Over the past month, 451 reported tag deployments were logged from 16 participating vessels. Of those releases, 28% were larger than 20" (legal limit off eastern FL, GA, and SC), which shows the dedication of many anglers to dolphinfish conservation through this tagging program. In June 2019, a total of 38 vessels tagged and released 608 fish with 19% larger than the South Atlantic Bight minimum size. While tag deployments are not as high as last June, the recent uptick in tagging activity still led to several recorded movements, and to date the program has received 8 recoveries. Seven were generated by Captain Don Gates and the Killin' Time II fishing team and one by Captain's Jimbo and Rick Thomas aboard the Thomas Flyer. Along the eastern Florida shelf this month, the average movement rate for dolphin was 24.69 miles per day (mpd), very similar to last year's 21.69 mpd. Together, these movements rates are between 55% to 60% slower than 2018's average (55.46 mpd) and are also among the slowest eastern Florida movement rates observed in this 19 year study. In this month's newsletter we continue to detail examples of fine-scale movements of dolphin in the Keys and South Florida and briefly discuss how currents and other factors can affect their movement rates. We encourage you to click here to learn more about these recoveries.
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Keys to South Florida - June Recaptures
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Figure 1 - June 2020 Florida Keys to South Florida dolphinfish mark and recapture locations and minimum straightline arrows between sites. Numbers indicate days at liberty. The 200-meter bathymetric contour is indicated with a yellow arrow. The yellow number with astericks indicates a tag recovered in the stomach contents of a large bull.
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Florida Keys - June Recaptures
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Figure 2 - June 2020 Florida Keys dolphinfish mark and recapture locations and minimum straightline arrows between sites. Numbers indicate days at liberty. The 200-meter bathymetric contour is indicated with a yellow arrow.
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This summer, we hope all of the supporters of and participants in the Dolphinfish Research Program (DRP) are getting out on the water. If you do, be sure to register for the CCA Florida STAR fishing competition for your chance to win big! In early June, Captain Don Gates and the Killin' Time II fishing team, including Allew Lewis, Darryl Williams, and Rich Benton, tagged and released 25 dolphin with STAR tags between Cudjoe and Big Pine Keys. Any angler who catches a STAR tagged dolphin and submits their catch information will win a STAR long-sleeved shirt and a DRP program tee. In addiiton, $10,000 cash will be awarded to the first CCA member who is registered for STAR who catches and reports one of the 25 tagged dolphin between July 1st, 2020, and October 2nd, 2020. For more information check out the video below and be sure to register today!
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• Catch, Photo, Release, WIN format
• Almost $500,000 in prizes & Scholarships
• Nearly 100 days of fishing
• 17 total Divisions
Sign up today!
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Shop To Support Our Tagging Program
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A great way to support the Dolphinfish Research Program (DRP) is to purchase a program t-shirt, hat, performance fishing shirt, or tagging kit. Proceeds from your purchase help ship free tagging kits to anglers all over the world. Funds also help purchase new tags as well as tag kit supplies. Help support our research of one of the ocean's most iconic offshore game fish species. Click here or the button below to support us.
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Just over three years ago we formed the Beyond Our Shores Foundation, a 501(c)(3), to support and expand the DRP. Through your gracious support the Dolphinfish Research Program has been steadily growing. Help us continue to expand our tagging program and fisheries research by donating today. Your donation will advance the expansion of the DRP, a leader in the conservation and research of dolphin, by helping to purchase more tags to distribute to anglers, support our education programs, and improve fisheries data collection among recreational, for-hire, and small-scale commercial fishermen. Click here to donate.
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