Nutrient Loading Increases Red Snapper Production in the Gulf of Mexico
Abstract
'A large, annually recurring region of hypoxia has been identified in the northern Gulf of Mexico and attributed to water stratification and nutrient loading of nitrogen and phosphorus delivered by the Mississippi and Atchafalaya rivers. This nutrient loading increased nearly 300% since 1950, primarily due to increased use of agricultural fertilizers. Over this same time period, the red snapper (Lutjanus campechanus) population in the Gulf of Mexico has shifted strongly from being dominated by the eastern Gulf of Mexico to being dominated by the northern and western Gulf of Mexico, with the bulk of the current population in the same regions with significant nutrient loading from the Mississippi and Atchafalaya rivers and in or near areas with development of mid-summer hypoxic zones. The population decline of red snapper in the eastern Gulf is almost certainly attributable to overfishing, but the cause of the population increase in the northern and western Gulf is subject to broad debate, with the impact of artificial reefs (primarily oil platforms which have increased greatly since the 1960s) being the most contentious point. Nutrient loading has been shown to positively impact secondary production of fish in many marine systems. The present paper offers the hypothesis that the increased nutrient loading has contributed significantly to the increased red snapper population in the northern and western Gulf of Mexico.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 25, 2013
- Accession Number
- AD1015614
Entities
People
- Amy C. Courtney
- Joshua M. Courtney
- Michael W. Courtney
Organizations
- United States Air Force Academy