Volume 57
Estimation of the Size of Spawning Aggregations of Red Hind (Epinephelus guttatus) Using a Tag-recapture Methodology at Bermuda
Authors
Luckhurst, B.E.; Hateley, J.G.; Trott, T.M. Download PDF Open PDF in BrowserOther Information
Date: November, 2004
Pages: 535-542
Event: Proceedings of the Fifty Seventh Annual Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute
City: St. Petersburg, Florida
Country: USA
Abstract
The estimation of the number of fish at a spawning aggregation site by diver census can be logistically challenging. The spatial extent of the aggregation, underwater visibility, spawning time and other factors can influence the accuracy of the estimate. We use the results of an extensive tagrecapture program for red hind (Epinephelus guttatus) at two spatially-separated spawning aggregation sites to estimate maximum aggregation sizes. A total of three Peterson index values were derived from tag-recapture results obtained at two seasonally-protected aggregation sites from 1993-2000. The three maximum aggregation size estimates ranged from 926 to 1,153 fish. These values are compared to estimates of red hind aggregation size from two locations in the Caribbean.