This study developed predictive models using generalized linear statistical analyses to estimate Atlantic bonefish (Albula vulpes) fork length (FL) dependent on four head morphometry covariates: snout length, eye diameter, postorbital head length, and head length. A total of 257 South Florida bonefish were examined, which ranged from 28 to 720 mm FL. Each of the morphometric measurements was highly correlated with FL, with coefficients of determination (r2) that ranged from 0.9592 for eye diameter to 0.9959 for head length. Total length (TL) was also highly correlated with FL. Sex differences in the morphometric measurements were examined; however, no significant sexual dimorphism was detected. All of the morphometric measurements examined were good predictors of Atlantic bonefish FL and TL.

Migratory connectivity of marine fishes is difficult to quantify yet critical for effective species management. Anchor tagging and acoustic telemetry tracking projects on bonefish (Albula vulpes), an economically important coastal exploited species, discovered three bonefish that moved from coastal waters of the Florida Keys to Andros Island, Bahamas. The anchor tagging project had two bonefish make this Florida-Bahamas movement and the acoustic telemetry project had one bonefish make this movement. Outlier analysis was done on the linear distance of these three Florida-Bahamas movements compared to the linear distances of bonefish tagged and recaptured in Florida waters. Also, comparisons were made between the mean distances between tagging locations and mean distances between recapture locations to evaluate whether relocations were active or passive. The linear distance analysis determined the three Florida-Bahamas movements were not outliers. Second, the mean distance between the tagging locations in Florida coastal waters ( 111 km; 95% CI 63.7-158.4 km) and the mean distance between recapture locations in Andros Island coastal waters (30 km; 95% CI 25.0-35.0 km) may suggest that these relocations are not random dispersal. This paper provides evidence that bonefish can make long distance movements (> 100 km) over deep water (> 200 m). This evidence suggests the need for more research to evaluate the potential for connectivity between neighboring nations for bonefish.

Recreational fisheries managers are often challenged by the lack of long-term data to monitor the status and trends of fisheries. Tournament records may provide a useful source of information to identify long-term trends in recreational fisheries. The Bonefish fishery in the Florida Keys (USA) has experienced a long-term and sequential period of decline that has been quantified with multiple data-poor assessments. The fishery also has a long tradition of supporting recreational fishing tournaments that date to the late 1950s. Here, we use recreational fishing tournament records to track the status and trends of the Bonefish fishery. We validated trends in tournament records by comparing time series changepoints with changepoints observed with angler logbooks and Local Ecological Knowledge (LEK) surveys. We compiled partial records for nine candidate tournaments. Only one tournament had sustained records that were suitable for analysis (Islamorada All Tackle Bonefish Invitational Bonefish and Permit Championship 1968–2021). Changepoint analysis identified several changepoints in catch rates, fish size, and participation that coincide with changepoints identified through analysis of angler logbooks and LEK surveys from previous research. The congruence of changepoints identified among the three data sources suggests that these tournament records are tracking the status and trends of the Bonefish fishery. Optimistically, we identified a recent two-fold increase in Bonefish catch rates beginning in 2015, potentially suggesting a rebound in the fishery, which reflects anecdotal angler reports. Our results highlight the potential for tournament record data to contribute to status and trend assessments of recreational fisheries.

Understanding large-scale migratory behaviours, local movement patterns and population connectivity are critical to determining the natural processes and anthropogenic stressors that influence population dynamics and for developing effective conservation plans. Atlantic tarpon occur over a broad geographic range in the Atlantic Ocean where they support valuable subsistence, commercial and recreational fisheries. From 2001 through 2018, we deployed 292 satellite telemetry tags on Atlantic tarpon in coastal waters off three continents to document: (a) seasonal migrations and regional population connectivity; (b) freshwater and estuarine habitat utilization; (c) spawning locations; and (d) shark predation across the south-eastern United States, Gulf of Mexico and northern Caribbean Sea. These results showed that some mature tarpon make long seasonal migrations over thousands of kilometres crossing state and national jurisdictional borders. Others showed more local movements and habitat use. The tag data also revealed potential spawning locations consistent with those inferred in other studies from observations of early life stage tarpon leptocephalus larvae. Our analyses indicated that shark predation mortality on released tarpon is higher than previously estimated, especially at ocean passes, river mouths and inlets to bays. To date, there has been no formal stock assessment of Atlantic tarpon, and regional fishery management plans do not exist. Our findings will provide critical input to these important efforts and assist the multinational community in the development of a stock-wide management information system to support informed decision-making for sustaining Atlantic tarpon fisheries.

Trip limits are frequently used as a management measure to control or reduce harvest by restricting harvest to a maximum amount. The goal of trip limits is often to lengthen the fishing season relative to the annual catch limit by slowing the landings rate or incentivizing fishers to target another species. Two recent commercial trip limits implemented in the southeastern USA were examined to determine the accuracy of the predicted changes in harvest. For South Atlantic Snowy Grouper Hyporthodus niveatus, analysts accurately predicted the change in landings (weight) that could be expected per trip in response to a trip limit increase but did not account for an increased number of trips early in the fishing season. An increased number of trips resulted in higher landings causing Snowy Grouper to reach the quota and close earlier than desired. For Gulf of Mexico Gray Triggerfish Balistes capriscus, analysts underestimated the predicted change in landings per trip that could be realized from implementing a trip limit (numbers of fish). The Gray Triggerfish analysis failed to account for fishers retaining larger individual fish on average after the trip limit was implemented, resulting in higher landings than predicted. When examining per-fish trip limits, it is recommended that other potential changes in fishing behavior, such as changes in the mean weight of fish being retained or increased effort, be considered. The results of this study could be used to improve the effectiveness of trip limits as a management tool.

Large aggregations of adult permit (Trachinotus falcatus) were consistently observed since 2004 by divers in a collaborative fishery-independent reef fish visual census survey during May and June on the western-most edge of the Dry Tortugas Bank, Florida, in coral reef habitat, indicating proximal spawning sites. We investigated the possible fate and connectivity of larvae spawned at this location in the Dry Tortugas and two other published aggregation sites through a drift analysis using the ocean circulation and transport dynamics simulator HYCOM (Hybrid Community Ocean Model). New age-length data facilitated the determination of larval durations and rates of juvenile growth. Modeled larval transport data from spawning sites in the Dry Tortugas, Belize and Cuba were evaluated and compared to a spatially-extensive empirical juvenile permit data set from Florida. Our study revealed that unique oceanographic processes provided pathways for both downstream larval transport and juvenile retention, to and from Florida waters. These simulation results indicated that the Dry Tortugas region is a key source of permit recruits to southeast Florida stretching from the Florida Keys and up Florida’s east coast, and to a much lesser extent the west Florida shelf. Simulations from Belize and Cuba spawning sites revealed high local retention with low connectivity to Florida, emphasizing the importance of local resource management throughout the permit’s range.

P>Bonefish, Albula vulpes (L.), support an economically important recreational fishery in southern Florida, USA that has received little scientific study and has never been adequately assessed. A mail survey of 322 captains that comprise the southern Florida bonefish charter fleet was conducted to acquire a baseline understanding of the primary fishery statistics. The response rate was 59% and a follow-up telephone survey of non-respondents indicated no non-response bias. Experience in the fishery ranged from 3 to 61 years. The annual fishing effort was 30 875 boat days. The majority of the fleet fishing effort occurred in the northern Florida Keys and is presumed to reflect bonefish abundance. The instantaneous mortality rate of released fish was 0.11 year-1. The majority of the respondents indicated that the bonefish stock had declined over the past decade.

A new wet/dry sensor was developed by the satellite-based pop-up archival transmitting (PAT) tag manufacturer to determine the wet and dry status of a tag, designed to indicate whether or not to initiate uplink transmissions to overhead satellites to extend tag battery life. We discovered that the wet/dry sensor can also be used to measure the salinity of coastal waters after we recovered a PAT tag showing oscillating readings of wet/dry sensor values that mimicked tidal cycles. We conducted a calibration experiment on 6 PAT tags to evaluate the stability, resolution, and accuracy of the sensor to obtain salinity measurements, Our results indicated that the wet/dry sensor was stable, and the resolution and accuracy of the sensor were good at low salinities (< 20 psu), but relatively poor at high salinities. We then provide an example showing how the salinity information can be used to improve geolocation estimation for a large coastal marine fish, the Atlantic tarpon Megalops atlanticus.

We used an acoustic telemetry system to test the hypothesis that the bonefish Albula vulpes exhibits site fidelity in selection of foraging areas in the northern Florida Keys. Stationary hydrophone receivers with data-logging units were deployed surrounding a discrete bonefish foraging area. Individuals were captured, fitted with acoustic transmitters, and then released within the study area. The reception ranges of receiver stations within the array were evaluated by moving a transmitter within the array. These data were used to assess spatial coverage of monitoring and decipher fine-scale movement patterns from recorded presence-absence data: 64% of tagged fish were detected by receivers for multiple days following release. Tagged fish frequented the experimental area for periods ranging from 3 to 61 d. Only 2 individuals, tracked for 48 and 61 d, demonstrated site fidelity characterized by daily movements into the study area. Our observations contradict earlier studies that concluded that bonefish range widely throughout available habitats, and suggest that bonefish utilize shallow habitats most, although deep channels may provide refuge from the rapid temperature changes that occur on the shallow flats.