permit
Permit (Trachinotus falcatus) are among the most wary of the flats species, yet they remain an obsessive target of many anglers. The recreational fishery for permit spans both flyfishing and conventional tackle, and across a wide range of habitats, from the flats to reefs and wrecks offshore. My lab and collaborators have been studying the spatial ecology of permit in the Florida Keys and revealed that permit move between the flats and offshore structure. This presents a challenge for management since permit aggregate on offshore structures to spawn, and it is where they are especially vulnerable to depredation and post-release predation by sharks. Our research has led to quick conservation and management action with the expansion of regulations to protect permit during this critical part of their life history.
Collaborators
People: Dr. Luke Griffin, Dr. Jake Brownscombe, Peter Holder
Partners: Bonefish & Tarpon Trust and Fish Ecology & Conservation Physiology Lab
Related Publications
135. Brownscombe JW, LP Griffin, D Morley, A Acosta, J Hunt, SK Lowerre-Barbieri, GT Crossin, SJ Iverson, R Boucek, AJ Adams, SJ Cooke, AJ Danylchuk. 2020. Seasonal occupancy and connectivity amongst nearshore flats and reef habitats by permit (Trachinotus falcatus): Considerations for fisheries management. Journal of Fish Biology 96:469-479 Download Publication
134. Holder PE, Griffin LP, Adams AJ, Danylchuk AJ, Cooke SJ, Brownscombe JW. 2020. Stress, predators, and survival: Exploring Permit (Trachinotus falcatus) catch-and-release fishing mortality in the Florida Keys. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 524:159289 Download Publication