Collaboration in the Florida Keys takes species from mystery to scienceĀ 

Known as the silver king ofĀ the oceanĀ due to its mirror-like scales, size, and prehistoric nature, the Atlantic tarpon (MegalopsĀ Atlanticus) can be found in warm parts of the AtlanticĀ (theĀ U.S. to Africa),Ā theĀ CaribbeanĀ Sea and the Gulf of Mexico.Ā Ā 

Permit. Photo: Jake Brownscombe

The silvery-gray permitĀ (TrachinotusĀ falcatus) is a popular game fishĀ characterized by a short, compressed, and angular, deep body. Like tarpon, it can also be found in tidal flats, as well asĀ near-shore reefs and wrecks along the Atlantic coast.Ā Ā 

The Spatial Ecology of Permit and Atlantic Tarpon project in the Florida Keys, U.S., which is headed by Bonefish and Tarpon Trust (BTT, also in Florida), realizedĀ thereĀ was a lack of knowledge on the movement patterns of these species.Ā Collaborators on the project included Carleton University,Ā Dalhousie University (Canada),Ā the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (U.S.).

Why track permit and tarpon?Ā 

Permit and tarpon support highly productive recreational fisheries that generate major social and economic value. Both species are highly migratory and form important ecological connections between geographic regions and habitats. They’re also key members of the food web, distributing nutrients amongst nearshore habitats and serve as prey for top predators.Ā 

ā€œThe movement patterns ofĀ these speciesĀ isĀ essentialĀ informationĀ for developingĀ effective habitatĀ protectionĀ and fishing regulations to ensure their conservation,ā€ says Dr. JacobĀ Brownscombe, Carleton University, Canada.Ā Ā 

The tracking projects have already been successful in generating a positive conservation impactĀ for permit, which are especially vulnerableĀ to capture by anglersĀ duringĀ theirĀ spawningĀ periodĀ when they aggregate in large groups. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) initiated a Special Permit Zone inĀ 2011Ā in South Florida that prohibitedĀ permit from being harvestedĀ from May through JulyĀ to protect spawning aggregations. However, theĀ permit tracking project revealed thatĀ permitĀ wereĀ arriving at spawning aggregation sitesĀ prior to this period in the month ofĀ April.Ā This wasĀ used as the basis for FWC to extend the harvest closure period in 2018 to includeĀ AprilĀ in addition to MayĀ through July.Ā 

Collaborative tracking effortsĀ Ā 

Permit tagging began in August 2015, but it wasn’t until six months later when the first fish was acoustically tagged due to the challenges of singling out one fish within the hundreds of miles of thriving fish habitat. With the insight on key permit and tarpon habitats from local fishing guides, the team was pleased when they pulled up to a remote shipwreck and discovered a school of more than 5,000 permit.Ā Ā 

ā€œWith our ongoing research, permitĀ areĀ quickly changing from a mystery toĀ science, to a well-studied species,ā€ saysĀ Brownscombe.Ā 

Since March 2016, 105 tarpon and 113Ā permitĀ have been tagged in habitats surrounding the Florida Keys.Ā BrownscombeĀ says tagging efforts would not have been possible without the relationships built with the numerous Florida Keys fishing guides and anglers who donated their time and expertise to the fishery.Ā Ā 

ā€œThe fishing guide community is a major reason why these projects have been successful,ā€ he explains. ā€œAs key stewards of the resource, fishing guides provide insights into the state of the fishery, fish populations, and ecosystems that are essential for identifying and addressing conservation issues.ā€Ā 

The project tracks the movement and habitat use of permit and tarpon, collecting valuable data on the role of these species in the ecosystem and how they’re affected by human activity. Information collected will be used to better inform policy-makers in conservation measures and management decisions.Ā Ā Ā 

AcknowledgementsĀ 

ā€œAs a key partner of all the telemetry networks that support our research, the broad spatial scale at which we are able to track permit and Atlantic tarpon movements would not be possible without OTN,ā€ saysĀ Brownscombe.Ā 

After Hurricane Irma hit the Florida Keys with her extreme winds and waves in 2017, 15 out of 75 receivers were lost from the project’s tracking array. However, generous support through BTT, funding from aĀ National Academy of Science Gulf Research Program Scientific Research Disaster Recovery Grant, and a loan of 20 receivers from Ocean Tracking Network allowed the team to quickly re-establish its array to minimize gaps in tracking data.Ā Ā