A Transdisciplinary Approach to Address Marine Fish Recruitment Dynamics

Marine fisheries, due to the openness and complexity of these systems, require cross-disciplinary management approaches. Species ranges often span multi-national jurisdictions, adding additional challenges. Practical needs, such as fishery recruitment information, are inherently complex questions. Addressing recruitment questions requires data spanning multiple disciplines. Integrated approaches involving collaborators with diverse areas of expertise can provide the critical information required for sound management. Here a case study in the Atlantic recreational bonefish (Albula vulpes) fishery is presented. Concern exists due to population declines. However information regarding recruitment dynamics and regional connectivity is lacking. We are addressing this void through a comprehensive assessment employing ecological, behavioral, molecular, and oceanographic data. Field data collection is targeted based on adult telemetry data, juvenile habitats, and oceanographic models of potential larval dispersal routes. High-resolution genetic data, based on next-generation sequencing technology, will be used to examine population connectivity at local and regional scales. This will provide detailed data regarding the sources of new recruits to the recreational fishery: local, regional, or a combination of these sources. Results will determine the appropriate geographic scale for management actions as well as highlight factors important for conservation and restoration efforts.