title: Spatio-temporal dynamics of a fish spawning aggregation and its fishery in the Gulf of California.
abstract: We engaged in cooperative research with fishers and stakeholders to characterize the fine-scale, spatio-temporal characteristics of spawning behavior in an aggregating marine fish (Cynoscion othonopterus: Sciaenidae) and coincident activities of its commercial fishery in the Upper Gulf of California. Approximately 1.5-1.8 million fish are harvested annually from spawning aggregations of C. othonopterus during 21-25 days of fishing and within an area of 1,149 km(2) of a biosphere reserve. Spawning and fishing are synchronized on a semi-lunar cycle, with peaks in both occurring 5 to 2 days before the new and full moon, and fishing intensity and catch are highest at the spawning grounds within a no-take reserve. Results of this study demonstrate the benefits of combining GPS data loggers, fisheries data, biological surveys, and cooperative research with fishers to produce spatio-temporally explicit information relevant to the science and management of fish spawning aggregations and the spatial planning of marine reserves.
authors.affiliation: Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA. berisman@ucsd.edu
authors.forename: Brad
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Erisman
authors.forename: Octavio
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Aburto-Oropeza
authors.forename: Charlotte
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gonzalez-Abraham
authors.forename: Ismael
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mascareñas-Osorio
authors.forename: Marcia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moreno-Báez
authors.forename: Philip A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Hastings
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002140:California; D005398:Fisheries; D005399:Fishes / Q000502:physiology*; D012098:Reproduction