Spot
Leiostomus xanthurus

Spot is an important recreational and commercial estuarine-dependent species that is widely distributed from Massachusetts through the Gulf of Mexico (Weinstein, 1983; Philips et al., 1989). Adults spawn offshore during winter and newly recruited juveniles can be found in estuarine waters beginning in December or January (Weinstein, 1983; Philips et al., 1989). In our collections, juvenile spot first appeared in January with peaks in abundance occurring between February and April. Spot can be collected throught the year although catches diminish with the beginning of fall emigration of adult fish out of the estuary.

Phillips, J. M., M. T. Huish, J. H. Kerby, and D. P. Moran, C. R. 1989. Species Profiles: Life histories and Environmental Requirements of Coastal Fishes and Invertebrates (Mid-Atlantic): Spot. Biological Report 82(11.98) TR EL-82-4: 13p.

Weinstein, M. P. 1983. Population dynamics of an estauarine dependent fish, Leiostomus xanthurus, along a tidal creek-seagrass meadow coenocline. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Science 40:1633-1638.

CATCH STATISTICS
Catch statistics for dominant taxa collected in beach-and-boat set seine samples during Volusia County fixed station sampling, 1993-1996. Percent (%) is the percent of the total catch represented by that species; percent occurrence is the percentage of samples in which the species was collected; Stderr is the standard error of the mean.