1. Citizen Science as an Integral Component of Reef Fish Research and Monitoring Efforts Along Florida's Atlantic Coast Justin J. Solomon, Russell G. Brodie, Christopher E. Swanson, and Theodore S. Switzer Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission – Fish and Wildlife Research Institute

2. U.S. South Atlantic Red Snapper Valuable fishery since the 1950s Landings peaked in the 1970s Significant declines into the 1990s (Manooch et al. 1998)

3. Red Snapper Assessment and Management SEDAR 15 (2008) – stocks overfished and undergoing overfishing Emergency closure of commercial and recreational harvest implemented in 2010 SEDAR 24 (2010) – stocks still overfished and undergoing overfishing

4. Red Snapper Assessment and Management Positive signs by 2012: – Very limited commercial and recreational harvest – Methods established to determine subsequent annual catch limits SEDAR 41 in 2014

5. Industry Partnership Industry concerned about abrupt closure: – Limited fishery-independent data – Loss of fishery-dependent data – How to assess recovery? Expressed interest in 2010 to work collaboratively for data collection

6. Cooperative Red Snapper Tagging Program Based on industry input, FWC secured limited funding in 2010 to implement angler-based tagging program Primary objectives: – Assess movement: ontogeny/seasonality – Assess growth – Build rapport with industry in support of future work Funded augmented by industry: – Directed trips with FWC staff

7. Tagging Program Implementation Based on other successful programs: – Black sea bass – Atlantic striped bass Participation from various sectors: Extensive training to assure completeness and accuracy of data RecreationalFor-hireCommercial

8. Training Workshops Overview presentation Review of proper fish handling techniques Hands-on tag training: – Certified Taggers

9. Tagging Kits Tags and data cards Applicator Measuring device Pencil Instructions

10. Cooperative Tagging Partners SectorNumber of TaggersRed Snapper Tagged Recreational anglers62456 Charter captains11351 Headboats6333 Commercial fishers540 Total841,180

11. Directed Tagging Trips 22 directed trips funded by industry to improve number of red snapper tagged: – 1,064 red snapper tagged 1,096 additional red snapper tagged during other research projects Total: 3,340 red snapper tagged

12. Tag Returns Returns reported to existing FWC hotline Anglers received reward for reporting tagged fish Anglers that both tagged and recaptured individual sent letters providing movement / time at large details

13. Tagging Locations Mayport St. Augustine Ponce Inlet Port Canaveral

14. Size Distribution of Tagged Individuals Recreational size limit mean TL=547 mm

15. Length vs. Depth Comparison Depth (m) Number Tagged Mean TL (mm)S.E. <20340487.378.34 20 -301635555.463.57 30 - 40726589.194.74 40 -5062578.2011.97 >5070605.0613.93 2833557.662.69

16. Summary of Tag Returns 211 recaptures reported through August 2013 = 6.3% return rate Time at large ranged from 0 – 887 days Distance traveled ranged from 0 – 147 miles 8 fish recaptured twice 1 fish recaptured 3 times

17. Movement Patterns

18. Growth

19. Tag Returns by the Numbers Hook Position% recaptured None reported8.8% Lip6.1% Gut2.1% Throat7.3% Gill0.0% Other13.2% Release Condition% recaptured None reported8.0% Good6.2% Poor2.2% Preyed0.0% Sector% total FIM4.4% FDM Headboat9.4% Headboat8.7% Charter5.4% Commercial0.0% Recreational5.7% Depth (m)% recaptured <207.4% 20-306.3% 30-404.2% 40-506.3% >506.9% Length mm TL% recaptured 200-2500.0% 250-3001.8% 300-3508.2% 350-4008.2% 400-4505.0% 450-5008.8% 500-5508.5% 550-6007.2% 600-6506.9% 650-7004.6% 700-7503.4% 750-8001.7% >8006.5%

20. Beyond Tagging Cooperative tagging program has fostered partnership between FWC and industry Additional cooperative projects (CRP): – Development and testing of utility of hooked-gear surveys to provide fishery-independent data – Characterization of spawning aggregations of snappers / groupers – Other pending proposals

21. Conclusions Although modest in its goals, cooperative tagging program provided valuable baseline data: Input from industry invaluable – Aided in the development of long term reef fish monitoring methods – Provided locations of historical hard-bottom areas and associated reef fish. – Provided vessels form which research was conducted from to offset costs of offshore sampling to the State of Florida

22. Acknowledgments Program steering committee members Southeastern Fisheries Association and Gulf & South Atlantic Fisheries Foundation, Inc. Directed tagging trip captains Staff of FWC FIM program Program participants from all sectors