TY - RPRT
TI - Short-term Movement, Home Range, and Behavior of Red Snapper around Petroleum Platforms in the Northern Gulf of Mexico, as Determined by High Resolution Acoustic Telemetry
AU - McDonough, M
AU - Cowan, J Jr
AB - Understanding the behavior, including the movement, of red snapper (Lutjanus campechanus) around and among the many oil and gas platforms in the northern Gulf of Mexico (GOM) is crucial to the management of this commercially and recreationally important species. What role oil and gas production platforms play in the attraction vs. production continuum for red snapper is unknown, but it is certain these large structures have a role at some life-history stage. The VRAP acoustic telemetry system was used to track red snapper around two platforms in the GOM in 2005 and 2006. Fish detections per hour generally decreased over the course of each experiment, and detections also fluctuated with strong periodicity. Spectral analysis revealed that red snapper had a 24-hour periodicity to their movements. The probability of fish presence likewise fluctuated within a day, perhaps indicating foraging away from the platforms. Red snapper in this study showed much lower site fidelity than in previous studies of red snapper on artificial reefs. These results appear to support the hypothesis that platforms function largely as attracting devices.
DA - 2013/10//
PY - 2013
SP - 71
PB - Louisiana State University
SN - BOEM 2013-0123
UR - https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc955240/
LA - English
KW - Habitat Change
KW - Fish
KW - Demersal Fish
KW - Pelagic Fish
ER -