March 29, 2021 — When LSU researchers recently set out to gather data on southern flounder, they ran into a problem: they could hardly find any in Louisiana.
It has been well-documented that their population has dropped steeply in recent years, but they were first to report the problem extended beyond the state’s waters. A study they published this month reported that the declines in the flat, football-shaped fish’s population were happening throughout their range, which spans from the Carolina to Texas.
“To see similar declines happening throughout their range was surprising and a concerning aspect,” said Kenneth Erickson, the first author on the LSU-led study. He added that it could be a potential warning sign for other aquatic life similar to southern flounder.
In recent years, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries has logged some of the lowest numbers of adult female flounder in the past four decades.