first few years of life (Table 1). Females were slightly larger than males. The
smallest mature male found was 11.8 inches total length (TL), and the smallest mature
female was 14.2 inches. It was estimated that males mature at about 11.8–15.7 inches
and females at about 13.8–19.7 inches TL.
Total annual landings of tripletail in Florida during 2005 were 197,337 pounds. These
landings were fairly evenly distributed by coast (53% Atlantic, 47% gulf) and mostly by
recreational fishers (97% of statewide landings by weight). Commercial landings were
highest in Brevard County on the Atlantic coast (Fig. 1). The recreation landings were evenly
distributed along both coasts (Fig. 2). The 2005 total landings of tripletail were 36% lower
than the average landings in the previous five years (2000-2004) and were 15% lower than
the 1982–2005 historical average landings (Fig. 3). Tripletail landings have fluctuated
greatly on the Atlantic coast. Estimated total annual landings between 1986 and 1991 do
not include commercial landings of tripletail because they were not reported separately
from other fishes. Since 1991, Atlantic landings have fluctuated without trend but with high
landings from 1995-2002, followed by low landings in 2003, 2004, and 2005 (Fig. 3). In
2005, Atlantic coast landings were only about 104,000 pounds. After peaking at about
600,000 pounds in 1996, gulf coast landings have
