Fisheries Research 296 (2026) 107685
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Permit (Trachinotus falcatus) aggregation fishery dynamics and depredation in the Florida Keys Gina M. Clementi * , Benjamin M. Binder , Kirk R. Gastrich , Michael R. Heithaus , Andrew Natter , Nicholas Tucker , Kevin M. Boswell Institute of Environment, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, North Miami, FL, USA
A R T I C L E I N F O
A B S T R A C T
Handled by A.E. Punt
Fish spawning aggregations (FSAs) are predictable events where large numbers of conspecifics gather to reproduce, making them vulnerable to overfishing. Permit (Trachinotus falcatus), a highly valued recreational species, form FSAs during the spring full moons in the Florida Keys (USA) that are targeted by anglers. Depre dation mortality during catch-and-release angling at these FSAs may undermine the benefits of a harvest pro hibition. We therefore conducted fishery-dependent surveys across three primary permit FSAs in the Lower and Middle Keys to assess recreational effort, catch per unit effort (CPUE), and depredation risk. Effort and CPUE peaked during the March-April full moons, coinciding with peak aggregation occurrence. Site-specific differences in recreational effort and CPUE were apparent between the Lower and Middle Keys. At the Middle Keys artificial reefs (Seven Mile Bridge Rubble, Thunderbolt), effort was higher but CPUE was lower, while in the Lower Keys, the natural reef Western Dry Rocks (WDR) exhibited higher CPUE and lower effort, the latter of which decreased after a seasonal fishing closure (SFC) went into effect. Depredation probability was generally low and variable but highest at WDR, increasing since the SFC went into effect, underscoring the risk of depredation during the openly fished March full moon period. Shifts in effort and depredation probability in the Middle Keys are unlikely to be spillover effects related to the WDR SFC but rather due to changes in tourism, angler behavior, and shark occurrence. These results highlight the need for continued monitoring and adaptive management to assess depredation mortality in recreational fisheries and protect vulnerable spawning populations like permit.
Keywords: Fishery dependent survey Recreational fisheries Spawning aggregations Permit (Trachinotus falcatus) Shark depredation
1. Introduction Fish spawning aggregations (FSAs) occur when groups of conspe cifics congregate in high abundances for the purpose of reproduction, usually occurring at specific times and locations (Domeier and Colin, 1997). Many coral reef-associated fishes participate in FSAs as their sole reproductive window, which recur annually on discrete reef promon tories and shelf edges during a defined period, where timing and loca tion varies by species (Domeier and Colin, 1997; Johannes, 1978). The predictability of these aggregations makes them an easy target for fishers, increasing the risk of overexploitation and, in extreme cases, extirpation, which has occurred to several economically important FSAs (e.g., Nassau grouper [Epinephelus striatus] in the Greater Caribbean) (Sadovy and Domeier, 2005; Sala et al., 2001). To mitigate high fishing mortality on FSAs, fisheries management strategies have prioritized both harvest bans and spatiotemporal closures that encompass the
duration and locations of FSAs (Grüss et al., 2014; Jackson and Moran, 2012; Lindeman et al., 2000; Nemeth, 2005; van Overzee and Rijnsdorp, 2015). However, many FSAs are still unprotected and remain open to fishing, necessitating continued evaluation of fishing practices that affect these spawning sites (De Mitcheson, 2016; Erisman et al., 2020; Heyman et al., 2019; Sadovy de Mitcheson et al., 2013). Most documented and well-studied transient FSAs belong to species within the families Epinephelidae and Lutjanidae (i.e., groupers and snappers) whereas fewer studies have focused on Carangidae (jacks) (Daly et al., 2018; Heyman et al., 2019; Madgett et al., 2022; Sala et al., 2003). Contrary to resident spawners, which spawn frequently throughout the year within their home range, transient spawners may travel long distances during a specific time of year and persist for only a short period of time, increasing their vulnerability to overexploitation (Domeier and Colin, 1997; Grüss et al., 2014). In the tropical western Atlantic Ocean, there are several carangids with documented FSAs,
* Corresponding author. E-mail address: gmclementi@gmail.com (G.M. Clementi). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fishres.2026.107685 Received 22 October 2025; Received in revised form 16 February 2026; Accepted 16 February 2026 Available online 28 February 2026 0165-7836/© 2026 Elsevier B.V. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies.