Matt Kendall

2017

2018

Salt River Bay National Historical Park and Ecological Preserve is a territorial/federal MPA that is comprised of over 1000 acres of coral reef, mangrove, estuarine and terrestrial habitats. Managers at DPNR and NPS are uncertain whether the small area of the Park/Preserve can adequately protect the fish that reside there. Nursery function of the mangroves and scale of fish movements are of key concern. We seek to fill this information gap using acoustic telemetry and fish traps. Objectives: • Determine the frequency and duration of reef fish movements across the MPA border at Salt River Bay National Historical Park and Ecological Preserve. • Calculate the proportion of time spent by key species of reef fish in various parts of the Bay ecosystem including the marina, Triton Bay, Sugar Bay, East Cove, dredged areas, the reef channel, east and west sides of Salt River Canyon, and reef areas outside the MPA boundary. • Document ecological connectivity by wide-ranging fish among MPA units on St.Croix including the East End Marine Park and the Buck Island Reef National Monument. • Repeat a 1992 study on the juvenile fish population along the mangrove shorelines of Salt River Bay. Approach: Reef fish will be captured from several areas within the Salt River Bay ecosystem and surgically implanted with acoustic transmitters. Target sample size is 75 fish. Priority taxa will be identified in consultation with DPNR and NPS (preliminary discussion have taken place Oct 24). Fish movements will be tracked throughout the area using an array of acoustic receivers/data loggers for a period of 2 years beginning spring 2017. Approximately 40 receivers are needed to cover the project area. In addition, we will repeat a 1992 DPNR study (Adams and Tobias) that investigated the population of juvenile fish in the mangrove fringes of Sugar and Triton Bays. We use identical methods including trap design, placement, baiting, and soak time to produce comparable results. It should be noted we are coordinating with PI Pait's contaminant study and that he will be sampling some fish from our traps for tissue analysis. All permits and approvals from various agencies have been obtained via our environmental compliance review.

Objectives are to: 1. Determine the frequency and duration of reef fish movements across the MPA border at Salt River Bay National Historical Park and Ecological Preserve. 2. Calculate the proportion of time spent by key species of reef fish in various parts of the Bay ecosystem including the marina, Triton Bay, Sugar Bay, East Cove, dredged areas, the reef channel, east and west sides of Salt River Canyon, and reef areas outside the MPA boundary. 3. Document ecological connectivity by wide-ranging fish among MPA units on St.Croix including the East End Marine Park and the Buck Island Reef National Monument. 4. Compare juvenile fish populations along mangroves to those from 1992.

• U.S. Virgin Islands

• St. Croix East End Marine Park

Other Domestic or Global Project

Ongoing

Funding Ended

https://www.coris.noaa.gov/search/rest/find/document?searchText=projectNumber%3A31190%20OR%20projectTitle%3A"MPA%20Boundary%20efficacy%20and%20biotic%20movements%20in%20Salt%20River%20Bay%20National%20Historical%20Park%20and%20Ecological%20Preserve"&start=1&max=10&f=searchPage