In 2019, our tagging program reinitiated a study to describe the movements of dolphinfish within the broader Caribbean Sea by deploying more satellite tags off the southwest coast of Puerto Rico. Building off of work that began in the area in 2011, we deployed three satellite tags in 2019, and one of them was recaptured at a fish aggregating device (FAD) south of Isla Sanoa, DR, on May 20th, 2019. That was the first time a satellite tag had been recovered for our tagging program, and we were able to successfully retrieve the tag and acquire a very detailed record of the movement of the 47" bull. Click here for that story. Recently, we deployed five tags in the same area, and another was recovered at a FAD, but this time 20 miles southeast of Barahona, DR. Thankfully, we were able to compensate the anglers who recovered the 44" female (pictured below being released),
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and they shipped the geolocating tag back to us. While we have not yet processed the track, with this article we share the 21-day point-to-point movement as well as some details on the vertical behavior of this female while at large. During the first 12 days
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post-release the female made frequent and repetitive dives deeper than 75 meters. During the last 9 days before being recovered, however, the female only exceeded a depth of 25 meters three times. Aside from the fact that two out of 14 spring satellite tags deployed off southwest PR since 2019 were recovered within 30 miles of each other at FADs south of DR, a trend of decreasing depth use from east to west is similar to that of the bull, which suggests that FAD presence may have an effect on the vertical movements of dolphinfish monitored in this region. A special thanks to Lalooli and Liqueo fishing teams (pictured above) based out of Boqueron, Puerto Rico, for their help with the recent tag deployments.
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CCA FL STAR Tags Deployed
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This past weekend, we deployed 18 Coastal Conservation Association of Florida (CCA) STAR tags, fishing with Captain Don Gates, Ron Teke, and Brian and Karen Longcoy, aboard Gates' vessel Killin' Time II, off the Lower Keys. The CCA STAR tags offer an opportunity for any Florida angler fishing offshore the chance to win big this summer. $10,000 cash will be awarded to the first CCA member (join here) registered for STAR (register here) who catches and reports one of the STAR tagged dolphin we released this past weekend. The tournament started on Saturday. The DRP is proud to partner with CCA FL STAR in such a unique endeavor that combines conservation, data collection and education. In addition to participating in the STAR competition, you can sign up to participate in the DRP to tag and release small dolphin at any time during the year in order to help conserve one of western central Atlantic’s most important offshore fish species. Request a tagging kit at dolphintagging.com/tags.
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MONGO OFFSHORE Gulf and East Division's Dolphin Tagging Initiative
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Big news! A total of 74 vessels registered in the 2022 MONGO Offshore Challenge Gulf Division opted in for a DRP tagging kit during tournament registration. This represents the single largest tagging initiaitve in the Gulf of Mexico over the history of our tagging program! A special thanks to the MONGO Offshore Challenge team and Sirius XM Marine for developing this dolphin tagging initiative in this year's Mongo Offshore Challenge. Each vessel that opted in for a tagging kit during registration will receive that kit from our program in the mail to be used during the 2022 MONGO. Each tag deployed will be entered into a sweepstakes, and the lucky tag number to be drawn will win that vessel a grand prize of $2K in cash, a Sirius XM weather receiver, and 6 months of Sirius XM Marine fish mapping service! There is a total retail value of up to $4K for this tagging sweepstakes! For U.S. East Coast boats that are considering an entry in the MONGO East Division, please opt in for the tagging kit during the registration process to help expand our research on dolphin (visit https://www.mongooffshore.com/ for more info).
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U.S. Atlantic Coast Dolphinfish Management Updates
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On May 2nd, 2022, the vessel limit change for dolphin from 60 to 54 fish per trip took effect in U.S. Atlantic waters. Based on broad feedback for stronger regulation changes, the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council is now working on the next group of modifications. The initial topics included for consideration are a reduction in the daily bag limit of 10 per person, a further reduction in the daily vessel limit below the new level of 54, and a review of captain and crew limits on for-hire trips. A significant point in the process of formulating any additional changes will occur during the council’s upcoming June 13-17 meeting in Key West, FL. At the meeting, the Council will cover discussions from the recent Dolphin Wahoo Advisory Panel meeting, options for the composition of the new regulatory amendment as well ongoing research on a management strategy evaluation being developed for the WCA dolphin stock. In addition, during the week the Council will have a Q & A session on Tuesday, June 14, and a public comment session on Wednesday, June 15, where public comment can be made either in-person or through the webinar (click here to sign up). Written comments (submit here) can also be submitted through June 17. For meeting details click here.
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Support Our Tagging Program
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A special thanks to everyone who has contributed to our tagging program so far this year. With your support, we produced solid results in the first and second quarter of the year and, to date, we have already shipped out 291
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tagging kits and 3,725 tags! Our goal is to distribute 450 kits and 6,000 tags in 2022 and you can help us acheive this goal. Help the DRP expand in 2022. Click the icons below to shop or donate to support our tagging program.
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