The objective of this dissertation was to examine sailfish (Istiophorus platypterus) and blue marlin (Makaira nigricans) spawning in the Straits of Florida, with a specific focus on 1) the physical and biological characteristics of the spawning environment, and 2) the role of the region within the broader spawning patterns of these two species. In order to accomplish these objectives, two years of monthly ichthyoplankton collections and physical measurements across the Straits of Florida were combined with a finer-scale Lagrangian study. Additionally, a molecular species-identification methodology was developed that was both high-throughput and suitable for use with a broad taxonomic range of species. An initial analysis considered the diversity, assemblages and associated habitat of the larvae of large and medium size pelagic species. In total 36 species and 14,295 individuals were collected during this study, with the highest diversity occurring during the summer, and in the western frontal region of the Florida Current. Sailfish were included in an assemblage with Auxis rochei, A. thazard and Euthynnus alleterattus, all species found in highest abundance during the summer along the western edge of the Straits of Florida. Blue marlin grouped most closely with Thunnus atlanticus, Ruvettus pretiosus and Lampris guttatus, all summer spawners, whose larvae tended to occur further offshore. The primary environmental factors associated with these assemblages were SST (highest summer-early fall), day-length (highest early summer), thermocline depth (shallowest on the Florida side) and fluorescence (highest on the Florida side). A Lagrangian sampling effort was then used to more specifically evaluate the role of frontal zones in sailfish spawning. The results of this sampling indicated that the highest levels of sailfish spawning occurred in a frontal zone associated with the formation of a submesoscale frontal eddy. This spawning resulted in the first-feeding larvae occupying an area rich in prey items. Given the small spatial-scale of the front, and the distribution of the eggs of adult prey items, the results of this work would suggest that sailfish are actively targeting features for spawning that are favorable to the growth and survival of their larvae. Finally the relative importance of the Straits of Florida as a spawning ground was evaluated by calculating the annual egg production of both sailfish and blue marlin within this region. In total it was estimated that 2.1% of western Atlantic sailfish spawning and 1.6% of Atlantic wide blue marlin spawning occurs in the SF. Pop-up satellite tags deployed on sailfish at the start of the spawning season revealed their short residency times in the SF, suggesting that a large (≈10%) transient portion of the sailfish population is responsible for the SF egg production. These results indicate that the SF is a migratory bottleneck for sailfish. In conclusion the results of this study indicate that a hierarchy of physical and biological processes influence the distribution of billfish spawning in space and time. The results provide insights into the movement patterns and life history strategies of these species, and ultimately may aid in the development of the spatially explicit ecosystem based management approaches that are currently being advocated.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UMIAMI/oai:scholarlyrepository.miami.edu:oa_dissertations-1025 |
| Date | 04 January 2008 |
| Creators | Richardson, David Earl |
| Publisher | Scholarly Repository |
| Source Sets | University of Miami |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | Open Access Dissertations |
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