Abstract

There is increasing interest in theuse of acoustic telemetry to track themovement of medium-sized marine fishes, particularly coral reef species, as a result of recent improvements in technology which have allowed reductions in the size of both receivers and transmitters. However, acoustic tagging and tracking techniques are still at a developmental stage. In this study we use six medium-size (12 - 46 cm FL) reef fish species (Clepticus parrae, Cephalopholis cruentata, C. fulva, Lutjanus mahogani, Ocyurus chrysurus and Kyphosus sectatrix) to investigate appropriate non-injurous capture and in situ retention methods, examine suitable transmitter tag placements (internal versus external) using dummy tags, and test the feasibility of simultanously tracking up to 20 individuals in a reef environmenl. The most appropriate capture methods were species-specific and included use of an Antillean fish trap, barbless hook and line, and small mesh net. Clove oil proved to be an effective and fast-acting anaesthetic. Surgical implantation of transmitters into the body cavity proved more successful than external attachment to the dorsal musculature. Super Glue@ was found to be effective in closing the incision wound, with full healing in as little as five days. The use of coded transmitters operating on the same frequency allowed for tracking of many individuals simultaneously. However, when several transmitters were in close proximity, the ability of the receiver to decipher individual transmitter codes was greatly reduced.

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