Initial survival of red drum fingerlings stocked in Texas bays during 1983.

Red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus) were stocked in the San Antonio Bay system during May 1983 and in the Corpus Christi Bay system during September and November 1983. Random samples of fish from each load of stocked fish were placed in cages to determine initial 24-h survival after release. There were no significant differences (P >= 0.01) in survival among stocking dates, suggesting differences in the condition of fingerlings among stocking. Mean survival ranged from 62.0 +/- 14.8% on 28 May to 98.7 +/- 2.3% on 12 September. Overall survival of red drum fingerlings held in cages was 89.4 +/- 2.7%, indicating that harvesting, transporting and stocking procedures currently used are adequate for survival of stocked fish. This program, therefore, has a potential for rebuilding overharvested populations of red drum.