Managed reef fish in the Atlantic Ocean of the southeastern United States (SEUS) support a multi-billion dollar industry. There is a broad interest in locating and protecting spawning fish from harvest, to enhance productivity and reduce the potential for overfishing. We assessed spatiotemporal cues for spawning for six species from four reef fish families, using data on individual spawning condition collected by over three decades of regional fishery-independent reef fish surveys, combined with a series of predictors derived from bathymetric features. We quantified the size of spawning areas used by reef fish across many years and identified several multispecies spawning locations. We quantitatively identified cues for peak spawning and generated predictive maps for Gray Triggerfish (Balistes capriscus), White Grunt (Haemulon plumierii), Red Snapper (Lutjanus campechanus), Vermilion Snapper (Rhomboplites aurorubens), Black Sea Bass (Centropristis striata), and Scamp (Mycteroperca phenax). For example, Red Snapper peak spawning was predicted in 24.7–29.0°C water prior to the new moon at locations with high curvature in the 24–30 m depth range off northeast Florida during June and July. External validation using scientific and fishery-dependent data collections strongly supported the predictive utility of our models. We identified locations where reconfiguration or expansion of existing marine protected areas would protect spawning reef fish. We recommend increased sampling off southern Florida (south of 27° N), during winter months, and in high-relief, high current habitats to improve our understanding of timing and location of reef fish spawning off the southeastern United States.

Pileus yellow to brown. Sporophore large; stipe i cm. or more thick. Context decidedly bitter. i. T.felleus. Context not bitter. 2. T. indecisus. Sporophore usually small; stipe about 5 mm. thick, never reticulate. 3-T. gracilis. Pileus black or blackish; tubes becoming blackish when wounded. 4. T. alboater. i. TYLOPILUS FELLEUS (Bull.) P. Karst. Pileus thick, convex, usually 8-15 cm. broad, sometimes reaching a diameter of over 40 cm.; surface smooth, glabrous, variable in color, usually some shade of tan or chestnut, often pink or purplish when young; margin entire, concolorous; context white, often tinged with pink where wounded, at first firm but soft and yielding in older specimens, decidedly bitter, especially when young, sometimes losing its bitter taste with age; tubes adnate, depressed, 1-2 cm. long, slender, white, colored at maturity with the flesh-colored spores, mouths angular, of medium size, edges thin, entire; spores fusiform, smooth, fleshcolored, 8-1 1 X 3-4 M; stipe cylindric, enlarged below, glabrous, subconcolorous, usually reticulate above, and sometimes entirely to the base, firm, solid, becoming spongy in large specimens, 5-12 cm. long, 1.5-2.5 cm. thick. Extremely common in woods throughout temperate North America, often reaching a foot or more in diameter. It is very bitter and therefore inedible.

Understanding of the early life history of Red Snapper Lutjanus campechanus throughout the U.S. Atlantic Ocean (hereafter, “Atlantic”) is limited, in part, due to the paucity of juveniles (<150 mm TL) collected in long‐term fishery‐independent surveys in the region. This is in sharp contrast to the Gulf of Mexico (hereafter, “Gulf”), where juvenile Red Snapper have been consistently collected in surveys. This apparent regional disparity is poorly understood. Red Snapper nursery habitats may differ between the Atlantic and the Gulf, previous Atlantic surveys may not have included important nursery habitat, or sampling gear used in the Atlantic may not be effective at collecting juveniles. A 2‐year fishery‐independent study was conducted along the Atlantic coast of Florida to test whether juvenile Red Snapper could be effectively sampled with two types of gear not commonly used there: a semi‐balloon trawl like those used in long‐term groundfish surveys in the Gulf and small‐mesh Z‐traps. In total, 194 Red Snapper were collected in the trawl samples and 202 Red Snapper were collected in the Z‐trap samples—mostly juveniles (age 0 and age 1) captured in nearshore waters (<30 m deep). Like the Gulf, shallow coastal waters in the Atlantic likely function as nursery habitat for Red Snapper. Primarily small age‐0 Red Snapper were collected during trawl sampling, which targeted unconsolidated nonreef habitats, whereas larger age‐0 and age‐1 and older Red Snapper were collected during trap sampling, which targeted hard‐bottom reef habitats. Although this study represents the most successful sampling of juvenile Red Snapper in the Atlantic to date, further research is required to delineate the northern and southern extents of Red Snapper nursery grounds. Nevertheless, our results provide a framework for developing a fishery‐independent survey that targets juvenile Red Snapper in the Atlantic to provide valuable data for quantifying recruitment and monitoring the status and recovery of this economically important species.

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