Nassau grouper (Epinephelus striatus) spawning aggregations: hydroacoustic surveys and geostatistical analysis

Reef fish spawning aggregations have gained distinction in terms of their importance in species conservation and their socio-economic contribution to many Caribbean, tropical western Atlantic, and Gulf of Mexico fishing communities. With the near extinction of many spawning aggregations of large grouper and snapper throughout the Caribbean, Gulf, and tropical western Atlantic, it is essential that we increase our ability to study and document the remaining known (and unknown) aggregations to provide baselines for their conservation (Sadovy, 1994; Sadovy, 1997; Sala et al., 2001; Colin et al., 2003). The Nassau grouper (Epinephelus striatus) is a commercially important tropical reef species that forms discrete spawning aggregations, typically around full moons from December to March (Sadovy and Eklund, 1999). Historically, spawning aggregations of Nassau grouper have occurred throughout the Caribbean, tropical Nassau grouper (Epinephelus striatus) spawning aggregations: hydroacoustic surveys and geostatistical analysis