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Tournament Results |
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In 2002, the Coastal Resources Division of the Georgia Department of
Natural Resources formed a citizen advisory panel to study the issues
surrounding the use of hatchery-reared redfish as a fishery management
tool. This group of anglers, fishing guides, and scientists recommended
that information specific to Georgia was needed. This recommendation led
to the Peach State Reds Initiative (PSRI).
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The Peach State Reds Initiative is a five-year project that will take
the "responsible approach" to examining the feasibility of stocking
hatchery-reared redfish in Georgia. Adult redfish captured from Georgia
waters will be transported to the South Carolina DNR Waddell Mariculture
Center, where they will be conditioned to spawn in captivity. The
offspring of these fish will be reared to a 1- to 2-inch size before
being transported to the Wassaw estuary and released directly into
nursery habitat. |
Approximately 1,000 fingerlings will be held in
captivity until they reach a length of 8 inches at which time they will
be marked with internal anchor tags and released in a saltwater pond on
Jekyll Island. This process will take place in 2006 and 2007. The goal
is to release a minimum of 1 million hatchery-reared redfish into
Georgia's coastal waters.
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The survival of hatchery-reared redfish will be documented through
surveys of angler catches and fish population studies. The impact of
stocking on angler behavior will likewise be studied. The PSRI is
scheduled to conclude in 2009, and the results will be publicized
through meetings, press releases, and presentations. At that time, the
citizens and leadership of Georgia should be able to make an informed
decision about the future of redfish stocking. |
Size and Age:
- Juveniles to 27 Inches and 15 pounds, adults to 45 inches and 50 pounds.
- World Record: 94 pounds, 2 ounces, Georgia Record: 47 pounds, 7 ounces.
- Maximum age documented in Georgia: 41 years.
Reproduction:
- Males mature in four years at 24 to 27 inches; females mature in five years at 27 to 32 inches.
- Spawning from late summer through autumn in near-shore coastal waters, often triggered by new- or full-moon phases.
- Courtship begins in late afternoon, males drum loudly and nudge females, spawning just after dark.
- Female may release up to 1 million eggs during each spawn.
- Individual redfish can spawn several times per season.
- Fertilized eggs hatch within 24 hours; yolk sac provides sustenance for the first three days.
Habitat:
- Larval redfish are carried by tides into shallow areas of estuaries, where they suffer high mortality from rapid changes in salinity, temperature and water quality.
- Juveniles generally stay in the same estuary.
- At maturity, redfish move out of the estuaries and join other adults in schools that inhabit near-shore waters.
- Tagging studies suggest that adult redfish return to the area near their native estuary to spawn. For instance, an adult redfish tagged at the mouth of the Savannah River was captured seven years later in the same spot.
- Because estuaries are vital nursery areas, deterioration of water quality or loss of habitat pose serious threats to the future of the redfish.
Feeding Habits:
- Primarily bottom feeders. Often seen browsing head-down with tails out of the water, a behavior called "tailing."
- Small juveniles select tiny crustaceans, like copepods.
- Larger juveniles and adults target crabs, shrimp and fish.
Angling Techniques:
- Juvenile redfish are found around live oysters, the mouths of tidal creeks, and artificial structure like rock jetties, bulkheads, and dock pilings.
- Anglers targeting adult redfish seek out shoals and sandbars near tidal inlets during the spring and autumn. Large redfish are also caught on near-shore artificial reefs.
- Mullet, shrimp, and crabs are the best natural baits.
- Artificial baits include soft and hard plastic imitations of baitfish, shrimp, and crabs. Spinner baits and spoons are also effective lures.
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Home
www.PeachStateReds.org
Georgia Department of Natural Resources •
Coastal Resources Division
One Conservation Way •
Brunswick, GA 31520
(912) 264-7218 •
http://crd.drn.state.ga.us
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