Satellite Tracking of Tarpon

To better understand Atlantic tarpon migratory patterns, spawning areas and population connectivity in the southeastern US and Gulf of Mexico, in collaboration with Bonefish-Tarpon Trust (BTT), Jerry Ault, Ph.D. and the University of Miami have been using “pop-up” archival transmitting (PAT) tags since 2001. These space-age tags deployed on tarpon can collect and archive second-by-second data on depth of the animal, water temperatures, light levels (specific for determining location of the tagged fish), and salinity (Luo et al. 2008a,b). The tags are preprogrammed to release from the tagged fish at a specified time and date, and then pop-up to the ocean surface where they will transmit their stored summary data to an ARGOS satellite network passing overhead. Data retrieved by the satellites is then forwarded to us here on earth for analysis. The goal of the satellite PATtagging research is to define the unit stock for the Atlantic tarpon appropriate for regional fishery management, to define stock mixing, spawning and feeding migrations, and coastal ocean habitat use by tarpon.

Comprehensive PAT Tagging Results 2007-2008

PAT Sattelite Tagging Results

Since 2001, PAT tags have been placed in tarpon from Nicaragua to the East Coast of the United States. Some amazing information has been learned. For example, tarpon have been found to travel hundreds of miles in a matter of a few days. Additionally, we have learned that tarpon often dive extemely deep, in excess of four hundred (400) feet - thought to be associated with pre-spawn activity.