Hongsheng Liao

Length-weight, Age, and Growth of Sheepshead in Chesapeake Bay, Virginia

Sheepshead (Archosargus probatocephalus)are an estuarine/marine member of the porgy family that have long supported large recreational fisheries along the southeastern coast of the United States with a recently expanding recreational fishery in Virginia waters of the Chesapeake Bay. Due to this expansion into Bay waters, fisheries managers need to develop a management plan for this species. However, before any management plan can be developed, a comprehensive understanding of the age structure and growth rates of fish in the population is needed. To characterize the age and growth of...