Abstract

The red hind, Epinephelus guttatus, is one of the most important commercial reef fishes in Puerto Rico. Red hind form spawning aggregations at predictable sites and times, and this behavior has led to marked declines in its abundance as a consequence of directed fishing on spawning aggregations. However, this trend can be reversed by targeting management and assessments toward these aggregations. This is facilitated if the exact time and location of spawning aggregations are known. In this study we followed-up a previous survey of patriarchal fishermen who identified past and present suspected spawning aggregations sites, with field surveys to confirm their exact location and status. Passive acoustic monitoring of red hind courtship sounds was made using a boat-based hydrophone and GPS. Plotting of transect positions with the number and strength of red hind calls allowed the extent of aggregations to be mapped. This study extended the known area of spawning for one west coast aggregation, confirmed the presence of another west coast site, tentatively confirmed the predicted absence of aggregations off of Guanica, and confirmed a new aggregation site (identified by a separate fisherman) off of Mayaguez. The newly confirmed site off the west coast was subsequently monitored using passive hydroacoustics and visited by divers. These baseline data will facilitate future surveys to assess spawning stocks with minimal effort and track their recovery following the establishment of area and seasonal closures.

PDF Preview