Abstract
BackgroundCobia (Rachycentron canadum) is a cosmopolitan marine fish that inhabits tropical, sub-tropical, and temperate marine and estuarine waters and supports a major recreational fishery along the U.S. Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts. Recent changes in U.S. cobia management have sparked controversy and highlighted limitations in our understanding of the species’ biology. This study utilized pop-up satellite archival tags (PSATs) to assess the movements, habitat utilization, and post-release survival of cobia that summer in Virginia waters.ResultsPSATs were deployed on 36 cobia caught in Virginia state waters using standard recreational techniques in August 2016 and August–September 2017. All fish larger than 37-in total length were tagged, and several of these were hooked deeply. No mortalities were inferred for the 20 cobia whose PSATs reported and remained attached for at least 10 days. Premature release of tags was an issue, and only five PSATs remained attached for the full 180-day deployment period. Some fish undertook long seasonal movements, with one individual entering Florida waters well beyond the current stock demarcation boundary. Several fish overwintered in waters offshore of North Carolina near the continental shelf break. Cobia demonstrated a strong affinity for waters ≥ 20 °C, even in the coldest months. They displayed distinct seasonal differences in habitat utilization, spending high proportions of their time near the surface during the summer months and extended periods at depths ≥ 20 m in the winter months.ConclusionsCobia are hardy fish with low post-release mortality when handled respectfully. Their migratory patterns are clearly temperature driven, and seasonal changes in habitat utilization means varied vulnerability to fishing gears. Further understanding of cobia migratory patterns, particularly in conjunction with spawning activity, is needed to best manage this species.
Highlights
Cobia (Rachycentron canadum) is a cosmopolitan marine fish species occurring in tropical, sub-tropical, and temperate marine and estuarine waters throughout much of the world’s oceans [24]
This study addresses some of these research needs by using pop-up satellite archival tags (PSATs) to investigate seasonal movements, habitat utilization, and post-release survival of cobia that summer in Virginia coastal waters
A total of 36 PSATs (7 MTI X-Tags, 3 MTI PTT-100s, and 26 Wildlife Computers (WC) mrPATs) were attached to 36 cobia caught in Virginia waters in August 2016 and August–September 2017
Summary
Cobia (Rachycentron canadum) is a cosmopolitan marine fish species occurring in tropical, sub-tropical, and temperate marine and estuarine waters throughout much of the world’s oceans [24]. Cobia are managed in U.S waters as two stocks, the Atlantic Migratory Group and the Gulf Migratory Group. Prior to 2015, the demarcation line between the two stocks was set at the Florida Keys, consistent with conventional tagging data that demonstrated very limited exchange (~ 1%) between the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico [22]. Based on additional tagging and genetic studies, the stock boundary was moved northward to the Georgia– Florida state line in 2015 [23]. Cobia (Rachycentron canadum) is a cosmopolitan marine fish that inhabits tropical, sub-tropical, and temperate marine and estuarine waters and supports a major recreational fishery along the U.S Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts. This study utilized pop-up satellite archival tags (PSATs) to assess the movements, habitat utilization, and post-release survival of cobia that summer in Virginia waters
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