Dispatch Method:

These fish should be killed humanely by iki jime, or a firm knock to the head, before being placed in an ice slurry after bleeding. Large red drum can be energetic and therefore hard to handle. A firm knock on the head may be easier to implement to stun the fish first before attempting iki jime.

Fish Description:

• Red drum are solid fish which range in colour from a deep reddish copper to nearly silver.
  
• Red drum usually have a prominent single black spot just forward of the tail fin, but they can also be found without spots, as well as with upwards of several hundred spots (600+).
  
• Male red drum mature at two years old and 17-22 inches long, around 2 kg (4 lb) in weight, whereas females are sexually mature at about four years old (30-36 inches long) and around 6 kg (13 lb) in weight.
  
• Maximum age is around 50 years old.

Fish Distribution:

• Red drum occur in inshore and offshore waters along the Atlantic coast of North America, from Massachusetts to Florida, where they usually occur over sandy or muddy bottoms, feeding mainly on crustaceans, molluscs and fishes.
  
• They also are found throughout the Gulf of Mexico, as well as other coastal areas of the Caribbean including Mexico.
  
• Introduced populations also occur in Ecuador, Israel and Singapore.

Fish Size Common Length:

45-90 cm (16-36 inches), Maximum size around 155 cm (5 feet) and 45 kg (100 lb). World record 94 lb.