Southern flounder disappearing

LSU researchers recently set out to gather data on southern flounder, but ran into a problem: They could hardly find any in Louisiana. Their population has dropped significantly over recent years, but they were first to report the problem extended beyond Louisiana waters. They published a study in March that reported the declines in fish’s population from the Carolinas to Texas. The range of the potential problem could be a warning for other aquatic life similar to the southern flounder, according to Kenneth Erickson, main author on the LSU study. The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries has recorded some of the lowest numbers of adult female flounder in the past 40 years. Yet, the cause is unclear. Wildlife officials/researchers suspect the declines have more to do with the population becoming increasingly more masculine (sex is determined after birth and based on water temperatures). It could also be environmental changes - warmer water temperatures in the marshy estuaries where they give birth and grow before going to sea. Warmer water tends to cause more male flounder. If that happens often enough, it could create a bottleneck in their ability to repopulate. (Source: NOLA.com 03/27/21) LSU study finds Southern flounder are disappearing throughout their habitat, including Louisiana | Environment | theadvocate.com