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This study tested the potential for 27 artificial reefs, which were deployed in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico (nGOM) but not reported to the public, to serve as refuges from fishing mortality for reef fishes. Red Snapper Lutjanus campechanus (n = 2,114) and Gray Triggerfish Balistes capriscus (n = 267) were tagged at a subset (n = 9) of the study reefs from winter 2005 to fall 2007 to estimate their site fidelity and mortality rates. Mortality was also estimated from catch curves fit to Red Snapper and Gray Triggerfish age distributions that were estimated at the study reefs both before (2005–2007) and after (2007–2008) the GPS coordinates of the above subset were advertised to the public. Red Snapper site fidelity (f), estimated by fitting Burnham's (1993) joint encounter model to tagging data, was 12.8% per year; while estimated instantaneous total mortality (Z) of Red Snapper ranged from 0.08 per year during the closed recreational fishing seasons to 1.31 per year during the open seasons. Sim...

Recreational fishers discard millions of red snapper (Lutjanus campechanus) annually in the northern Gulf of Mexico (nGOM), resulting in significant foregone yield. We conducted simulation modeling to evaluate the potential for hook-size regulations to improve efficiency in the recreational red snapper fishery. First, we imposed a suite of candidate parameter sets, informed by recent empirical studies, within the 2015 red snapper assessment model to estimate contact-selectivity of recreational fleets in the northeastern or northwestern GOM. We then evaluated potential hook-size regulations by imposing a suite of candidate parameter sets on future contact-selectivity of each recreational fleet, conditional on likelihood-based estimates from the first simulation exercise. In the assessment model, maximum likelihood values improved when strongly domed contact-selectivity curves with peak size approximating the current minimum length limit were imposed in either the eastern or western recreational fleet. Simulation results indicate mandating large hook sizes could modestly increase retained catch for the eastern recreational fleet while dramatically reducing the number of red snapper discarded by either fleet. Realized benefits of hook-size regulations will depend upon future fisher retention behavior, such as the intensity of live high-grading, discard mortality reduction practices, such as venting and the use of descender devices, and changes to current management regulations.

Warsaw grouper, Hyporthodus nigritus, is a western Atlantic Ocean species typically found at depths between 55 and 525 m. It is listed as a species of concern by the U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service and as near threatened by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. However, little information exists on the species' life history in the northern Gulf of Mexico (nGOM) and its stock status in that region is currently unknown. Age of nGOM Warsaw grouper was investigated via opaque zone counts in otolith thin sections (max age = 61 y), and then the bomb 14C chronometer was employed to validate the accuracy of age estimates. Otolith cores (n = 14) were analyzed with accelerator mass spectrometry and resulting Δ14C values overlain on a loess regression computed for a regional coral and known-age red snapper Δ14C time series. Residual analysis between predicted Δ14C values from the loess regression versus Warsaw grouper otolith core Δ14C values indicated no significant difference in the two data series. Therefore, the accuracy of otolith-based aging was validated, which enabled growth and longevity estimates to be made for nGOM Warsaw grouper. Dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) Δ14C values collected from the nGOM support the inference that juvenile Warsaw grouper occur in shelf waters (

An emerging ulcerative skin disease in invasive lionfish in Florida and Caribbean Sea is being tracked. Diseased lionfish were first reported in summer 2017 from the northern Gulf of Mexico with additional reports in 2018. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, University of Florida, and other fish health scientists are investigating this disease, but initial evaluations have not yet identified a cause. More advanced diagnostics are underway to better understand the factors causing this disease/syndrome and its potential to spread to other species. Researchers are also examining the lethal and chronic effects of this disease on individual fish, as well as its effect on lionfish populations, the lionfish fishery, and reef fish communities. Researchers and Extension Personnel (IFAS/SeaGrant) are asking stakeholders to report and document any ulcerated or otherwise diseased lionfish in FL and the Caribbean.

Otolith chemical signatures of Red Snapper Lutjanus campechanus from six nursery regions were used to estimate the sources of recruits to four sampling regions in the western Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) and to estimate whether postsettlement mixing of Red Snapper occurs between the U.S. and Mexican portions of the western Gulf. In a previous study, region-specific otolith signatures (element : Ca ratios: Ba:Ca, Mg:Ca, Mn:Ca, Sr:Ca, and Li:Ca; stable isotope delta values: δ13C and δ18O) were developed based on age-0 Red Snapper (2005–2007 year-classes) sampled from the six nursery areas. In the present study, subadult and adult Red Snapper (ages 1–3) belonging to those same year-classes were collected from four sampling regions within the western Gulf (two regions in U.S. waters; two regions along the Mexican continental shelf) during summer in 2006–2008. Left sagittal otoliths were used to age subadults and adults to the corresponding nursery year-classes, and right sagittal otoliths were cored for chem...

Red Snapper Lutjanus campechanus were sampled at 33 natural and 27 artificial reef sites in the northern Gulf of Mexico prior to (2009–2010) and after (2010–2011) to examine potential diet and trophic shifts following the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill. We dissected 708 stomachs for gut content analysis and processed 65 muscle tissue samples for stable isotope ratio-mass spectrometry analysis of δ13C, δ15N, and δ34S. Forty-eight percent of stomachs contained identifiable prey, which we grouped into seven categories: fish, decapods, cephalopods, stomatopods, gastropods, zooplankton, and other invertebrates. Based on these categories, Red Snapper diet was significantly different following the DWH oil spill, and was differentially affected by fish size. The interaction between habitat (natural versus artificial reefs) and DWH oil spill effects was also significant. Significant differences in diet among Red Snapper size-classes were due to low trophic position prey, such as pelagic zooplankton, bei...

Following the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill, concerns were raised regarding exposure of fish to crude oil components, particularly polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). This three year study examined hepatic enzymes in post-mitochondrial supernatant fractions from red snapper (Lutjanus campechanus) and gray triggerfish (Balistes capriscus) collected in the north central Gulf of Mexico between 2011 and 2014. Biomarker activities evaluated included benzo(a)pyrene hydroxylase (AHH), ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase (EROD), glutathione transferase (GST), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx). Mean EROD activity was higher in gray triggerfish (12.97 ± 7.15 pmol/min/mg protein [mean ± SD], n = 115) than red snapper (2.75 ± 1.92 pmol/min/mg protein, n = 194), p

The objective of this study was to evaluate whether age-0 lane snapper Lutjanus synagris otolith chemical signatures could serve as accurate proxies for those of its congener, red snapper L. campechanus, among northern Gulf of Mexico (GOM) nursery regions. Red (n = 90) and lane (n = 53) snappers were sampled from 3 regions of the northern GOM in fall 2005, and their otolith chemistry was analyzed with sector field-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrom- etry (Ba:Ca, Mg:Ca, Mn:Ca, Sr:Ca, Li:Ca) or stable isotope ratio-mass spectrometry (δ 13 C and δ 18 O). Chemical signatures were significantly different among regions (MANOVA, p < 0.001) and between species (MANOVA, p = 0.029), with the species effect being driven by significant differ- ences in 4 of the 7 constituents analyzed (ANOVA, p < 0.036). The significant region effect per- sisted (MANOVA, p < 0.001), but the species effect was non-significant (MANOVA, p = 0.964) when constituent values were normalized to species-specific means. Mean regional classification accuracies from linear discriminant functions computed with otolith constituent data were 84% for lane snapper and 80% for red snapper whether data were normalized or not. Maximum likelihood models parameterized with normalized lane snapper otolith chemistry data estimated red snapper regional composition reasonably well among mixed-region samples (mean error = 9.7% among models). Therefore, it appears age-0 lane snapper otolith chemical signatures can serve as accu- rate proxies for those of red snapper in the northern GOM. These results have broader implica- tions for deriving natural tags based on otolith chemistry for fishes that may have low abundance in parts of their range.

Circle hooks are required when targeting reef fishes in the U.S. federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico. However, limited data is available to evaluate circle hook performance (e.g., hooking location and catch rate) or selectivity in this fishery. Therefore, a fishing experiment was conducted to test the performance of a range of circle hook sizes (2/0 and 4/0 Mustad 39940BLN and 9/0, 12/0, and 15/0 Mustad 39960D) in the recreational reef fish fishery, as well as to estimate hook selectivity directly for Red Snapper Lutjanus campechanus, the most targeted reef fish in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Reef fish communities were surveyed with a micro remotely operated vehicle equipped with a laser scaler and then fished with one of five circle hook sizes. Hooking location typically was in the jaw for all hooks examined, with the mean percentage of jaw hooking being 94.1% for all reef fishes and 92.9% for Red Snapper. Fish size generally increased with hook size but at the cost of a reduced catch rate. The...

Reef fish resources provide numerous ecosystem services in the northern Gulf of Mexico (nGOM) large marine ecosystem. Artificial reefs (ARs) have been distributed across the nGOM in attempts to enhance reef fish habitat and increase fishery productivity, but few data exist to distinguish ecological from fishery functions of ARs compared to natural reefs (NRs), particularly at the regional scale. Therefore, we conducted remotely operated vehicle surveys of reef fish communities at 47 reef sites within a ~20,000 km2 area of the nGOM shelf and tested the effect of reef type (NR versus AR), depth (≤35 or >35 m), relief (≤2 m or >2 m), and complexity (low or high) on fish diversity and community structure as well as trophic guild- and species-specific densities. Twenty-one species were present at >20%, nine at >50%, and three at >75% of study reefs. Fishery species (i.e., Lutjanus campechanus, Seriola dumerili, and Rhomboplites aurorubens) and invasive Pterois volitans were frequently observed (>50% of sites) or numerically dominant, especially at ARs. Main effects did not significantly affect the presence of specific species or trophic guilds, but interactions among factors significantly affected species- and trophic guild-specific densities. Our results indicate that effects of habitat characteristics on fish communities are more nuanced than previously described. Fish communities are moderately similar at the majority of sites but specific habitat characteristics can interact to dramatically affect densities of some species, particularly those that depend on complex structures for refuge. Simple ARs tend to concentrate high densities of a few important fishery species with low densities of other small demersal reef fishes. Complex NRs with high relief also support high densities of planktivorous fishery species but greatly increase densities of small, demersal, non-fishery species that directly utilize complex reef structure for refuge.

a b s t r a c t Artificial reefs were deployed in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico (GOM) by the state of Florida's marine fisheries agency but not reported to the public in an attempt to create no-harvest refuges for exploited fishes. As part of a broader examination of the efficacy of this approach, a tagging study was conducted at a subset (n = 9) of these unreported artificial reefs to examine the likelihood that reef fishes would

Stocking catchable-size trout to create sport fisheries is based on a simple conceptual model: stocking more fish creates better fisheries that attract more anglers. Organizations typically stock v...

Background The microbiota plays an essential role in host health, particularly through competition with opportunistic pathogens. Changes in total bacterial load and microbiota structure can indicate early stages of disease, and information on the composition of bacterial communities is essential to understanding fish health. Although Red Snapper (Lutjanus campechanus) is an economically important species in recreational fisheries and a primary aquaculture candidate, no information is available on the microbial communities of this species. The aim of this study was to survey the microbiota of apparently healthy, wild-caught Red Snapper from the Gulf of Mexico. Sampled Red Snapper showed no physical signs of disease. Tissues that are either primary entry routes for pathogens (feces, gill) or essential to disease diagnosis (blood) were sampled. Bacteria were enumerated using culture-based techniques and characterized by pyrosequencing. Results Aerobic counts of feces and gill samples were 107 and 104 CFU g-1, respectively. All individuals had positive blood cultures with counts up to 23 CFU g-1. Gammaproteobacteria dominated the microbiota of all sample types, including the genera Pseudoalteromonas and Photobacterium in feces and Pseudomonas in blood and gill. Gill samples were also dominated by Vibrio while blood samples had high abundances of Nevskia. High variability in microbiota composition was observed between individuals, with percent differences in community composition ranging from 6 to 76 % in feces, 10 to 58 % in gill, and 52 to 64 % in blood. Conclusions This study provides the first characterization of the microbiota of the economically significant Red Snapper via pyrosequencing. Its role in fish health highlights the importance of understanding microbiota composition for future work on disease prevention using microbial manipulation.

The effect of circle hook size on reef fish catch rates, species composition, and selectivity was tested in the northern Gulf of Mexico recreational fishery. Fish communities first were sampled at natural (n = 19) and artificial (n = 23) reefs with a micro remotely operated vehicle (ROV) equipped with a laser scale. Fishing experiments (n = 69) then were conducted with 9/0, 12/0, and 15/0 circle hooks. Hook size significantly affected fish catch rates, species composition, and size. Small invertivore fishes constituted 33.4% of the catch taken with 9/0 hooks, but were nearly absent from the catch made with larger hook sizes. In contrast, red snapper, Lutjanus campechanus (Poey, 1860), constituted only 25.3% of fishery species total abundance in video samples, but ranged from 59.1% of the 9/0 hook catch to nearly 90% for 15/0 hooks. A novel maximum likelihood approach was developed to estimate exponential-logistic selectivity functions for each hook size from ROV-based estimates of red snapper size distributions and observed hook-specific catch at size. Both the 9/0 and 12/0 hooks displayed dome-shaped selectivity functions, while the 15/0 hook size was estimated to have a logistic-shaped function. However, observed catch-at-size data displayed a dome-shaped pattern for 15/0 catches when paired with 9/0 hooks, but an indistinct pattern when paired with 12/0 hooks. Overall, study results suggest that regulating circle hook size would affect reef fish catch rates and size in the northern Gulf of Mexico recreational fishery, but potential conservation benefits may be confounded by unintended effects.

Fish community and trophic structure were examined quarterly from fall 2004 through spring 2007 at 27 artificial reef sites located 15-20 mi south of Pensacola, Florida. Location of study sites was not reported to the public when reef modules were deployed in 2003, thus sites were presumed to be unfished. Community structure estimates were derived from video sampling that was performed with a micro remotely operated vehicle (ROV) equipped with a laser scale to estimate fish size. A total of 81,207 individuals from 77 different taxa was enumerated from video samples. Fish assemblages were dynamic in species richness, fish community structure, and trophic structure across time and by reef design. Total fish density, biomass, and species richness increased across time. Red snapper, Lutjanus campechanus (Poey, 1860), was by far the most abundant species (29% of individuals, 45% of total biomass), and its density and biomass increased over the course of the study. Differences in fish community structure were driven by sharp declines in grouper abundance and the proliferation of smaller fishes across time. Trophic structure was consistently dominated by invertivore/piscivores, while fluctuation in piscivore biomass and increased abundance of planktivores drove differences in trophic structure. Size distributions for many fishery species known to display low annual site fidelity were composed primarily of young, sub-legal individuals. Disappearance with increasing fish size was likely due to shifting ontogenetic habitat requirements or exposure to high regional fishing mortality for species that displayed low annual site fidelity to study sites.

Otolith chemical signatures were evaluated as natural tags to distinguish wild from hatchery-produced juvenile red snapper Lutjanus campechanus. Otoliths were sampled from 59 hatchery-reared fish and 146 wild fish collected over the continental shelf from northwest Florida to Texas. One sagitta from each fish was cleaned, dissolved in ultrapure nitric acid, and analyzed with sector field inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry to test for differences in otolith element:Ca ratios (Ba:Ca, Li:Ca, Mg:Ca, Mn:Ca, and Sr:Ca) between wild and hatchery fish. The second sagitta was cleaned, ground to a fine powder, and analyzed with stable isotope ratio mass spectrometry to test for differences in delta (δ) values of the stable isotopes 13C and 18O. Significant differences existed in otolith chemical signatures between hatchery and wild juveniles (multivariate analysis of variance, Pillai's trace: P < 0.001). Jackknifed classification accuracies from linear discriminant function analysis indicated tha...

Experiments were conducted to test whether coring and pulverizing juvenile red snapper otoliths affected their chemical signatures, which consisted of element:Ca ratios (Ba:Ca, Li:Ca, Mg:Ca, Mn:Ca, and Sr:Ca) and stable isotope delta values (δ13C and δ18O). Analysis of otolith pairs revealed no significant difference in elemental (Hotelling’s paired T2, p = 0.954) or stable isotope signatures (Hotelling’s paired T2, p = 0.991) between whole right versus whole left otoliths. Pulverizing otoliths did not contaminate elemental signatures (Hotelling’s paired T2, p = 0.726), but elemental signatures were significantly different in otolith cores versus whole otoliths (Hotelling’s paired T2, p = 0.015). Specifically, significant differences were detected in Ba:Ca, Mn:Ca, and Li:Ca between whole right versus cored left otoliths (paired t-test, p ≤ 0.012 for each), which resulted from systematic differences of slightly higher Ba:Ca and Mn:Ca in cored versus whole otoliths, while the opposite was true for Li:Ca. Stable isotope signatures also were significantly different between pulverized whole right versus cored and pulverized left otolith cores (Hotelling’s paired T2, p = 0.007), which was driven by slightly lower δ13C and δ18O values in otolith cores versus whole otoliths (paired t-test, p ≤ 0.007 for each). However, no significant differences were found in either elemental or stable isotope signatures between whole right and cored left otoliths when residuals of right versus residuals of left signatures were analyzed (Hotelling’s paired T2, p ≥ 0.992). Overall, study results indicate extracted otolith cores reflect the chemistry of whole age-0 red snapper otoliths, but residuals should be modeled to account for systematic ontogenetic shifts observed in some constituents. Alternatively, cores of age-0 otoliths, instead of whole otoliths, could be analyzed initially to derive nursery-specific chemical signatures such that material later extracted from adult cores would correspond to the same dimensions as the otolith material originally assayed in age-0 otoliths.

In the original publication, the Acknowledgements section has been published incorrectly. The corrected Acknowledgements is given in this correction

The Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico (GOM) stocks of king mackerel Scomberomorus cavalla are genetically distinct but have overlapping winter ranges around South Florida. Understanding the factors driving the relative contribution of each stock to South Florida winter landings is necessary for effective management. The contribution of the Atlantic stock was estimated for the 2006–2007 and 2007–2008 fishing seasons using otolith shape as a natural tag. Analysis of otolith shapes from king mackerel sampled in summer (when the Atlantic and GOM stocks were presumed to be geographically separated) revealed significant sex and stock effects. Discriminant function analysis conducted with otolith morphometric indices and Fourier harmonic amplitudes as classification variables produced jackknifed classification success rates ranging from 60% to 73%. Maximum likelihood estimates of the Atlantic stock's contribution to winter landings indicated that there was a spatial gradient, the lowest contribution (me...

This study documents ontogenetic habitat shifts of red snapper ( Lutjanus campechanus ) and highlights possible impacts of shrimp trawling on age-0 fish life history parameters on the northern Gulf of Mexico (GOM) continental shelf. Red snapper were collected quarterly during 2004 and 2005 over sand, low-relief shell rubble, high-relief shell rubble, and natural high-relief reef habitats within a de facto nontrawl area and in similar habitats on the open shelf where commercial shrimp trawling occurred. Age-0 red snapper were most dense over sand and low-relief shell rubble habitats and moved to higher-relief shell rubble and natural reef habitats by age-1. Habitat-specific daily growth rates of age-0 fish were highest over sand (range 0.65–1.03 mm·day–1). Densities of age-0 red snapper were highest over trawled sand, but higher over nontrawled shell rubble by 6 months of age (age-0.5+). Red snapper collected over sand and low-relief shell rubble areas exposed to trawling had truncated size distributions, higher mortality estimates, and lower production potential (the latter evaluated with G–Z and P–B ratios) compared with fish over nontrawled areas of similar habitat. Results suggest that juvenile red snapper residing over nontrawled areas may have a higher probability of survival than fish in areas exposed to commercial shrimp trawling.

Wells, R. J. D., James H. Cowan Jr, and William F. Patterson III. 2008. Habitat use and the effect of shrimp trawling on fish and invertebrate communities over the northern Gulf of Mexico continental shelf. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 65: 1610–1619. The goals of this study were to characterize habitat-specific fish and invertebrate community structure over sand, shell-rubble, and natural reef substrata, and to assess the effects of trawling on the sand and shell-rubble habitats and their associated communities during quarterly trawl surveys over a 2-year period. Fish and invertebrate communities differed significantly among habitat types [analysis of similarities (ANOSIM); Global R = 0.436, p < 0.001), and with respect to trawling exposure (ANOSIM; Global R = 0.128, p < 0.001). Habitat characteristics were quantified from video transects sampled with a remotely operated vehicle, and included percentage coverage of tubeworms, bryozoans, anemones, corals, and algae, significantly affecting fish community structure. Diversity indices differed among habitats, with the highest Shannon diversity (H′) and Pielou's evenness (J′) over shell-rubble, specifically non-trawled shell-rubble. In addition, higher values of H′ and J′ were found over trawled sand relative to non-trawled sand habitats. Length frequency distributions of several abundant fish species showed truncated size distributions over trawled and non-trawled habitats and were both habitat- and species-specific. The study describes habitat-specific differences in community structure, highlighting the differences between trawled and non-trawled areas on the northern Gulf of Mexico continental shelf.

The ability to estimate fish abundance accurately over a particular habitat is contingent upon the use of appropriate sampling methods. The objectives of this study were to compare the catch per unit area (A), length-specific bias, and relative catchability (q-ratio) of four different gear types for sampling red snapper (Lutjanus campechanus) over natural low-relief reef habitats on the inner continental shelf of the northern Gulf of Mexico. Specifically, our goal was to assess the overall performance of a standard otter trawl, a small fish trap, a chevron trap, and a stationary 4-camera underwater video array during six quarterly sampling cruises performed in 2004 and 2005. The sizes of snapper captured by trawls ranged from 30 to 250 mm total length (TL) (ages 0 and 1 yr). Trawls captured the most red snapper per unit area and had q-ratios of 3:1 to 5:1 relative to small fish traps for juvenile red snapper. The chevron trap collected the second highest number of red snapper and proved most useful at collecting red snapper from 150 to 440 mm TL (ages 1–5 yr). The q-ratio of the chevron trap relative to the underwater video array was approximately 3:1. Our comparison demonstrated the chevron trap is most effective for sampling adults, while trawls were the most effective gear for sampling age-0 yr fish.

We examined otolith chemistry of age-0 red snapper Lutjanus campechanus in U.S. waters of the northern Gulf of Mexico (GOM) to determine if otolith elemental signatures could be employed as natural tags to estimate postsettlement population connectivity. Fish (n = 755) belonging to five successive year-classes (1996-2000) were sampled from three GOM regions. Solution-based analysis of otolith chemistry was accomplished with sector field-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (Ba, Mg, Mn, and Sr) and inductively coupled plasma-optical emissions spectrometry (Ca). Several regional trends observed for individual elements were consistent among year-classes, yet elemental signatures were significantly different among years as well as among regions (multivariate analysis of variance [MANOVA]; p < 0.001). Jackknifed classification accuracies from linear discriminant function analysis approached 80% (mean = 78.4%) in all years except 1998 (62.4%). Overall, these results indicate otolith elemental s...

A tagging study of adult red snapper Lutjanus campechanus was conducted in an area of artificial reefs in the northcentral Gulf of Mexico during March 1995 through August 1999. A total of 2,932 red snapper angled at nine artificial reef tagging sites were measured and tagged with internal anchor tags. Tagged fish were either released over their site of capture or transported to another tagging site for release. Of the 561 recaptures made of 519 fish (42 multiple recaptures), 235 recaptures were made at tagging sites on subsequent tagging trips and 326 recoveries were reported by recreational and commercial fishers. Mean distance moved was 29.6 km; the farthest distance moved was 352 km. Mean time at liberty was 404 d; the longest time at liberty was 1,501 d. During the study, two strong hurricanes passed near the study area. The occurrence of hurricanes significantly affected the probability of red snapper movement, as did time at liberty, total length of fish tagged, and transportation of fish t...

Background: BGB-283 is a novel inhibitor of the RAF dimer with potent and reversible inhibitory activities against RAF family kinases including wild type A-RAF, B-RAF, C-RAF and B-RAF V600E, as well as EGFR. BGB-283 demonstrated acceptable safety and early clinical activity in its Phase 1A study. In this Phase IB dose expansion study, we further evaluated safety and tolerability of BGB-283 and investigated efficacy in pre-selected patients (pts) with B-RAF or K-RAS/N-RAS-mutated solid tumors. Methods: This Phase 1B study was a multicenter, open-label, multiple-arm, dose expansion study. Pts were treated at the RP2D of BGB-283 at 30 mg/day. There were 10 different expansion arms for: B-RAF V600-mutated melanoma (not previously treated with a B-RAF or MEK inhibitor, and B-RAF and/or MEK inhibitor-resistant pts), colorectal cancer (CRC), non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) and other solid tumors with B-RAF mutations; K-RAS/N-RAS-mutated endometrial cancer, NSCLC, CRC, and other solid tumors with K-RAS/N-RAS or NF-1 mutations. The primary end point was the response rate based on RECIST Version 1.1. Adverse events (AEs) are reported per CTCAE V4.03. Results: As of 19th Sep 2016, 96 pts were enrolled: median age was 63 years (range: 20 to 82 years) with all pts having baseline ECOG PS of 0 or 1. Forty-seven (49.0%) subjects had received ≥3 prior lines of treatment, 22 (22.9%) had received 2 prior lines of treatment, and 18 (18.8%) had received 1 prior line of treatment. BGB-283 was generally well-tolerated. Drug-related AEs were mostly Grade 1/2 in severity; the most common were fatigue in 37 (38.5%) subjects, nausea in 16 (16.7%), decreased appetite in 21 (21.9%), and diarrhea in 17 (17.7%). A total of 34 (35.4%) subjects experienced study drug-related Grade 3/4 AEs, notably drug-related thrombocytopenia (6.3%), palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia syndrome (1.0%) and hypertension (8.3%). In the cohorts with previously-untreated B-RAF V600-mutated melanoma (n=7), PTC with B-RAF mutation (n=3) and NSCLC with K-RAS mutation (n=6), the response rates were 42.9% (95% confidence interval [CI], 9.9, 81.6), 33.3% (95% CI, 0.8, 90.6) and 16.7% (95% [0.4, 64.1]), respectively. Confirmed PR was seen in the single case of ovarian cancer with B-RAF mutation enrolled and also in one of 4 melanoma subjects with a confirmed B-RAF V600 mutation, who had not responded to B-RAF and/or MEK inhibitor(s). One unconfirmed PR was found in two NSCLC subjects with a B-RAF mutation. Conclusions: BGB-283 was generally well-tolerated during the Phase 1B stage of the study. Antitumor activity was not only observed in subjects with B-RAF V600-mutated solid tumors including melanoma, PTC, and ovarian cancer, but also in subjects with K-RAS-mutated NSCLC. When added to the efficacy data in the Phase IA portion of this study, with objective responses noted in these tumor subtypes as well as in K-RAS-mutated endometrial carcinoma, BGB-283 demonstrated a desirable risk-benefit profile for further efficacy and safety investigation. Citation Format: Jayesh Desai, Hui Gan, Catherine Barrow, Michael B. Jameson, Ben Solomon, Victoria Atkinson, Andrew Haydon, Michael Millward, Stephen Begbie, Michael Brown, Benjamin Markman, William Patterson, Andrew Hill, Lisa Horvath, Adnan Nagrial, Gary Richardson, Christopher Jackson, Michael Friedlander, David Gibbs, Phillip Parente, Jason Yang, Lai Wang, Yunxin Chen, Lusong Luo. A Phase IB study of RAF dimer inhibitor BGB-283 in patients with B-RAF or K-RAS/N-RAS mutated solid tumors [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr CT002. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-CT002

Identifying and protecting shark nurseries is a common management strategy used to help rebuild overfished stocks, yet we know little about connectivity between juvenile and adult populations. By analysing trace metals incorporated into vertebral cartilage, it may be possible to infer natal origin based on nursery-specific chemical signatures. To assess the efficacy of this approach, we collected juvenile blacktip sharks (Carcharhinus limbatus; n = 93) from four regions in the Gulf of Mexico in 2012 and 2013 and analysed their vertebral centra with laser ablation–inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry. We observed significant regional differences in six element:Ca ratios in both 2012 and 2013. Multi-element chemical signatures were significantly different among regions and between year-classes. Year-class-specific linear discriminant function analysis yielded regional classification accuracies of 81% for 2012 and 85% for 2013, although samples were not obtained from all four regions in 2012. Combining year-classes resulted in an overall classification accuracy of 84%, thus demonstrating the usefulness of this approach. These results are encouraging yet highlight a need for more research to better evaluate the efficacy of vertebral chemistry to study elasmobranch population connectivity.

Otolith chemical signatures were used to estimate the number of likely nursery sources that contributed recruits to a suite of red snapper (Lutjanus campechanus) year-classes sampled in 2012 in US Atlantic Ocean waters from southern Florida (28°N) to North Carolina (34°N). Otoliths from subadult and adult fish (n=139; ages 2–5 years) were cored and their chemical constituents analysed for δ13C, δ18O, as well as the elemental ratios of Ba:Ca, Mg:Ca, Mn:Ca and Sr:Ca. Results from multiple linear regression analyses indicated that there was significant latitudinal variation for δ13C, Ba:Ca, Mg:Ca and Mn:Ca. Therefore, these variables were used to parameterise Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) models computed to estimate the most likely number of nursery sources to each age class. Results from MCMC models indicated that between two and seven nursery sources were equally plausible among the four age classes examined, but the likely number of nursery sources declined for fish aged 4 and 5 years because of apparent mixing between more northern and more southern signatures. Overall, there is evidence to reject the null hypothesis that a single nursery source contributed recruits among the age classes examined, but increased sample size from a broader geographic range may be required to refine estimates of the likely number of nursery sources.

The most controversial fishery in U.S. waters of the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) is for northern red snapper Lutjanus campechanus, which collapsed in the late 1980s when stock biomass became too low to be fished commercially in the eastern Gulf. Red snapper management began in 1989; the stock is now showing signs of recovery. The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council has been slow to sufficiently reduce catches of the directed fisheries to rebuild the stock in a timely fashion, although compliance with the Magnuson-Stevens Reauthorization Act of 2006 (MSRA) required substantial cuts in the harvest of red snapper beginning in 2007. In our opinion, this could have been avoided if conservative management practices had been adopted earlier. We believe that ‘faith-based fisheries’ arguments have been used to defer effective management of red snapper in the Gulf, which in turn has strained the relationship between science, management, and stakeholders there. We provide a simple empirical argument and alternate interpretations of a recently published perspective on the historical fishery of red snapper in the Gulf to conclude that the preponderance of evidence used in the agency stock assessment process, and the simple arguments made here, do not support the perspective that the red snapper stock has increased in size sufficiently to defer compliance with the MSRA.