Abstract

Red snapper, Lutjanus campechanus, are a commercially and recreationally important fishery in the Gulf of Mexico. To properly manage a species, it is important to obtain accurate mortality estimates (i.e. fishing and natural) however, these estimates are often difficult to obtain. In the present study, we used acoustic telemetry, VR2W Positioning System (VPS, Vemco Ltd, Nova Scotia) to examine the fine-scale movements (~1 m accuracy) of red snapper on unpublished artificial reef sites in the northern Gulf of Mexico. We used telemetry detection data to independently estimate fishing mortality rates of red snapper in the 2012, 2013, and 2014 federal recreational red snapper seasons. In 2012, a high instantaneous mortality rate of the transmitter tagged red snapper (n = 14) was observed (Z = 0.57). During the recreational fishing season anglers reported catching 5 fish and 2 fisher captures were identified based on VPS data but not reported. In 2013, additional red snapper were tagged (n = 36) and a lower instantaneous mortality rate was observed (Z = 0.15) with 4 fish being reported by anglers and 1 fish being identified as caught using the VPS data. At the start of the short (9 day) federal recreational red snapper fishing season in 2014, we were actively tracking 36 red snapper. We did observe fishing mortality during the shortened 2014 season, and we are in the process of analyzing the data to determine the extent of this fishing mortality

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