In Texas, for example, many things have changed along the coast over the years that may have impacted tarpon there. Water management is a lot different today in Texas than it was 100 years ago. Most rivers have been dammed and diked, creating big reservoirs and reducing freshwater input along the coast. This may be critically important to tarpon and the forage species they depend on.
While the sattellite tagging has shown general migratory patterns in the Gulf of Mexico with predictable movements north in the spring and south in the fall, there is still a great deal to learn from this research. Why, when and how do fish use inshore habitat? Why do some fish migrate further distances than others? Do fish migrate long distances one year and not the next? Do Gulf tarpon sometimes migrate up the Atlantic coast during certain years and why? These are all questions that have yet to be answered from the ongoing research. As soon as one question is answered, it seems that there are ten more mysteries to solve. Stay tuned !
The Near-Term Future
Sattellite tagging is not the only research being conducting. Upcoming research will also include a first-ever tarpon population census in South Florida. This will serve as a model for application to other locations. The plan is to deploy both aerial drones and underwater acoustic imagery-estimation methods to survey the tarpon population. The goal of this survey is to enable scientiests to address questions such as “ how many tarpon are in the Florida Keys in the winter or spring?”
Dr. Ault is Professor and Chair, and Dr. Luo a Senior Scientist, of the Department of Marine Ecosystems and Society at the world renown University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science. Dr. Ault directs the Tarpon & Bonefish Research Center, a global center of excellence focused on the sustainability of marine sportfishes through science that supports strategic decision-making and raising conservation awareness through public education. They can be contacted at [email protected] or 305-421-4884.
Typical Florida Fall Migration
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Map images used in the graphics for this article are from Google Earth.