Gledhill, C. T., David, A.

Survey of fish assemblages and habitat within two marine protected areas on the West Florida Shelf

2002

Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute

North Fort Pierce, Florida

Proceedings of the Fifty-Fifth Annual Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute

13

The Madison-Swanson and Steamboat Lumps Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) were established by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council in 1999 to protect spawning aggregations of groupers. The primary goals of this project were to: 1) establish baseline estimates of fish abundance, especially for species of groupers and snappers; 2) describe significant habitat features in the Madison-Swanson and Steamboat Lumps MPAs; and 3) analyze the relationship between habitat and species assemblages. The secondary objective was to locate spawning aggregations of gag (Mycteroperca microlepis), and scamp (Mycteroperca phenax). Side scan mosaics and multibeam bathymetry were used to stratify each MPA based upon benthic topography and geology. Madison-Swanson and Steamboat Lumps were surveyed during 5 cruises between February, 2001 and May, 2002. Gear employed during the surveys included stationary video camera arrays, (Hi-8 cameras or digital cameras), chevron fish traps, and an ROV. Spawning aggregations of gag and/or scamp were confirmed within the Madison-Swanson MPA in 2001 and 2002. Species assemblages varied with habitat. At sites along ridges and rocky outcrops, species observed included gag, scamp, red grouper (Epinephelus morio), snowy grouper (Epinephelus niveatus), speckled hind (Epinephelus drummondhayi), red snapper (Lutjanus campechanus), silk snapper (Lutjanus vivanus), vermilion snapper (Rhomboplites aurorubens), red porgy (Pagrus pagrus), knobbed porgy (Calamus nodosus), gray triggerfish (Balistes capriscus), and greater amberjack (Seriola dumerili). At sites sampled on sandy substrates, species observed included honeycomb moray (Gymnothorax saxicola), bank sea bass (Centropristis ocyurus), and bandtail puffer (Sphoeroides spengleri).

Gulf of Mexico; Marine Protected Area; Reef fish

FY2002 CRCP Project ID 1685; Project Title: Survey Habitat and Fish Assemblage in Two Marine Reserves on West Florida Shelf; Principal Investigator: Andrew David