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1. Movement patterns of juvenile Atlantic tarpon (Megalops atlanticus) in Brewers Bay, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands

   https://doi.org/10.1186/s40317-021-00239-x  

   Duffing Romero, Mareike D.; Matley, Jordan K.; Luo, Jiangang; Ault, Jerald S.; Pittman, Simon J.; Nemeth, Richard S. (December 2021, Animal Biotelemetry)

   null (Ed.)

   Abstract Background Atlantic tarpon ( Megalops atlanticus ) are a highly migratory species ranging along continental and insular coastlines of the Atlantic Ocean. Due to their importance to regional recreational and sport fisheries, research has been focused on large-scale movement patterns of reproductively active adults in areas where they are of high economic value. As a consequence, geographically restricted focus on adults has left significant gaps in our understanding of tarpon biology and their movements, especially for juveniles in remote locations where they are common. Our study focused on small-scale patterns of movement and habitat use of juvenile tarpon using acoustic telemetry in a small bay in St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands. Results Four juvenile tarpon (80–95 cm FL) were tracked from September 2015 to February 2018, while an additional eight juveniles (61–94 cm FL) left the study area within 2 days after tagging and were not included in analysis. Four tarpon had > 78% residency and average activity space of 0.76 km 2 (range 0.08–1.17 km 2 ) within Brewers Bay (1.8 km 2 ). Their vertical distribution was < 18 m depth with occasional movements to deeper water. Activity was greater during day compared to night, with peaks during crepuscular periods. During the day tarpon used different parts of the bay with consistent overlap around the St. Thomas airport runway and at night tarpon typically remained in a small shallow lagoon. However, when temperatures in the lagoon exceeded 30 °C, tarpon moved to cooler, deeper waters outside the lagoon. Conclusion Our results, although limited to only four individuals, provide new baseline data on the movement ecology of juvenile Atlantic tarpon. We showed that juvenile tarpon had high residency within a small bay and relatively stable non-overlapping daytime home ranges, except when seasonally abundant food sources were present. Fine-scale acoustic tracking showed the effects of environmental conditions (i.e., elevated seawater temperature) on tarpon movement and habitat use. These observations highlight the need for more extensive studies of juvenile tarpon across a broader range of their distribution, and compare the similarities and differences in behavior among various size classes of individuals from small juveniles to reproductively mature adults. 

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2. Seascape heterogeneity and predictability drive movement strategy selection in estuarine predators

   https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2656.70164  

   Eggenberger, Cody W; Viadero, Natasha; Santos, Rolando; Papastamatiou, Yannis; Price, Rene; Strazisar, Theresa; Madden, Christopher; Rehage, Jennifer (October 2025, Journal of Animal Ecology)

   Abstract Animal movement strategies, or suites of correlated traits reflecting how individuals respond to their environment, are often shaped by spatiotemporal heterogeneity and predictability in physicochemical conditions, resources or risk.While movement strategies have been well studied in terrestrial animals using high‐resolution satellite telemetry, our understanding of how seascape heterogeneity influences movement strategies in aquatic systems remains limited due to technological constraints.We used a non‐gridded passive acoustic telemetry array to identify and classify movement strategies of Common Snook (Centropomus undecimalis) and Atlantic Tarpon (Megalops atlanticus) within two estuarine systems in Everglades National Park, Florida. We then evaluated how seasonal heterogeneity and environmental predictability influenced movement strategy selection.Using a suite of movement metrics, we identified three statistically distinct movement strategies that varied in movement frequency, home range size and site fidelity. Fish in more homogeneous environments tended to adopt strategies involving frequent movements, larger home ranges and shorter stays in a given location. In contrast, increased seascape heterogeneity was associated with movement strategies characterized by less frequent movements, smaller home ranges and longer residence times. We also found species‐level differences in strategy use, with the predictability of dissolved oxygen, salinity and turbidity emerging as key environmental drivers of movement strategy selection.These results demonstrate that seascape heterogeneity and predictability strongly influence the emergence and selection of movement strategies in estuarine predators. Our findings provide a novel approach for identifying movement strategies in aquatic systems using passive acoustic telemetry and highlight the broader importance of seascape complexity in shaping animal behaviour and predicting responses to environmental change. 

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3. Home range characteristics and diel patterns in space use of mutton snapper, Lutjanus analis, in St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands

   https://doi.org/10.1186/s40317-021-00237-z  

   Heidmann, Sarah L.; Jossart, Jonathan; Kimble, Melissa; Nemeth, Richard S. (December 2021, Animal Biotelemetry)

   null (Ed.)

   Abstract Background The movement ecology of mutton snapper Lutjanus analis is poorly understood despite their ecological and economic importance in the Caribbean. Passive acoustic telemetry was used to determine home ranges of six adult L. analis , including diel patterns, in Brewers Bay, St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands. Understanding long-term space use, including site fidelity and habitat usage, is necessary to implement effective and appropriate management actions for a species with extensive space and resource needs. Results Individual L. analis were tracked over an average period of 316 days (range 125–509 days) and showed high site fidelity to relatively small home ranges (mean ± SD: 0.103 ± 0.028 km 2 , range 0.019–0.190 km 2 ) and core use areas with low overlap among individuals. Most home ranges had a habitat composition dominated by seagrass and to a lesser degree, coral reef and/or pavement. Nighttime activity spaces were distinct from but contained within daytime areas. Conclusions Mutton snapper showed strong site fidelity to home ranges in Brewers Bay. Two individuals that were absent from the array for more than a few hours were detected at separate arrays at spawning aggregation sites. This study expands upon knowledge of mutton snapper home range characteristics, highlights the importance of maintaining adjacent high-quality habitat types in any spatial management plan, and encourages the adoption of other types of management strategies, particularly for transient-aggregating species. 

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4. Hierarchical habitat selection by a predatory fish in a patchy seascape

   https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-27322-0  

   Rodemann, Jonathan; White, Mack; James, W Ryan; Griffin, Lucas P; Costa, Sophia V; Furman, Bradley T; Pittman, Simon J; Gann, Daniel; Rehage, Jennifer S; Santos, Rolando O (December 2025, Scientific Reports)

   Faunal habitat selection, or the disproportionate use of available resources, is closely linked to habitat composition and configuration across a seascape. However, the drivers of habitat selection operate across multiple scales and require a hierarchical approach to study. This study combines acoustic telemetry, field survey data, remote sensing, and machine learning to investigate the multi-scale (seascape and patch) habitat selection of spotted seatrout (Cynoscion nebulosus) in Florida Bay, Everglades National Park, USA. Spotted seatrout responded to both scales, as there were three patch-scale (Halodule cover, standard deviation of submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) cover, and SAV species richness) and one seascape-scale (patch density) predictor in the top four. However, responses were scale-specific, exhibiting logistic responses to seascape-level variables and optimal (specific-range) responses to patch-level characteristics. This study highlights the importance of investigating habitat selection across multiple scales as climate change alters not only species ranges, but local seascapes as well. 

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5. Gone but not forgotten: Collaborative telemetry network provides insight into out-of-system movements of Common Snook

   https://doi.org/10.1093/mcfafs/vtaf050  

   Goldner, Victoria S; White, Mack; Eggenberger, Cody W; Jones, Alia A; Atkinson, Cameron C; Rodemann, Jonathan R; James, W Ryan; Massie, Jordan A; Kroetz, Andrea M; O’Donnell, Patrick M; et al (January 2026, Marine and Coastal Fisheries)

   ABSTRACT ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to examine the movements of Common Snook Centropomus undecimalis, a tropical euryhaline species, out of the Shark River, Everglades National Park, Florida, USA, and gain a better understanding of their long-distance regional movements. MethodsThis study used 7 years (2017–2023) of acoustic telemetry data from the Shark River Florida Coastal Everglades Array and from five other collaborative telemetry arrays in southwestern Florida to assess out-of-system movements for 119 Common Snook. Generalized linear models were used to assess the relationships between out-of-system movements and biological and environmental variables. ResultsMost Common Snook departures took place during the spawning season, with 121 departures (80.1%). Of 67 departed individuals, 26 were detected by the collaborative arrays (both north and south of our array, 38.8%). Of the departed Common Snook, 35 returned to the Shark River (52.2%), with most returning to the lower river (62.7%), and with a trend for larger fish to have a higher probability of return. Last, Common Snook that spent less time outside were more likely to return to the upper part of the Shark River. ConclusionsOur study leveraged five collaborative acoustic telemetry arrays to investigate long-distance movements of Common Snook across southwest Florida, revealing that the true scales of movement and population connectivity remain largely unknown. Despite limited receiver coverage, detections of Common Snook outside the Shark River were higher than expected, with half of the individuals exhibiting site fidelity by returning to the river. These findings underscore that a single river system may only represent a portion of an organism’s home range, highlighting the need for further studies and expanded receiver coverage to elucidate broader patterns of snook movement and population connectivity. 

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