Survival of laboratory-held Texas and South Carolina red drum fingerlings exposed to extreme Texas winter temperatures

Texas and South Carolina red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus) fingerlings (40-57 mm total length) were compared to evaluate survival during laboratory-simulated winter temperature conditions. Red drum from each geographic population were spawned in fall 1987; fry were reared in separate outdoor earthen ponds. At harvest, fingerlings were transferred to indoor recirculating tanks. Fish were exposed to a water temperature regime similar to that observed along the mid-Texas coast during winter 1983-1984. Survival at study termination was similar between Texas (52.0 +- 32.4%) and South Carolina (76.0 +- 32.8%) fish. The results imply that South Carolina red drum do not offer the advantage of increased cold tolerance over that of Texas red drum.