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Introduction of Hatchery‐Reared Nassau Grouper to a Coral Reef Environment
Author(s) -
Roberts Callum M.,
Quinn Norman,
Tucker John W.,
Woodward Peter N.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
north american journal of fisheries management
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.587
H-Index - 72
eISSN - 1548-8675
pISSN - 0275-5947
DOI - 10.1577/1548-8675(1995)015<0159:iohrng>2.3.co;2
Subject(s) - fishery , epinephelus , grouper , overfishing , hatchery , biology , reef , coral reef , marine reserve , fishing , fish <actinopterygii>
The Nassau grouper Epinephelus striatus has historically supported reef fisheries throughout much of the tropical western Atlantic Ocean. However, fisheries have severely declined in most areas because of overfishing. These declines have inspired efforts to develop culture technology for Nassau grouper and to determine the feasibility of stock enhancement. We first conducted a 128‐d dart tag retention study in a concrete raceway with 32 juvenile Nassau grouper reared from eggs. Sixty‐nine percent of tags (22 of 32) were retained. Twenty‐seven Nassau grouper (579—1,098 g, 309—367 mm total length) were shipped by airfreight to St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, placed in a holding cage on a coral reef at Saba Island for 15—16 d, and then released. Counts of tagged fish by divers showed an initial decline at the release site during the first month due to dispersal and possible early mortality, followed by gradually decreasing counts over a 9‐month period. This study shows that hatchery‐reared Nassau grouper can tolerate tagging and survive in the ocean if released at a large size. However, many other questions concerning the feasibility of Nassau grouper restocking remain unanswered. Based on our findings and a review of available information, we consider Nassau grouper stock enhancement to be an option only when simpler management methods for attaining wild stock recovery have failed.