Effects of a Disturbance Event on a Local Recreational Fishery on the East Coast of Florida

Disturbance events occur outside the normal disturbance regime of a system and
can cause changes in behavior of some organisms. The 2010 cold event is an example of
a disturbance event that influenced the behavior of Common Snook (Centropomus
undecimalis). Common snook are euryhaline sportfish native to Florida, Texas, and the
Caribbean. Florida is the northern most part of their distribution, based on the 15o C
winter isotherm. They move between offshore areas during spawning season and
freshwater coastal rivers during non-spawning season. With the use of previously
collected acoustic telemetry and biological data this project identifies the impact on
population dynamics and movement near the time of the event. The goal is to understand
fine scale movements and physiological conditions under normal and abnormal
conditions to further inform management of the species.