Grand Bahama to Abaco

Where do Bonefish go to Spawn?

Our previous work on Grand Bahama confirmed that bonefish are forming pre-spawning aggregations only on the south side of Grand Bahama, however, a number of bonefish tagged to the north and east of Grand Bahama were not detected in these aggregations, and we suspect that they may be using spawning grounds other than on Grand Bahama proper.

To assess the needs of the flats natural resources and the fishing industry that depends upon them, the FECP organized and facilitated a series of meetings with Bahamian stakeholders to identify research priorities that will assist conservation efforts for Bahamian flats ecosystems. The most recent event was the 2017 Bahamas Bonefish Conference (BBC), held in Grand Bahama, August 28–29, 2017. This conference included guides, lodge owners, Ministry of Tourism, Department of Marine Resources, BNT, and the press as participants along with FECP scientists. It was agreed that future research efforts should be focused on the Little Bahama Bank because of the tremendous local logistical support available.

Research Priorities

The top three priorities identified by Bahamian stakeholders were:

1. Identifying pre-spawning aggregation sites and spawning locations for bonefish around the Bahamas;
2. Identifying key habitats for bonefish larval settlement, juvenile nurseries, and adult foraging grounds;
3. Assessing inter-island movements of juvenile and adult bonefish.

The Plan

The bonefish populations around Abaco, Grand Bahama, and the myriad cays on the Little Bahama Bank behave in very complex ways. To manage these populations effectively and to develop sound long-term conservation strategies, the FECP has initiated a three-year telemetry study to assess the movements of adult and juvenile bonefish within the Little Bahama Bank for spawning and migration. Our first objective is to pin down spawning movements of bonefish among the Abaco Barrier Islands (e.g., Walkers, Grand, Strangers), the near northern Cays off Grand Bahama (e.g., Mangrove, Dusky, Water), the north Abaco Cays (Allen, Soldier, Bonefish, Green Turtle, Guana), and along the Northwest Abaco Shoreline (Cross Cays, Mangrove Cay, Cooperstown). Specifically, we will determine if bonefish from these areas migrate to one of four known spawning areas in Abaco and Grand Bahama or to other as yet unidentified areas, including potential localized spawning areas on the northern edge of the Little Bahama Bank. This information is critical for developing an effective conservation strategy for this species throughout the northern Bahamas and will help The Bahamas meet the goal of protecting 20% of its marine environment by 2020.

Year 1 Expedition

During December 2017, using techniques developed by the FECP in Eleuthera, Abaco, and Grand Bahama, we deployed an array of 46 acoustic receivers on the ocean floor across the study area, including receivers at the four known pre-spawning aggregation sites and at key migration routes. Each receiver detected and recorded any acoustically tagged bonefish that migrated through the array, revealing their migration patterns. To get broad geographic coverage, a total of 48 adult bonefish were tagged at various locations throughout the northern cays. Every receiver was collected in early summer 2018 to download the data. Although a few bonefish from Sale Cay and some from the northwest tip of Little Abaco traveled to the pre-spawning aggregation at the east end of Grand Bahama (see map), most stayed in the northern Cays throughout the spawning season. Determining the exact locations of those pre-spawning aggregations around the northern cays of Abaco requires further study.

Year 2 Expedition

In November of 2018, 38 receivers were redeployed at locations around three separate cays that guides identified as potential pre-spawning aggregation sites in the Northern Cays of Abaco and that were consistent with our year one results. An additional receiver was also deployed at the known spawning site at the East End of Grand Bahama. Many of the tags in bonefish from the expedition in 2017 are still active and most of these fish were tagged around the Northern Cays. An additional 20 bonefish were tagged this spawning season near the three cays surrounded by receivers. Receivers will be retrieved and downloaded in summer of 2019.

COVID, Hurricane Dorian, and the Status of Our Work

The combination of the worldwide pandemic and the devastating impact of Hurricane Dorian put a halt to all research activities.  In addition, the Bahamian research permit system changed.  The combination of those three events have kept us from collecting any further data and we are currently assessing our options for future work.