Reproductive Biology of Blue Runner (Caranx crysos) from the Eastern Gulf of Mexico

Abstract

Blue runner were obtained from commercial fisheries in south Florida, northwest Florida, and the Mississippi Delta. Monthly mean gonadosomatic indices indicated that peak spawning occurred in June, July, and August for all areas with a secondary peak in October for northwest Florida. The spawning season was confirmed for the south Florida collection by histological examination of gonads. Probit analysis of 185 northwest Florida blue runner captured during peak spawning months indicated a length-at-maturity of 267 mm. Fecundity varied from 41,000 ova in a 243·mm·FL, 288-gram fish to 1,546,000 ova in a 385·mm·FL, 1,076-gram fish. Sex ratios were 1.15F:1M for Mississippi Delta, 1.66F:1M for northwest Florida and 1.91F:1M for south Florida.