Tracking Bonefish

Mapping Bonefish Spawning Locations

Throughout the islands of The Bahamas, bonefishing is not only a popular sport, but also an important component of the tourism industry that contributes greatly to the economic health of many communities. For such a valuable fishery, surprisingly little is known about bonefish movements, particularly when it comes to migrations associated with their reproduction.

The Fisheries Conservation Foundation is working with Bahamian partners to support the vital research efforts of the Flats Ecology and Conservation Program (FECP). The FECP is an international coalition of fisheries scientists working on various aspects of flats ecology and bonefish conservation. We have been actively working in The Bahamas since 1999, conducing cutting-edge research to provide critical information needed to develop truly effective conservation strategies for the flats fishery. We recently completed two projects using acoustic telemetry to study bonefish movements on Abaco and Grand Bahama and have a longer-term project to investigate bonefish migration patterns across the entire Little Bahama Bank.