Research Index

Red Snapper Aquaculture

The red snapper, Lutjanus campechanus, supports a valuable fishery in the Gulf of Mexico and has been designated as an overfished species by NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries).

Need

• Development of a red snapper aquaculture component of the commercial marine aquaculture industry
• Development of techniques for use of hatchery-reared red snapper as a tool in fishery management and stock rebuilding

Culture of Red Snapper

• Wild caught red snapper (Figure 1) are induced to spawn and the eggs are fertilized artificially. (Figure 2).
• Eggs are hatched in egg incubators (Figure 3).
• Larvae (Figure 4) are fed tiny copepod larvae (Figure 5).
• Postlarval juveniles are reared in larger tanks (Figure 6).
• Juveniles are tagged with coded wire tags (Figure 7).
• Tagged juveniles are transported offshore (Figure 8) and released onto artificial reefs (Figure 9, 10).
• Released fish have been recaptured as much as two years after tagging and release (Figure 11).

Figure 1. Red Snapper spawners.

Figure 2. Artificial spawning of Red Snapper female

Figure 3. Egg hatching vessels.

Figure 4. Newly hatched Red Snapper larva.

Figure 5. Copepod larva used for red snapper food.

Figure 6. Rearing system for juvenile red snapper

Figure 7. Juvenile snapper being tagged with coded wire prior to release.

Figure 8. Tagged fish being transported to offshore site in fish boxes

Figure 9. Divers taking fish to artificial reef

Figure 10 Released fish on artificial reef

Figure 11. Recaptured fish

Red Snapper Aquaculture Team

• Jeffrey M. Lotz, Ph.D.
• John Ogle, M.S.
• Jason Lemus, Ph.D. Post-Doctoral Research Associate
• Angelos Apeitos, M.S. Student
• Casey Nicholson, Technician