Dolphinfish stock structure, movements, and diving behavior around the Western North Atlantic

By Wessley Merten, Ph.D. Student, Department of Marine Sciences, University of Puerto Rico

My ultimate goal is to integrate information across several spatial and temporal scales and methods to investigate dolphinfish (Coryphaena hippurus) stock structure, movements, and diving behavior around the western North Atlantic working with sport, recreational, and commercial fishermen.  My thesis proposal was approved in December of 2011 and funds from different sources are available to conduct this research.  Since my project began in 2009 I have successfully tagged and released over 100 dolphinfish with conventional streamer tags and deployed 3 pop-off satellite transmitters (PSATs).  I'm also working closely with Don Hammond, director of the Dolphinfish Research Program, who provided me with extensive databases on the conventional and vertical movements of dolphinfish that will form the first two chapters of my thesis.  In addition, I have enlisted the help of the sport and recreational fishermen from around Puerto Rico, the U.S. V.I's, and island nations of the Lesser Antilles, by providing them with tagging kits donated to my research by Sea Grant PR.  Over the next year I will be deploying 4 more PSATs, many more conventional streamer tags, and finalizing the genetic analysis of samples collected from around Puerto Rico and the western North Atlantic.  More information about the specifics of this research can be seen by visiting www.dolphintaggingpr.com or www.fish4cast.com.