Preliminary genetic population structure of southern flounder, Paralichthys lethostigma, along the Atlantic coast and Gulf of Mexico

Abstract

, inhabit coastal waters from cial fisheries including reductions in Albemarle Sound, North Carolina to bag limits and minimum size. Should the Baja Laguna Madre del Sur in these measures fail to recover this fish­northern Mexico, but they are appar- ery, other measures may be considered ently absent from southern Florida by managers , including further restric­(Ginsburg, 1952). This species inhab- tions on harvest, or artificial propaga­its coastal bays, sounds, and lagoons tion and stocking, or both. Implemen­from spring to fall and migrates off-tation of such enhancement programs shore to spawn in late fall and winter requires that genetic surveys be con­(Stokes , 1977). Valuable sport and com- ducted to determine genetic variabili­mercial fisheries for southern flounder ty and stock structure of managed fish exist in both the northern Gulf of populations (King et al., 1995). Fail-Mexico (Warren et al.