Spawning aggregation sites of the cubera snapper, Lutjanus cyanopterus, on the continental shelf of Bahia state, Northeastern Brazil

From fisher tales to scientific evidence: revealing the significance of estuarine and mangrove habitats as nursery grounds for juveniles of the largest Atlantic Ocean snapper

“…In turn, the post-estuarine habitats and migratory patterns of cubera snapper juveniles remain uncertain, including the distance they travel and their ultimate destinations. However, researchers have recognized their residency as spawners in specific locations on the continental shelf, where significant fish aggregations occur during short-term periods (February - Biggs and Nemeth, 2015;Malafaia et al, 2020;January-Motta et al, 2022). A combination of factors likely influences their behavior, including spawning aggregation, the movement of eggs and larvae toward estuaries, initial growth stages, and subsequent residence of sub-adults and adults in the reef habitats on the continental shelf.…”

“…Conversely, the obligate dependency of others, such as the cubera snapper Lutjanus cyanopterus, lacks further empirical evidence (Lindeman and De Maria, 2005). Cubera snapper fisheries primarily target spawning aggregations, highlighting their importance for conservation since these aggregations are transient, occur during short periods of the year, and are concentrated at specific locations, sometimes far from their home range (Baisre, 2017;Malafaia et al, 2020). Currently, the Red List of Threatened Species, maintained by da Silva et al 10.3389/fmars.2023.1292788 Frontiers in Marine Science frontiersin.org the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), classifies L. cyanopterus as vulnerable (IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, 2017).…”

“…In the Caribbean Sea, historical landing data reveals a decline in snappers' contribution to the total finfish catch, dropping from approximately 35% in the 1970s to 18% in 1999 (Claro et al, 2009). Recent studies in Brazilian waters further suggest that overfishing, particularly targeting spawning aggregations, could have adverse effects on cubera snapper populations (Malafaia et al, 2020;Motta et al, 2022) and also other fish species, such as permits and pompanos (Reis-Filho et al, 2021).…”

“…The cubera snapper is classified as data-poor due to infrequent capture in sampling programs (Farmer et al, 2016;Malafaia et al, 2020), resulting in the limited availability of fundamental biological and ecological information. Therefore, a better understanding of the ecological requirements influencing fish population, their life stages, and their spatial distribution warrants further investigation.…”

Spawning aggregations of checkered snapper (Lutjanus decussatus) and blackspot snapper (L. fulviflamma): seasonality, lunar-phase periodicity and spatial distribution within spawning ground

“…Snappers (family Lutjanidae) are important fishery target species and mesopredators in tropical and sub-tropical waters ( Allen, 1985 ; Polovina & Ralston, 1987 ; Nanami & Shimose, 2013 ; Taylor et al, 2018 ; Amorim et al, 2019 ; Menezes et al, 2022 ) and at least 12 species are regarded to form transient spawning aggregations ( Sadovy de Mitcheson & Colin, 2012 ). Some ecological characteristics of snappers in terms of spawning aggregations have been studied such as location of spawning ground ( Claro & Lindeman, 2003 ; Heyman & Kjerfve, 2008 ; Sakaue et al, 2016 ; Malafaia, França & Olavo, 2021 ), seasonality and lunar-phase periodicity of spawning aggregation formation ( Kadison et al, 2006 ; Sakaue et al, 2016 ; Biggs & Nemeth, 2014 ; Biggs & Nemeth, 2016 ; Cimino et al, 2018 ), spawning migration movements ( Farmer & Ault, 2011 ; Feeley et al, 2018 ) and spawning behavior ( Carter & Perrine, 1994 ; Heyman et al, 2005 ; Sadovy de Mitcheson, Colin & Sakaue, 2012 ).…”