Spawning and Grow-out Trials with Red Drum in South Carolina
Increasing interest in the farming of red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus) has resulted in research and development activities with this species at the Waddell Mariculture Center in South Carolina. Red drum adults were captured from tidal impoundments and held in ponds until being moved to tanks for spawning during their natural reproductive season. Three females averaging 11 kg spawned 9 million eggs, 50% of which hatched. The fry were reared to fingerlings in fertilized ponds. Survival of fry to fingerlings was 24%. Survival of fingerlings through their first winter was 57%. Simultaneously,...
