Utilizing accelerometer telemetry tags to compare red snapper (Lutjanus campechanus [Poey, 1860]) behavior on artificial and natural reefs

Abstract

Artificial reefs have been shown to support important reef fishes such as red snapper (Lutjanus campechanus [Poey, 1860]), however, few studies have compared fish behavior on artificial and natural habitats. We examined activity levels and behavioral patterns of red snapper over natural reefs, oil platforms and submerged ships. Telemetry tags (Sonotronics model MTT) that transmitted tri-axial acceleration range, with average depth or average temperature were developed specifically to monitor red snapper and tested in captive fish. Wild red snapper were surgically implanted at depth and monitored for 16 months over artificial and natural reefs. Overall dynamic body acceleration (ODBA) as the sum of x, y and z acceleration range (0–0.398 g along each axis) was used to estimate activity levels of red snapper at each reef. Measurements of red snapper indicated that season, diel period, temperature time blocks and reef type had significant effects on ODBA and depth use. Red snapper were more active during the summer, at night, and during a period of rapid temperature increase. Red snapper were also generally more active and stayed at shallower depths on ships. The increases in activity reported here may be attributed to differing feeding or spawning behaviors on certain reefs. These results suggest that environmental factors such as temperature and diel period heavily influence red snapper and that they behave differently on specific habitat types at certain times. Future efforts to examine the ecological performance of red snapper across reef types should therefore carefully take environmental influences into account.