Movements of the Spiny Lobster Panulirus argus in South Florida

1986 ◽  
Vol 43 (11) ◽  
pp. 2228-2234 ◽  
Author(s):  
Douglas R. Gregory Jr. ◽  
Ronald F. Labisky
Keyword(s):  
Spiny Lobster ◽  
Patch Reef ◽  
Florida Keys ◽  
South Florida ◽  
Panulirus Argus ◽  
Commercial Fishing ◽  
Dispersal Patterns ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
Deep Reef ◽  
Spiny Lobsters

Long-distance movements of the spiny lobster Panulirus argus were studied in two Gulf of Mexico habitats (Shallows, Mid-depth) and three Atlantic Ocean habitats (Shallows, Patch Reef, and Deep Reef) in the lower Florida Keys during the mid-1970's. Of 6062 spiny lobsters tagged and released at the five sites between June 1975 and August 1976, 465 of the 771 (13%) lobsters recovered yielded usable movement data. Eighty percent of the tags were recovered within the first 3 mo of the 8 mo commercial fishing season (July 26 – March 31). Directions and rates of movements differed significantly (P < 0.05) among sites. Movements from Gulf sites were generally oriented to the west and southwest, toward the Atlantic offshore reefs, at mean displacement velocities of 0.57 km/d (Mid-depth) and 0.24 km/d (Shallows). Movements of lobsters from the Atlantic sites were principally eastward and westward, parallel to the reef line and island chain, at mean displacement velocities of 0.02 km/d (Deep Reef) and 0.05 km/d (Shallows, Patch Reef). The more directed movements of spiny lobsters from Gulf sites may reflect a migration from nursery grounds to the Atlantic reefs, which not only constitute the primary spawning habitat but also exhibit a more stable winter environment than the shallow Gulf. Movements of spiny lobsters within Atlantic waters reflect localized random onshore–offshore dispersal patterns typical within reef environments.

Fecundity dynamics of female spiny lobster (Panulirus argus) in a south Florida fishery and Dry Tortugas National Park lobster sanctuary

2001 ◽  
Vol 52 (8) ◽  
pp. 1559 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rodney D. Bertelsen ◽  
Thomas R. Matthews
Keyword(s):  
National Park ◽  
Egg Production ◽  
Size Structure ◽  
Spiny Lobster ◽  
South Florida ◽  
Reproductive Season ◽  
Panulirus Argus ◽  
Chronological Age ◽  
Dry Tortugas ◽  
Spiny Lobsters

Using diver surveys, we compared the size structure, fecundity, and reproductive season of spiny lobsters (Panulirus argus) in the Dry Tortugas National Park lobster sanctuary with those of spiny lobsters in the south Florida fishery. The number of lobsters of both sexes larger than the legal size limit declined sharply in the fishery but not in the sanctuary. Clutch sizes were larger in the Dry Tortugas sanctuary, averaging 0.8 million, than in the fishery, averaging 0.3 million. The reproductive season was shorter and more intense in the sanctuary than in the fishery. In addition, lobsters in the sanctuary begin producing eggs at a larger size and produce more eggs per gram of body mass than lobsters in the fishery. Peak egg production occurs earlier in larger lobsters than in small ones. Establishing a fundamental reason for the differences between lobster reproduction in the sanctuary and that in the fishery is not possible until the chronological age of lobsters can be determined, but one hypothesis consistent with these differences is that, if lobsters reproduce at a certain chronological age, then sublethal fishery practices may account for slower growth for some lobsters resulting in some smaller but older reproductively active lobsters.

Trap-induced mortality of the spiny lobster, Panulirus argus, in Florida, USA

2001 ◽  
Vol 52 (8) ◽  
pp. 1509 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas R. Matthews
Keyword(s):  
Spiny Lobster ◽  
Panulirus Argus ◽  
Commercial Fishing ◽  
Fishing Mortality ◽  
Fishing Season ◽  
Fishing Vessels ◽  
Spiny Lobsters ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Lobster Fishery

In Florida’s lobster fishery, sublegal-sized spiny lobsters, Panulirus argus, are commonly placed in traps to attract legal-sized lobsters. Many died from exposure to air during transport before the use of live wells and still die because of confinement in traps. Much of this mortality is not apparent during normal trap-fishing operations, and the magnitude of the unobserved mortality remains the subject of controversy between fishermen and fishery managers. After fishermen began using live wells in the 1987–88 fishing season, the harvest of legalsized lobsters increased. Initially, the increase was smaller than predicted, apparently because the average number of traps in the fishery increased from 576 000 during the 1977–78 to 1986–87 fishing seasons to 854 000 during the 1987–88 to 1992–93 seasons. High numbers of traps in the fishery have been implicated as contributing to increased mortality of sublegal-sized lobsters. When the average number of traps was reduced to 605 000, after the 1993–94 season, the harvest predictions attributed to live-well use were largely achieved. Observations on commercial fishing vessels were used to reevaluate previous harvest predictions and develop additional coefficients for fishing mortality related to exposure and confinement in traps.

Reproductive potential and stock recruitment of the Caribbean and Brazilian metapopulations of the spiny lobster, Panulirus argus (Latreille, 1804)

Crustaceana ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 87 (11-12) ◽  
pp. 1315-1337 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raúl Cruz ◽  
Katia C. A. Silva ◽  
João V. M. Santana ◽  
Juliana C. Gaeta ◽  
Israel H. A. Cintra
Keyword(s):  
Spiny Lobster ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Reproductive Potential ◽  
Total Surface Area ◽  
Panulirus Argus ◽  
Brazilian Coast ◽  
Commercial Fishing ◽  
Spiny Lobsters ◽  
Stock Recruitment ◽  
Northern Brazil

The spiny lobsterPanulirus argus(Latreille, 1804) is the most important commercial fishing resource in the western central Atlantic and Brazil. Field studies covering the waters off southwestern Cuba and northern Brazil have improved our understanding of the variations in the reproductive potential (number of eggs), stock recruitment and reproductive efficiency of spiny lobsters according to location, depth and size class. Using the spawner-recruitment model, the reproductive potential index was correlated with the index of subsequent recruitment based on field sampling. Spiny lobster habitats in deeper waters need special attention in order to protect the species from overfishing of the recruitment. Considering the longevity and absence of reproductive senility in spiny lobsters, management strategies should ideally include the creation of spawner sanctuaries (marine protected areas) capable of restoring and maintaining the biomass of the spawning stock and the establishment of a maximum catch size of 135 mm (CL) for both sexes along the entire Brazilian coast. Based on our findings, we propose to establish spiny lobster sanctuaries (50-100 m) on the continental shelf off northern Brazil, from Amapá (5°25′N 51°0′W) to the western reaches of the coast of Pará (1°11′N 46°27′W, 0°42′N 46°45′W), covering a total surface area of 64 230 km2.

scholarly journals Directly ageing the Caribbean spiny lobster, Panulirus argus with validated band counts from gastric mill ossicles

2018 ◽  
Vol 76 (2) ◽  
pp. 442-451 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gaya Gnanalingam ◽  
Mark J Butler ◽  
Thomas R Matthews ◽  
Emily Hutchinson ◽  
Raouf Kilada
Keyword(s):  
Spiny Lobster ◽  
Age Determination ◽  
Florida Keys ◽  
Panulirus Argus ◽  
Gastric Mill ◽  
Coefficients Of Variation ◽  
The Caribbean ◽  
First Time ◽  
Reader Experience

Abstract In crustaceans, ecdysis was long believed to result in the loss and replacement of all calcified structures, precluding the use of conventional ageing methods. However, the discovery of bands in the gastric ossicles of several crustaceans with some correlation with age suggests that direct age estimation may be possible. We applied this method to a tropical spiny lobster, Panulirus argus, one of the most iconic and economically valuable species in the Caribbean. The presence of growth bands was investigated using wild lobsters of unknown age and was validated with captive reared lobsters of known age (1.5–10 years) from the Florida Keys, Florida (USA). Bands were consistently identified in ptero- and zygo-cardiac ossicles of the gastric mill and did not appear to be associated with moulting. Validation with known age animals confirms that bands form annually. Counts between independent readers were reproducible with coefficients of variation ranging from 11% to 26% depending on reader experience and the structure used. This study demonstrates, for the first time, that direct age determination of P. argus is possible.

scholarly journals Casitas: a location-dependent ecological trap for juvenile Caribbean spiny lobsters, Panulirus argus

2015 ◽  
Vol 72 (suppl_1) ◽  
pp. i177-i184 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin C. Gutzler ◽  
Mark J. Butler ◽  
Donald C. Behringer
Keyword(s):  
Florida Keys ◽  
Nutritional Condition ◽  
Ecological Trap ◽  
Habitat Modification ◽  
Panulirus Argus ◽  
Risk Of Predation ◽  
Spiny Lobsters ◽  
Nursery Habitats ◽  
Animal Size ◽  
Fisheries Enhancement

Abstract Casitas are artificial shelters used by fishers to aggregate Caribbean spiny lobsters (Panulirus argus) for ease of capture. However, casitas may function as an ecological trap for juvenile lobsters if they are attracted to casitas and their growth or mortality is poorer compared with natural shelters. We hypothesized that juvenile lobsters may be at particular risk if attracted to casitas because they are less able than larger individuals to defend themselves, and do not forage far from shelter. We compared the nutritional condition, relative mortality, and activity of lobsters of various sizes in casitas and natural shelters in adult and juvenile lobster-dominated habitats in the Florida Keys (United States). We found that the ecological effects of casitas are complex and location-dependent. Lobsters collected from casitas and natural shelters did not differ in nutritional condition. However, juvenile lobsters in casitas experienced higher rates of mortality than did individuals in natural shelters; the mortality of large lobsters did not differ between casitas and natural shelters. Thus, casitas only function as ecological traps when deployed in nursery habitats where juvenile lobsters are lured by conspecifics to casitas where their risk of predation is higher. These results highlight the importance of accounting for animal size and location-dependent effects when considering the consequences of habitat modification for fisheries enhancement.

Problems and Perspectives Regarding Recruitment of Spiny Lobsters, Panulirus argus, to the South Florida Fishery

1986 ◽  
Vol 43 (11) ◽  
pp. 2099-2106 ◽  
Author(s):  
William G. Lyons
Keyword(s):  
Carapace Length ◽  
Spiny Lobster ◽  
Fishing Effort ◽  
International Management ◽  
South Florida ◽  
Panulirus Argus ◽  
Minimum Size ◽  
Juvenile Growth ◽  
Larval Recruitment ◽  
Yield Per Recruit

Inappropriate minimum size, illegal harvest, fishery-induced juvenile growth retardation and mortality, and excessive effort have reduced reproductive contributions and depressed yield-per-recruit in the overcapitalized south Florida spiny lobster (Panulirus argus) fishery. Measures recommended to improve yield-per-recruit are as follows: increase minimum legal size to 85–90 mm carapace length; require escape gaps in traps; eliminate possession of sublegal lobsters aboard vessels; prohibit harvest in nurseries; reduce fishing effort; improve enforcement of fishery regulations; and initiate programs to educate fishermen regarding impacts of fishery practices. International management is recommended to assure larval recruitment among Pan-Caribbean stocks.

Planktonic linkages among marine protected areas on the south Florida and southeast United States continental shelves

2007 ◽  
Vol 64 (9) ◽  
pp. 1234-1247 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan A Hare ◽  
Harvey J Walsh
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Protected Areas ◽  
Marine Protected Areas ◽  
Fishery Management ◽  
Florida Keys ◽  
South Florida ◽  
The South ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
Southeast United States ◽  
Continental Shelves

One proposed benefit of marine protected areas (MPAs) is increased larval export, potentially increasing recruitment in unprotected areas. Because most marine species have planktonic larvae, information regarding planktonic transport is needed to evaluate the benefit of larval export. We used satellite-tracked drifters to define planktonic transport routes and rates from three MPAs along the south Florida and southeast United States (US) continental shelves. Drifter tracks indicated both long-distance transport and local retention. A probability model was developed based on drifter releases. The region was broken into zones; zone-specific residence times and movements between zones were defined from the drifter tracks. Transport out of the region in association with the Loop Current – Florida Current – Gulf Stream was the most frequently observed outcome, yet retention was high in the lower Florida Keys and on the Georgia shelf. From the model results, long-distance planktonic transport and local retention are the endpoints of a continuum rather than a dichotomy. Further, the outcome of planktonic transport is spatially heterogeneous with some regions exhibiting more retention and others exhibiting more export. The spatial aspects of planktonic transport described here should be considered in designing MPAs with fishery management objectives in the south Florida and southeast US shelf ecosystems.

Age and size structure of Caribbean spiny lobster, Panulirus argus, in a no-take marine reserve in the Florida Keys, USA

2013 ◽  
Vol 144 ◽  
pp. 84-90 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kerry E. Maxwell ◽  
Thomas R. Matthews ◽  
Rodney D. Bertelsen ◽  
Charles D. Derby
Keyword(s):  
Size Structure ◽  
Marine Reserve ◽  
Spiny Lobster ◽  
Florida Keys ◽  
Panulirus Argus

The sensory basis of feeding behaviour in the Caribbean spiny lobster, Panulirus argus

2001 ◽  
Vol 52 (8) ◽  
pp. 1339 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles D. Derby ◽  
Pascal Steullet ◽  
Amy J. Horner ◽  
Holly S. Cate
Keyword(s):  
Feeding Behaviour ◽  
Spiny Lobster ◽  
Panulirus Argus ◽  
Natural Food ◽  
Response Patterns ◽  
Variable Environments ◽  
Spiny Lobsters ◽  
The Caribbean ◽  
Chemosensory Pathways ◽  
Chemosensory Systems

A complex nervous system enables spiny lobsters to have a rich behavioural repertoire. The present paper discusses the ways in which the sensory systems of the Caribbean spiny lobster, Panulirus argus, particularly its chemosensory systems, are involved in feeding behaviour. It addresses the neural mechanisms of three aspects of their food-finding ability: detection, identification, and discrimination of natural food odours; the effect of learning on responses to food odours; the mechanisms by which spiny lobsters orient to odours from a distance under natural flow conditions. It demonstrates that the olfactory organ of spiny lobsters might use acrossneuron response patterns in discriminating odour quality; that the hedonic value of food can be modified by experience, including associative and nonassociative conditioning; that spiny lobsters can readily orient to distant odour sources; and that both chemo- and mechanosensory antennular input are important in this behaviour. Either aesthetasc or nonaesthetasc chemosensory pathways can be used in identifying odour quality, mediating learned behaviours, and permitting orientation to the source of distant odours. Studying the neuroethology of feeding behaviour helps us understand how spiny lobsters are adapted to living in complex and variable environments.

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