Bahamas

Bonefish Albula vulpes are an economically important sport fish that has historically bolstered the recreational flats fisheries of the Florida Keys and The Bahamas; an industry with an annual economic impact of US$465 million and US$169 million, respectively. Analyses of fishing guide logbooks and guide interviews indicate that the population of bonefish in south Florida has declined. Due to the economic and cultural importance of these fisheries, protection of spawning and nursery habitats is integral to population recovery and stability. However, knowledge gaps persist in how abiotic and biotic habitat factors influence reproduction and recruitment. Without clear delineation of spawning and recruitment habitats, bonefish populations remain vulnerable to anthropogenic disturbances. Bonefish partake in a unique three-point spawning migration, migrating from shallow-water home flats to form nearshore pre-spawning aggregations (PSA) before moving offshore to spawn. Using active acoustic telemetry, sonar imagery, and CTD profiles, the first complete account of offshore spawning movements and novel deep diving behavior was accomplished. Bonefish reached depths of 137.9 m and spawned at 67.3 m, a depth associated with the pycnocline/thermocline. Previous efforts show spatiotemporal plasticity in spawning, a behavior counter to other aggregation forming fishes.

The queen conch, Lobatus gigas, is key to the Bahamian way of life. Recent studies suggest that commercial stocks will be depleted in The Bahamas in 10-15 years. In response to this, an egg farm was established in a historic breeding ground in Moriah Harbour Cay National Park, Exuma, Bahamas. Previously used for aquaculture, the egg farm concept was tested as a restoration method. Conch were tagged (n=251) and stocked in a 1,385 m2 (0.14 ha) circular enclosure at an equivalent density of 1,813/ha or 1 conch/5.5 m2. The egg farm was visited every 24-48 hours during the study period (May 26-August 14, 2019) to examine conch distribution, burial, predation, breeding, and egg mass laying. Queen conch Essential Fish Habitat was characterized in this study, contributing to a knowledge gap concerning conch spawning areas. No egg masses were laid, despite temperature, sediment solid-phase organics, calcium carbonate, and other seagrass habitat characteristics displaying similarities to previous studies in which conch spawned. It is speculated that egg laying did not occur due to handling disturbances, which may have caused the conch to resorb their gonads. Comprehensive recommendations are made for future egg farms intended for restoration.

Bonefish (Albula spp.) support an economically important sport fishery, yet little
is known regarding the reproductive biology of this genus. Analysis of oocytes histology
and sex hormone levels was conducted on wild female bonefish sampled during and
outside the spawning season in Grand Bahama, Central Andros, and South Andros, The
Bahamas to assess reproductive state. Bonefish are commonly found along shallow water
flats, or in pre-spawn aggregations (PSA) during spawning months. 17β-estradiol levels
suggest vitellogenic consistency between habitats. However, fish are more reproductively
developed at PSA based on the occurrence of larger, more prevalent vitellogenic oocytes
and evidence of final maturation. Variability in hormone levels and spawning readiness
existed between Grand Bahama and Andros PSAs, suggesting peak spawning may differ by region. Findings from this study will contribute baseline data to the captive bonefish
restoration project at Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute and to the limited ecological
data regarding bonefish reproduction.