Nassau grouper migration patterns during full moon suggest collapsed historic fish spawning aggregation and evidence of an undocumented aggregation

Stump, Kristine; Dahlgren, Craig P.; Sherman, Krista D.; Knapp, Charles

doi:10.5343/bms.2016.1042

Cited by 21 publications

(30 citation statements)

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“…Tissue samples from living fish (n = 186) were collected with permission from the Department of Marine Resources during 10 research cruises (see Acknowledgements). Nassau grouper were captured via fish traps or divers using hand-held nets in water depths ranging from 4.6 to 32 m. Fish were slowly brought to the surface and processed using methods described by Stump et al (2017). Nassau grouper were Floy TM tagged, measured (standard length, SL and total length, TL to the nearest 0.1 centimeter), and a small (∼5 × 5 mm) tissue sample was removed from the anal or dorsal fin.…”

Section: Study Area and Sample Collectionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Secondly, adult Nassau grouper can undertake long migrations (>300 km) to participate in annual transient FSAs (Bolden, 2000;Domeier, 2012;Dahlgren et al, 2016a;Stump et al, 2017). Telemetry studies have demonstrated that adults exhibit philopatry to specific FSAs (Starr et al, 2007;Dahlgren et al, 2016a).…”

Section: Genetic Diversity Differentiation and Demographic Analysesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Telemetry studies have demonstrated that adults exhibit philopatry to specific FSAs (Starr et al, 2007;Dahlgren et al, 2016a). It is likely therefore, that the population dynamics of Nassau grouper is influenced by both adult migration to and from FSAs via continental shelf margins (Bolden, 2000;Stump et al, 2017), FSA site fidelity (Sala et al, 2001;Starr et al, 2007;Dahlgren et al, 2016a), larval dispersal (Colin, 1992;Shenker et al, 1993) and ocean currents (Colin et al, 1997;Paris, 2009;Paris et al, 2013). Ocean circulation patterns in The Bahamas show predominately northerly flowing currents (Figure 1); however, these patterns are not static and exhibit considerable complexity (Gunn and Watt, 1982;Colin, 1992Colin, , 1995.…”

Section: Genetic Diversity Differentiation and Demographic Analysesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This has helped to focus conservation management efforts with fisheries management regulations now implemented in a number of countries where Nassau grouper still exist, with recent reports from the Cayman Islands and the United States Virgin Islands of population recovery (USVI; Kadison et al, 2010;Heppell et al, 2012). More generally, however, stock assessment data are deficient and marked declines in commercial landings, FSA abundance and densities on reef habitats have been documented in The Bahamas despite regulatory policies Dahlgren et al, 2016b;Sherman et al, 2016;Stump et al, 2017).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Historical Processes and Contemporary Anthropogenic Activities Influence Genetic Population Dynamics of Nassau Grouper (Epinephelus striatus) within The Bahamas

et al. 2017

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Severe declines of endangered Nassau grouper (Epinephelus striatus) across The Bahamas and Caribbean have spurred efforts to improve their fisheries management and population conservation. The Bahamas is reported to hold the majority of fish spawning aggregations for Nassau grouper, however, the status and genetic population structure of fish within the country is largely unknown, presenting a major knowledge gap for their sustainable management. Between August 2014-February 2017, 464 individual Nassau grouper sampled from The Bahamas were genotyped using 15 polymorphic microsatellite loci to establish measures of population structure, genetic diversity and effective population size (N e ). Nassau grouper were characterized by mostly high levels of genetic diversity, but we found no evidence for geographic population structure. Microsatellite analyses revealed weak, but significant genetic differentiation of Nassau grouper throughout the Bahamian archipelago (Global F ST 0.00236, p = 0.0001). Temporal analyses of changes in N e over the last 1,000 generations provide evidence in support of a pronounced historic decline in Bahamian Nassau grouper that appears to pre-date anthropogenic fishing activities. M-ratio results corroborate significant reductions in N e throughout The Bahamas, with evidence for population bottlenecks in three islands and an active fish spawning aggregation along with apparent signs of inbreeding at two islands. Current estimates of N e for Nassau grouper are considerably lower compared with historic levels. These findings represent important new contributions to our understanding of the evolutionary history, demographics and genetic connectivity of this endangered species, which are of critical importance for advancing their sustainable management.

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Section: Study Area and Sample Collectionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Genetic Diversity Differentiation and Demographic Analysesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Genetic Diversity Differentiation and Demographic Analysesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Historical Processes and Contemporary Anthropogenic Activities Influence Genetic Population Dynamics of Nassau Grouper (Epinephelus striatus) within The Bahamas

et al. 2017

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“…Many reef fish species have broadscale ontogenetic habitat shifts, often motivated by a desire to balance mortality risk and growth opportunities (Dahlgren & Eggleston 2000;Grol et al 2014). Increased mating opportunities, especially at spawning aggregation sites, may also lead to broad-scale adult migration (Farmer & Ault 2011;Stump et al 2017). Although broad-scale movement patterns are somewhat understood within the context of life history demands, our understanding of fish habitat preferences and short term movements within a daily home range are limited (Boström et al 2011).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Accounting for detection gaps when evaluating reef fish habitat use in an acoustic array

Farmer

Ault

2018

Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci.

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Understanding the relationship between habitats and the distribution of fishes is critical to effective survey design and spatial management. Determining reef fish habitat utilization patterns from passive acoustic arrays is challenging for the following reasons: (i) habitat classifications must be meaningful to the species, (ii) the array must contain the species’ home range, and (iii) the probability of detection may differ among habitats within the array. We conducted a multi-year tracking study in the marine protected areas (MPAs) of Dry Tortugas, Florida, using a calibrated passive acoustic array deployed over habitats classified by type (reef, rubble, sand), rugosity (high, medium, low relief), and patchiness (contiguous, spur-and-groove, isolated). Our design controlled for differences between individuals, diel and edge effects, and detection gaps resulting from the nonlinear relationship between acoustic tag detection probabilities as a function of distance from the receiver. We found red and black groupers preferred high-relief reef habitats, whereas mutton and yellowtail snappers preferred low-relief contiguous reef habitats. By identifying critical habitats for exploited species, our analysis may facilitate more efficient fishery-independent sampling and MPA designs.

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Anthropause shows differential influence of tourism and a no‐take reserve on the abundance and size of two fished species

Kough

Gutzler

Tuttle

et al. 2022

Aquatic Conservation

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Marine reserves are essential spatial conservation tools that have been shown to work alongside fishery management strategies to provide benefits to ecosystems and communities. Reserves often incentivize local tourism, which can provide the impetus for reserve creation but may have negative impacts on the ecosystem. The COVID‐19 pandemic paused global travel and provided an unprecedented opportunity to compare short‐term changes in exploited populations, during the reprieve from visitation provided by this ‘anthropause’, with the results of long‐term conservation management. Repeated surveys of Caribbean spiny lobster and Nassau grouper were conducted at popular dive and snorkel locations within a Bahamian no‐take reserve and surrounding areas during peak visitation prior to travel restrictions and immediately after restrictions were lifted. Repeated survey results were referenced against surveys over a broader area, including another Bahamian Bank, to examine the consistency of effects and how the ease of access for fishers impacted abundance. In the reserve, lobsters were encountered in significantly greater abundances, and significantly greater sizes of both lobster and grouper were observed in repeated surveys. Significantly more grouper were encountered during the repeated survey within the reserve after travel restrictions, but lobster abundances did not change significantly. Over a broader scale, lobster abundance was significantly greater further from population centres. Observed lobster abundance was affected by habitat and inferred fishing pressure, whereas observed grouper abundance was affected by survey depth, effort, and habitat. Marine reserves had clear benefits for both species and likely facilitated an increase in grouper abundance during the anthropause. Lobsters are a sustainably managed stock in The Bahamas, whereas grouper are a threatened species that appear to have benefited from an unplanned fishery restriction. Well‐managed marine reserves enhance populations long term and can have additive effects with fisheries management over short timescales.

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Nassau grouper migration patterns during full moon suggest collapsed historic fish spawning aggregation and evidence of an undocumented aggregation

Cited by 21 publications

References 0 publications

Historical Processes and Contemporary Anthropogenic Activities Influence Genetic Population Dynamics of Nassau Grouper (Epinephelus striatus) within The Bahamas

Historical Processes and Contemporary Anthropogenic Activities Influence Genetic Population Dynamics of Nassau Grouper (Epinephelus striatus) within The Bahamas

Accounting for detection gaps when evaluating reef fish habitat use in an acoustic array

Anthropause shows differential influence of tourism and a no‐take reserve on the abundance and size of two fished species

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