Although catch-and-release fishing tournaments undoubtedly reduce mortality of target species, postrelease mortality and fish stockpiling at release sites remain common concerns related to these tournaments. The impacts of live-release tournaments on freshwater species have been widely studied. However, research on estuarine sport fishes is lacking even though catch-and-release tournaments targeting these species are prevalent and popular recreational fisheries exist. Therefore, we estimated the post-weigh-in mortality and dispersal of Red Drum Sciaenops ocellatus and Spotted Seatrout Cynoscion nebulosus released from the 2016–2018 Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo live-weigh-in categories using acoustic telemetry. To concurrently estimate overall post-weigh-in mortality and dispersal, we used a Bayesian multistate model. Overall Red Drum post-weigh-in mortality (median = 6.12%; posterior credible interval [CrI] = 5.67–9.24%) was lower than overall Spotted Seatrout mortality (median = 30.63%; CrI = 26.74–40.00%). These estimates were within reported catch-and-release mortality ranges; however, they were higher than recent estimates for Spotted Seatrout. Within 1 week postrelease, Spotted Seatrout dispersal estimates (median = 87.03%; CrI = 72.96–95.72%) were higher than Red Drum (median = 55.62%; CrI = 42.75–68.10%) or Micropterus spp. in coastal and inland ecosystems. Long-term stockpiling at the release site was also not present; at the end of our 8-week observation period, median dispersal estimates were 94.41% (CrI = 87.15–98.19%) and 98.54% (CrI = 93.68–99.82%) for Red Drum and Spotted Seatrout, respectively. Red Drum fisheries may benefit most from live-release tournaments given that maximum mortality was <10%, but Spotted Seatrout fisheries may also benefit, especially if considerations are made to further reduce tournament mortality. Although we do not know the ratio of tournament mortality to recreational harvest for these species, live-release tournaments may be able to relieve some harvest pressure on heavily exploited inshore marine fisheries and research validating their usefulness should continue.

中文翻译：

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Red Drum 和 Spotted Seatrout Live-Release Tournament 死亡率和扩散

尽管捕捞和释放钓鱼比赛无疑会降低目标物种的死亡率，但释放后的死亡率和放生地点的鱼类储存仍然是与这些比赛相关的常见问题。现场释放锦标赛对淡水物种的影响已得到广泛研究。然而，尽管针对这些物种的捕捞和放生比赛很普遍并且存在流行的休闲渔业，但缺乏对河口运动鱼类的研究。因此，我们估计了 Red Drum Sciaenops ocellatus和 Spotted Seatrout Cynoscion nebulosus的称重后死亡率和扩散使用声学遥测技术从 2016-2018 年阿拉巴马州深海捕鱼圈地实时称重类别发布。为了同时估计总体称重后死亡率和扩散，我们使用了贝叶斯多状态模型。总体 Red Drum 称重后死亡率（中位数 = 6.12%；后可信区间 [CrI] = 5.67–9.24%）低于整体斑点海鳟死亡率（中位数 = 30.63%；CrI = 26.74–40.00%）。这些估计值在报告的捕获和释放死亡率范围内；然而，它们高于最近对 Spotted Seatrout 的估计。在发布后 1 周内，Spotted Seatrout 的传播估计值（中位数 = 87.03%；CrI = 72.96–95.72%）高于 Red Drum（中位数 = 55.62%；CrI = 42.75–68.10%）或Micropterus属 在沿海和内陆生态系统中。发布地点的长期储存也不存在；在我们为期 8 周的观察期结束时，Red Drum 和 Spotted Seatrout 的中位扩散估计值分别为 94.41% (CrI = 87.15–98.19%) 和 98.54% (CrI = 93.68–99.82%)。考虑到最大死亡率 <10%，红鼓渔业可能从实时释放锦标赛中受益最大，但斑点海鳟渔业也可能受益，特别是如果考虑进一步降低锦标赛死亡率。虽然我们不知道这些物种的锦标赛死亡率与休闲捕捞的比率，但现场释放锦标赛可能能够缓解一些受到严重开发的近海海洋渔业的捕捞压力，并且应该继续研究验证其实用性。