"Understanding Bigeye Scad (Selar crumenophthalmus) in Southeast Florid" by Mariah France

Defense Date

12-2-2024

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Type

Master of Science

Degree Name

Marine Science

First Advisor

David Kerstetter, Ph.D.

Second Advisor

Nicole Kirchhoff. Ph.D.

Third Advisor

Joshua Feingold, Ph.D.

Keywords

Life history, otoliths, length-weight relationships, gonadosomatic index, stomach analysis, baitfish, fisheries, aquaculture, goggle-eye, index of relative importance

Abstract

In southeastern Florida, the bigeye scad (Selar crumenophthalmus) is highly regarded as a baitfish for targeting billfish and other large sportfishes, often commanding market prices as live bait exceeding $180 per dozen. Despite its economic significance, there is limited knowledge regarding the species within the Atlantic Ocean, especially the population that occurs in Florida. Bigeye scad were collected monthly from local bait shops in Pompano Beach, Miami, and Islamorada to assess age-growth, reproductive behaviors, and dietary habits. Specimens from May to August had the highest values for length-weight relationships and gonadsomatic index, indicative of a spawning season during the wet season (May through October). A thorough examination of stomach contents reveals that dietary composition varies with environmental conditions. Individuals collected during the dry season (November through April) exhibited highly statistically significant larger amounts of polychaetes (p < 0.001), other fishes (p = 0.01), and euphausiids (p < 0.001) than those from the wet season. These additional insights into the life history of wild bigeye scad may facilitate the development of aquaculture production as a viable alternative to the baitfish fishery.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Available for download on Thursday, January 22, 2026

Share

COinS