Survival of handled and tagged spotted seatrout held in wood and wire cages

Spotted seatrout (Cynoscion nebulosus) (209-585 mm total length) were captured by hook and line in each of six Texas bay systems and placed in wood cages during July-September 1982 and were captured by hook and line in each of seven bay systems and placed in wire cages during December 1982 - April 1983. Within each cage type, there were no significant differences (P greater than 0.05) in estimates of survival of handled and tagged fish held for 7 days. Mean coastwide survival in wood cages ranged from 37.5 plus or minus 16% to 42.5 plus or minus 12%, whereas, coastwide survival in wire cages ranged from 77.1 plus or minus 13% to 85.7 plus or minus 9%. Mean coastwide survival rates adjusted for controls was 74% and 95% for wood and wire cages, respectively. Survival in wood cages was probably less than in wire cages because some fish escaped the wood cages and were considered mortalities and because wood cages were less stable than wire.