This study provides direct and indirect evidence of temporally and spatially consistent spawning aggregations for the grouper Mycteroperca olfax. Recently reported declines in population numbers, probably related to the direct targeting of aggregations by artisanal fishermen, highlight the urgent need for species-specific management actions in the Galapagos Marine Reserve, such as minimum and maximum landing sizes, and the importance of protecting key aggregation sites with the declaration of no-take areas and the establishment of total fishing bans during the reproductive season. Read the full article here
Salinas‐de‐León, P., Rastoin, E., & Acuña‐Marrero, D. (2015). First record of a spawning aggregation for the tropical eastern Pacific endemic grouper Mycteroperca olfax in the Galapagos Marine Reserve. Journal of fish biology, 87(1), 179-186.
Mycteroperca olfax aggregating at the reported site, Galapagos Marine Reserve, November 2013. (a) Three large M. olfax displaying distended abdomens swimming in parallel at 35 m depth. (b) A large individual displaying a distended abdomen, darker colouration around the head and an upright dorsal fin. (c) Screen capture of a stereo-video measurement of four large (70–80 cm total length) individuals. (a, b) Video extracts from a camera mounted on a tripod and deployed at 35 m depth. (c) From the 15 min of stereo-video footage analysed for the length-frequency distribution analysis.