Results of pop-up satellite tagging of spawning size class fish in the Gulf of Maine: do North Atlantic bluefin tuna spawn in the mid-Atlantic?

Lutcavage, Molly E.; Brill, Richard W.; Skomal, Gregory B.; Chase, Bradford C.; Howey, Paul W.

doi:10.1139/f99-016

Cited by 182 publications

(107 citation statements)

References 4 publications

(5 reference statements)

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“…Electronic tagging of Atlantic bluefin tuna was conducted from 2002 to 2014, with >90% of tags deployed during the months of July to November. Full details of different tagging campaigns, tagging protocols, and tag functionality are described elsewhere (3,4,36,37). The majority of the deployed tags were pop-up satellite archival tags (PSATs), which are designed to release from fish after a predetermined length of time and transmit data via satellite [Microwave Telemetry, Inc., models PTT-100 (n = 348) and X-Tag (n = 219); and Wildlife Computers models Mk10 (n = 10) and MiniPAT (n = 19)].…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Based on sampling on these two spawning grounds, the eastern bluefin tuna stock assessment uses an age at 50% maturity of 4 y and the western bluefin tuna stock assessment uses a "knife-edge" age at maturity (i.e., all fish reach maturity at the same age) of 9 y. Electronic tagging shows that many bluefin tuna much older than these estimated ages at maturity do not occupy either known spawning ground during the spawning season (2)(3)(4)(5). This contradiction has been attributed to fish not maturing until an older age than assumed in the assessment (age at 50% maturity: eastern fish, 6-10 y; western fish, 14-16 y) or not spawning every year (6)(7)(8).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This contradiction has been attributed to fish not maturing until an older age than assumed in the assessment (age at 50% maturity: eastern fish, 6-10 y; western fish, 14-16 y) or not spawning every year (6)(7)(8). Alternatively, energetic and life history modeling (9), reproductive studies (10)(11)(12), and analyses of tag data (3,4) provide evidence for undocumented spawning grounds, and an age at 50% maturity of 4-5 y throughout the Atlantic. These two depictions of bluefin tuna life history have vastly different implications for management.…”

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confidence: 99%

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Discovery of a spawning ground reveals diverse migration strategies in Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus)

Richardson

Marancik

Guyon

et al. 2016

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

118

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Atlantic bluefin tuna are a symbol of both the conflict between preservationist and utilitarian views of top ocean predators, and the struggle to reach international consensus on the management of migratory species. Currently, Atlantic bluefin tuna are managed as an early-maturing eastern stock, which spawns in the Mediterranean Sea, and a late-maturing western stock, which spawns in the Gulf of Mexico. However, electronic tagging studies show that many bluefin tuna, assumed to be of a mature size, do not visit either spawning ground during the spawning season. Whether these fish are spawning in an alternate location, skip-spawning, or not spawning until an older age affects how vulnerable this species is to anthropogenic stressors including exploitation. We use larval collections to demonstrate a bluefin tuna spawning ground in the Slope Sea, between the Gulf Stream and northeast United States continental shelf. We contend that western Atlantic bluefin tuna have a differential spawning migration, with larger individuals spawning in the Gulf of Mexico, and smaller individuals spawning in the Slope Sea. The current life history model, which assumes only Gulf of Mexico spawning, overestimates age at maturity for the western stock. Furthermore, individual tuna occupy both the Slope Sea and Mediterranean Sea in separate years, contrary to the prevailing view that individuals exhibit complete spawning-site fidelity. Overall, this complexity of spawning migrations questions whether there is complete independence in the dynamics of eastern and western Atlantic bluefin tuna and leads to lower estimates of the vulnerability of this species to exploitation and other anthropogenic stressors.ichthyoplankton | Scombridae | large pelagic fish | pop-up satellite archival tag | population structure L ong-distance migrations pose a unique challenge to fisheries management, as conservation actions taken on a regional scale can be undermined if less stringent measures are implemented across other parts of the migratory pathway. Few species exemplify this problem better than Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus). This species is harvested by the fisheries of over 20 nations, from the tropics to subarctic and coastal to international waters. Contentious international disputes have persisted for decades over how many bluefin tuna to harvest and how to allocate catch among nations. By the start of the 21st century, intense fishing pressure had driven this species to historically low population levels, a decline that has since reversed as fishing mortality has decreased under stricter management (1). However, despite this recent positive trend, many challenges remain in developing an ecologically sustainable fishery for bluefin tuna that also provides economic and social benefits to the fishing communities throughout its range. Among the most prominent of these challenges is the need for stock assessment models and management regulations that better account for the complex movements of this species.The movements of Atlantic bluefin t...

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Discovery of a spawning ground reveals diverse migration strategies in Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus)

Richardson

Marancik

Guyon

et al. 2016

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

118

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“…At a slower rate of data acquisition, data can be recorded for up to eight to ten years, depending on battery life and amount of memory. Archival tags have been used to chronicle horizontal and vertical movement patterns, residence time in particular areas, and location of possible spawning areas for a variety of marine fishes (Gunn et al, 1994;Metcalfe and Arnold 1997;Block et al, 1998a;1998b;Lutcavage et al, 1999).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ability of Archival Tags to Provide Estimates of Geographical Position Based on Light Intensity

Musyl

Brill

Curran

et al. 2001

Reviews: Methods and Technologies in Fish Biology and Fisheries

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Abstract:We tested the ability of archival tags and their associated algorithms to estimate geographical position based on ambient light intensity by attaching six tags (three tags each from Northwest Marine Technologies [NMT] and Wildlife Computers [WC]) at different depths to a stationary mooring line in the Pacific Ocean (approx. 166º42'W, 24º00'N), for approximately one year (29-Aug-98 to 16-Aug-99). Upon retrieval, one tag each from the two vendors had malfunctioned: from these no data (NMT) or only partial data (WC) could be downloaded. An algorithm onboard the NMT tag automatically calculated geographical positions. For the WC tags, three different algorithms were used to estimate geographical positions from the recorded light intensity data. Estimates of longitude from all tags were significantly less variable than those for latitude. The mean absolute error for longitude estimates from the NMT tags ranged from 0.29 to 0.35º, and for the WC tags from 0.13 to 0.25º. The mean absolute error in latitude estimates from the NMT tags ranged from 1.5 to 5.5º, and for the WC tags from 0.78 to 3.50º. Ambient weather conditions and water clarity will obviously introduce errors into any geoposition algo-

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“…Furthermore the small size and relative non-invasiveness of the tags have increased the number of species that can serve as MOOS. PSATs have been successfully deployed on a growing number of species including: bluefin tuna [16], white sharks [17], thresher sharks [18], whale sharks [19], ocean sunfish [20], marine turtles [21], whales [22], seals [23], sea lions [24], and seabirds [25].…”

Section: Benefitsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Marine animals: the next generation of autonomous underwater vehicle?

Thys

Hobson²,

Dewar

MTS/IEEE Oceans 2001. An Ocean Odyssey. Conference Proceedings (IEEE Cat. No.01CH37295)

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Abstract-Advances in animal tag technologies now offer a significant method for gathering oceanographic information throughout the world's oceans. By employing marine organisms as oceanic samplers (MOOS), vast amounts of in situ data (e.g. temperature, productivity and salinity in relation to depth and location) can be archived and transmitted via satellite or obtained directly from the tag if the tag is recovered. The beauty of this technique is that no on-board navigation system nor external propulsion supply is required. The animal performs the work necessary to transport the equipment and chooses what transect to run. The gathered data, guided by the animal's point of view, reveal secrets of the animal's life and pinpoint environmental features most important to its lifestyle. Depending on the species tagged, the animal may perform a number of tasks of great interest to oceanographers e.g. gathering data from remote regions like the poles, performing repeated deep dives, targeting specific food sources or oceanographic features and traversing massive expanses of ocean. The breadth of animal species with which this technology has been successfully deployed is growing steadily. The list includes bluefin and yellowfin tuna, white sharks, thresher sharks, whale sharks, ocean sunfish, marine turtles, seals, sea lions, and seabirds. It is hoped that the wealth of tag data already being collected worldwide can serve both the needs of the biologic and oceanographic communities alike.

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Results of pop-up satellite tagging of spawning size class fish in the Gulf of Maine: do North Atlantic bluefin tuna spawn in the mid-Atlantic?

Cited by 182 publications

References 4 publications

Discovery of a spawning ground reveals diverse migration strategies in Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus)

Discovery of a spawning ground reveals diverse migration strategies in Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus)

Ability of Archival Tags to Provide Estimates of Geographical Position Based on Light Intensity

Marine animals: the next generation of autonomous underwater vehicle?

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