Spot,
Leiostomus xanthurus, occur along the U.S. Atlantic coast
in estuarine and coastal waters from the Gulf of Maine to Florida,
although they are most abundant from Chesapeake Bay to South Carolina.
They support important recreational and commercial fisheries in
the South Atlantic, although year-to-year fluctuations in landings
are common. This is because spot are short-lived and the catch
in most years consists of a single year-class, the strength of
which is variable. Over the past decade, commercial harvest has
averaged 5.9 million pounds, whereas recreational harvest has
averaged 3.2 million pounds. Recreational harvest surpassed commercial
harvest for the first time in 2006.
A coastwide
stock assessment of spot has not been conducted, primarily due
to the lack of data appropriate for an assessment. However, several
states are now collecting and analyzing more data on the catch
rates of spot in the fisheries and research surveys, as well as
changes in the composition of the catch. These data should help
to provide an indication of spot abundance in the future.
Spot are managed
under their original Fishery Management Plan approved in 1987.
The Plan recognized the lack of biological and fisheries data
necessary for effective management of the resource, and thus provided
few regulatory recommendations but a number of research recommendations
to improve data availability. As a result, substantial progress
has been made in reducing the bycatch of spot, which should provide
sufficient protection to the spot population until an assessment
can be completed. <species
profile> <stock
status> <commercial
and recreational landings> <state
regulations> <habitat
fact sheet>
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