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NASSAU GROUPERS
In the Southeastern US and
in the Caribbean, overfishing has driven Nassau grouper stocks below sustainable
levels and has even eliminated them from much of their range. Nassau grouper
are currently protected in state and federal waters, and are a candidate species
for listing under the Endangered Species Act. Belize contains some of the last
large spawning aggregations of Nassau groupers in the Caribbean Sea. We are
studying population trends and movements of groupers in order to identify strategies
to conserve this valuable species.
Nassau groupers aggregate in large numbers at the full moon in January to spawn.
We make population estimates of spawning aggregations using SCUBA techniques.
During this study we tagged about 500 groupers using dart tags; we also placed
sonic transmitters in 45 fish and are tracking their movements to and from the
spawning site to determine site fidelity and movements of individual fish. Our
work has resulted increased conservation of Nassau groupers.
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Nassau groupers aggregate in large
numbers at the full moon in January to spawn. We make population estimates
of spawning aggregations using SCUBA techniques.
Rick surgically inserts
a sonic tag into a grouper.
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