A comparison of site fidelity and habitat use of red snapper (lutjanus campechanus) to evaluate the performance of two artificial reefs in South Texas utilizing acoustic telemetry
Abstract
Description
Evaluation of artificial reefs is becoming an increasingly important component of fisheries
management. This is particularly true for the northwestern Gulf of Mexico where natural hard
substrate is limited and 359 petroleum platforms are scheduled for removal in 2013 due to the
“idle iron” policy. This study compared the performance of two artificial reef configurations off
the south Texas coast, the Texas Clipper and South Padre Island Near Shore Reefs that differ in
material, depth, and distance from shore, with respect to behavior of red snapper, Lutjanus
campechanus, an important recreational and commercial species. Red snapper were implanted
with depth sensing and identification telemetry tags. Receivers were moored at each site to record
presence and vertical movements of the fish. In order to better understand the function of these
two artificial reefs, comparisons of behavior during day and night periods, as well as residency
time were performed to characterize red snapper-artificial reef interactions. In addition, a mark
and recapture study using external dart tags was also used to estimate fishing pressure at each
site. Acoustic ping number for day and night periods was significantly higher at the near-shore
site as well as angler tag return rate, while the offshore site provided more usable vertical habitat
based on daily recorded depth profiles for each fish. This evaluation of which reef configuration
type provides the better usable habitat for red snapper may serve as a reference for future artificial
reef planning along the Texas coast.
PDF; 55 pgs.
PDF; 55 pgs.