® Copyright 2002. Chris Sommer.
STUDY RESULTS TO DATE . . .
® Copyright 2006-2007. CSS, LLC
South Carolina Department of Natural Resources
Marine Resources Division
Results of A Pilot Study Using Archival Pop-off
Satellite Tags to Identify Habitat Utilized by Dolphinfish.
The use of archival pop-off satellite tags is most commonly associated with research on large apex predators such as sharks, swordfish, tunas and marlins. These environment monitoring instruments capture time-specific data on water depth and temperature along with daylight intensity which
is used to calculate geo-location. These hi-tech devices have never been used to study dolphinfish. This report provides the first information on temperature selection and water column usage by a free-swimming dolphinfish. Data from
this short-term track suggests that dolphin utilize more of
the vertical water column than previously suspected.
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(Data received through December 1, 2006)
South Carolina Department of Natural Resources
Marine Resources Division
A Study on the Movements of
Dolphinfish, Corypheana hippurus,
off the Southeast Coast of the US
This 15-page report presents findings from the four year dolphin tagging study conducted by the Marine Resources Division of the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. From 2002 through 2005 more than 700 recreational anglers fishing from over 290 different vessels tagged and released 4,900 dolphin from Key West, Florida, to Nantucket, Massachusetts, in the Bahamas and Gulf of Mexico. A total of 115 tag recoveries were reported during the study including several international recoveries. It examines both the tagging of dolphin as well as their recorded movements looking at evolving behavior patterns. This report presents the first in-depth look at how and when dolphinfish move along the east coast and raises questions regarding relationships to dolphin stocks found in other areas of the
North Atlantic Ocean.
Cooperative Science Services, LLC
All rights reserved.
Dolphinfish Color Patterns
Expressive Colors is a short article examining the use of body color patterns by dolphinfish. Other animals use body hair or feathers to enhance their body language. Lacking these features, dolphinfish use body color patterns instead. This article looks at patterns used defensively as well as those reflecting an emotional state. Many anglers will see color patterns which they have never seen on living fish. This article is intended to make anglers more alert to the amazing colors that this magnificent gamefish possesses.
Tom McMurray prepares to release 1 of more than 300 dolphin that he and his crew aboard the Makara tagged and released in the Bahamas and Caribbean Sea during 2007 to earn them Top Tagging Boat outside of Florida’s East Coast.
(Data received through January 1, 2007)
Participants in the Dolphin Tagging Study
The CSS Dolphin Tagging Study is a scientific research project by the fishermen for the fishermen. Virtually all of the field work is carried out by private anglers. These concerned citizen conservationists spend their own time and money to catch dolphin to tag and complete the necessary paperwork. It is also the private angler who is taking the time and making the effort to report the recovery of a tagged fish. Without either of these important contributors the program would not succeed.
The dolphinfish offers many challenges to the study of its movement since they could likely travel several thousand miles in a year including the entire South and Mid Atlantic Bights and only 1 or 2 out of every 100 tagged are likely to be recovered. To conduct a research project on the movements of these fish requires fish to be tagged along their full migration route. Such a project using paid biologists and incurring the expense of the vessels need to conduct the work would be cost prohibitive. Subsequently, this project’s success is because private anglers support this research.
During the five years of the study more than 500 privately owner boats from Texas to Florida to Massachusetts have taken an active role in the research program with over 1,000 anglers from 28 states and three foreign nations participating. This page is dedicated to recognizing the commitment and hard work put forth by so many anglers who tag dolphin each year.
Note: This page will be updated each January to reflect the previous year’s tagging activity. Some names may be incomplete, misspelled or omitted due to illegible handwriting or incomplete information on the tag report cards.
(Data received through January 1, 2007)
(Data received through January 7, 2008)
| Top Dolphinfish Taggers for 2006 | |||||
| Category | Person | Boat | Location | State | # Tagged |
| Top Angler | Justin Brown | Draggin Dreams | Pembroke Pines | FL | 256 |
| Top Private Boat | Capt. Don Gates | Killin Time | Chuluota | FL | 129 |
| Top Charter Boat | Capt. Jimbo Thomas | Thomas Flyer | Miami | FL | 217 |
| Top Boat Outside Florida's East Coast | Capt. John Thomas | Special Lady | Mt. Pleasant | SC | 38 |
| Top Dolphinfish Taggers for 2007 | |||||
| Category | Boat/Individual | Boat Owner | City | State | # Tagged |
| Top Private Boat | Killin Time | Don Gates | Conroe | TX | 389 |
| Top Charter Boat | Thomas Flyer | Jimbo Thomas | Miami | FL | 367 |
| Top Angler | Justin Brown/Draggin Dreams | Don Brown | Pembroke Pines | FL | 321 |
| Top Boat Outside Florida's East Coast | Makara | Tom McMurray | North Palm Beach | FL | 306 |
(Data received through January 7, 2008)
(Data received through January 7, 2008)
Report: Use of Pop-off Satellite Archival Tags to Monitor
Cobia Utilizing Port Royal Sound, South Carolina
and Dolphinfish Present off the East Coast of the U. S.
Abstract: Cobia, Rachycentron canadum, and dolphinfish, Corypheana hippurus, are important species in the marine recreational fisheries of South Carolina as well as the South Atlantic Bight and Gulf of Mexico. Little information is available on the movements, associated water temperatures encountered and water depths occupied by these two species. The Microwave Telemetry’s model PTT-100 pop-off satellite archival tag (PSAT) was used to monitor temperature, pressure and, on certain instruments, geo-position information. These were attached to 5 dolphinfish off the U.S. East Coast and western Caribbean Sea and 4 cobia in or adjacent to Port Royal Sound, SC. Data were received from 4 instruments placed on dolphinfish and 3 attached to cobia. Dolphinfish were monitored for periods up to 23 days while cobia were monitored for as long as 92 days. Data received from the instruments showed that cobia used waters as deep as 70m and rose to the surface more frequently during May/June than July/August. Cobia were observed to utilize water temperatures from 20.7 to 29.33C but spent the majority of their time in waters from 22.0 to 26.99C. Dolphinfish were shown to utilize ocean waters with temperatures ranging from 16.0 to 30.5C. The highest temperatures were recorded by fish off south Florida while those off South Carolina entered the coldest waters. Dolphinfish off south Florida spent most their time in surface waters of 27.2 to 28.9C while fish off South Carolina spent most of their time in surface waters of 26.3 to 27.2C. Data showed that dolphinfish spend the majority of their time in the top 10 m of the water column but regularly made dives below 30 m going as deep as 124 m. Deep diving behavior was shown to be most prevalent at night.
