Observations on the Age and Growth of Graysby and Coney from the Southeastern United States

The graysby Epinephelus cruentatus and coney E. fulvus are two uncommon groupers occurring off the southeastern coast of the United States. Limited recreational fishery data suggest that graysbies are being landed with increasing frequency in the area. From 1979 to 1997, 118 graysbies and 55 coneys were collected from the headboat fishery operating from North Carolina through the Dry Tortugas, Florida. Ages were estimated using transverse sections of sagittal otoliths. Graysbies ranged in total length (TL) from 180 to 405 mm and in age from 4 to 13 years. Coneys ranged from 150 to 397 mm TL and from 2 to11 years old. Growth of the graysby is represented by the following models derived from back‐calculated lengths (L) at ages (t) and observed lengths at ages, respectively: Lt = 451(1 − e−0.12(t+1.24)) and Lt = 446(1 − e−0.13(t+1.51)). Coneys grew faster and had a smaller theoretical maximum size than graysbies: From back‐calculated lengths at ages, Lt = 372(1 − e−0.32(t−0.20)), and from observed lengths at ages, Lt = 385(1 − e−0.32(t−0.49)). The weight–length relationships for graysby and coney are W = 8.81 × 10−6(L)3.12 and W = 2.59 × 10−5(L)2.94, respectively, where W = whole weight (g) and L = total length (mm).