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For species that are closely managed, understanding population resilience to environmental and anthropogenic disturbances (i.e., recovery trajectories across broad spatial areas) can guide which suite of management actions are available to mitigate any impacts. During January 2010, an extreme cold event in south Florida caused widespread mortality...
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... Direct effects include preclusion of fishery access through bad weather or damage to fishing infrastructure such as shorelines, marinas, boats and fishing gear; as well as loss of fish biomass due to displacement or mortality. For instance, an extreme cold event in southern Florida during 2010 resulted in widespread fish-kills for the common snook, Centropomus undecimalis [12]. This species supports a substantial coastal recreational fishery that experienced subsequent reductions in catch per unit effort within western estuaries [12]. ...
... For instance, an extreme cold event in southern Florida during 2010 resulted in widespread fish-kills for the common snook, Centropomus undecimalis [12]. This species supports a substantial coastal recreational fishery that experienced subsequent reductions in catch per unit effort within western estuaries [12]. Indirect effects of extreme weather events on coastal recreational fisheries can include the loss of coastal habitats such as marshes, oyster reefs and mangroves which support the productivity of exploited fish populations. ...
Extreme weather events across coastal environments are expected to increase in frequency under predicted climate change scenarios. These events can impact coastal recreational fisheries and their supporting ecosystems by influencing the productivity of fish stocks or altering behaviours and decision-making among fishers. Using off-site telephone/diary survey data on estuarine and oceanic recreational fishing activity in eastern Australia, we analyse interannual and geographic variability in bream (Acanthopagrus spp) and snapper (Chrysophrys auratus) catch, total effort and total catch per unit effort (CPUE) through a period (2013/2014, 2017/2018 and 2019/2020) that encompassed severe drought, bushfires and flooding. Interacting spatial and temporal differences were detected for bream and may reflect spatial variation in the intensity and extent of some of the extreme weather events. The catch of snapper did not change temporally, providing little evidence that this species’ catch may be influenced by the extreme weather events. Independent bioregional and temporal effects on effort were detected, while CPUE only showed significant bioregional differences. Although adverse conditions created by the extreme weather events may have dissuaded fisher participation and impacted effort, we propose that the observed temporal patterns in effort reflect the early influence of socio-economic changes brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic on coastal recreational fishing, over and above the impacts of extreme weather events. This study demonstrates how interrelated ecological, social and economic factors can shape coastal recreational fisheries and facilitates development of management strategies to address future threats to the sector.
... Shifts in juvenile abundance can also be used to forecast changes in the adult stock, allowing implementation of necessary modifications to harvest regulations before the fish have fully recruited to the fishery (Goodyear, 1985). Multispecies, multihabitat, long-term monitoring programs are also valuable in documenting ecosystem changes, evaluating the effects of natural and anthropogenic disturbances, and making management decisions (e.g., Coull, 1985;Wolfe et al., 1987;Stevens et al., 2016;Schrandt and MacDonald, 2020;Schrandt et al., 2021a). ...
... While commercial harvest of snook in Florida has been illegal since 1957, recreational fishing is not, and pressure and landings in the recreational fishery have increased dramatically in recent decades (Munyandorero et al., 2020). Snook populations in Florida have been subject to several stressors, including extreme cold-weather events, degradation of habitat, and northward expansion of the Gulf coast population, warranting diligent management and stringent regulations to maintain populations and a sustainable inshore fishery statewide (Stevens et al., 2016;Adams et al., 2019;Purtlebaugh et al., 2020). Since 1996 the FIM program has monitored snook abundance for fishery management using the 21.3-m center-bag seine to collect small juvenile snook (<100 mm SL, standard length) and the 183-m haul seine to collect larger snook (>300 mm SL). ...
... The evaluation phase also indicated that, while snook occur almost statewide, the distribution closely approximates that of mangroves (Marshall, 1958), i.e., they are primarily distributed along Florida's southern coastlines, from Cape Canaveral on the Atlantic coast to Tarpon Springs on the Gulf coast (Gilmore et al., 1983;Rivas, 1986;Winner et al., 2010;Stevens et al., 2016;Purtlebaugh et al., 2020). Therefore, gear-testing focused on TB and CH on the Gulf coast, and the IRL on the Atlantic coast, regions in which the FIM program already had an existing long-term monitoring survey. ...
Development of Florida’s marine Fisheries-Independent Monitoring (FIM) program began in 1985, and it initiated long-term monitoring in Tampa Bay in 1989 with the purpose of providing timely fishery-independent data and analyses to fishery managers for the conservation and protection of the species that support Florida’s fisheries. Over time, the program expanded sampling in other Florida estuaries. Data from this monitoring program are integral to the assessment and management of numerous state and federally managed fishes, so long-term consistency is of paramount importance, but sampling design modifications have been necessary over time. This review presents three case studies in which the estuarine component of the FIM program was changed to address emerging data needs in management of Florida’s fishery resources, while maintaining standardization and consistency with long-term surveys statewide. In the first case study, survey changes increased the amount of data on juvenile common snook, Centropomus undecimalis, on the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic coasts and improved indices of abundance, survival estimates, and age-length keys for state management purposes. In the second case study, the FIM program improved estimates of abundance of juvenile reef fishes by initiating a complementary survey that expanded FIM sampling to new regions of the Florida Gulf coast and targeted a unique habitat (polyhaline seagrass beds along estuarine shoal habitats) not previously sampled in the standard long-term survey. In the third case study, the FIM program addressed a data limitation for regional management of spotted seatrout, Cynoscion nebulosus, by initiating seasonal sampling in western Florida. In each case study, the standard long-term survey design was modified to include sampling of new and unique areas and habitats, providing valuable data on estuarine fish assemblages that support analyses at the broader, ecosystem level. Survey amendments were designed to maintain standardization and consistency, all with limited additional funding. The success of these survey modifications was the result of several key factors: mission-focused programmatic goals, geographically dispersed laboratories, standardized protocols, ongoing critical analysis of the data, grant award success, and high-level data management. Although each case study originated with a survey expansion, all were followed by survey reductions or streamlining, so expansion and reduction scenarios are presented in this review. Regardless of these modifications, the mission of the FIM program remains the same: to provide timely data and analysis for the use of fishery managers, including state and federal partners.
... The effects of the 2010 cold-weather event on the abundance of adult (i.e., .500 mm standard length) common snook were reflected in fishery-independent monitoring data and ranged from no effects after the event to large reductions (52-94%) in adult populations and recovery times as long as 4 years (Stevens et al. 2016). Stevens et al. (2016) suggested that differences in these spatial responses could be the result of estuary geomorphology, habitat availability, and behavioral contingents-all of which could act as ecological refuges to aid in population recovery following disturbance. ...
... mm standard length) common snook were reflected in fishery-independent monitoring data and ranged from no effects after the event to large reductions (52-94%) in adult populations and recovery times as long as 4 years (Stevens et al. 2016). Stevens et al. (2016) suggested that differences in these spatial responses could be the result of estuary geomorphology, habitat availability, and behavioral contingents-all of which could act as ecological refuges to aid in population recovery following disturbance. ...
Florida promotes itself as the fishing capital of the world, and fishing is one of the state's most popular recreational activities. As the state faces increasing anthropogenic and natural environmental stressors, effective resource management is of paramount importance in sustaining healthy fisheries. The Fisheries Independent Monitoring (FIM) program of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's Fish and Wildlife Research Institute regularly monitors relative abundance of various size and age classes of multiple sport fish species (e.g., Centropomus undecimalis common snook, Sciaenops ocellatus red drum, Cynoscion nebulosus spotted seatrout) to provide timely data to fisheries managers. The FIM program samples seven major Florida estuaries, including four that the National Estuary Program has designated as estuaries of national significance (Tampa Bay, Sarasota Bay, Coastal and Heartland, and Indian River Lagoon). Although the FIM program sampling design is consistent and results are comparable among estuaries, the environmental perturbations, available habitats, habitat use by resource species, and recruitment dynamics vary, which can result in different abundance trends among estuaries. The goal of this study was to assess the role of early life stages as refuges for adult populations for two inshore sport fish species and examine their potential in forecasting relative abundance of fishery stocks. We present long-term abundance trends and assess lagged regressions among size or age classes to reveal the importance of size class refuges and identify preferred habitats that are estuary-and age class-specific, providing tools for better managing fishery stocks and habitats.
... Gafftopsail sea catfish, which were strongly affected by year, exhibited a large catch in the trawls in 2016. Pinfish abundance peaked in 2010 in our study area, as well as adjacent ecosystems (Chacin et al. 2016), which has been suggested to be related to release from predators that died in the extreme cold event of 2009-2010 (Stevens et al. 2016). Gray snapper was the only species to decline in abundance consistently throughout the study period; however, a recent stock assessment suggests the adult population in the Gulf of Mexico was increasing at least from 2010 to 2014 (SEDAR 2018). ...
Changes in freshwater flow to estuaries can cause a suite of ecosystem impacts including eutrophication and alterations to plant communities, zooplankton populations, and other biota. In southwest Florida, historical manipulation of freshwater flow due to development, canals, and drainage ditches is pervasive. Because there are estuaries with reduced, increased, and relatively natural freshwater flow, this region presents an ideal system to study how these changes relate to downstream fish abundances. We used a 20-year trawl dataset focused on juvenile and small-bodied fish from three mangrove-lined sub-estuaries with contrasting flow conditions in southwest Florida’s Ten Thousand Islands to identify important environmental and temporal variables influencing fish populations. We used generalized additive models to investigate total fish abundance, species richness, diversity, and the abundances of 23 ecologically, recreationally, or commercially important species and describe their relationships with important environmental and temporal variables. While salinity and temperature had species-specific relationships with fish abundances, seasonality, interannual variability, and sub-estuary were more closely related to fish than salinity and temperature in most cases. Only 8 of 23 species responded most strongly to temperature, and only 1 species responded most strongly to salinity. This suggests that for most species in our study, temporal factors such as timing of spawning and recruitment variability had stronger relationships with the structure of fish populations than changes in freshwater flow. This work quantified how changes in freshwater flow, using salinity as a proxy, may relate to downstream fish abundances and therefore the potential implications of planned watershed restoration that is part of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan.
... Near the transition zone between tropical and temperate climates in North America, the poleward range limits of many tropical species are governed by the frequency and intensity of extreme winter temperatures Cavanaugh et al. 2019;Osland et al. 2021). For example, extreme cold temperatures govern the northern range limits of terrestrial plants (Greller 1980;Box et al. 1993), insects (Ungerer et al. 1999;Johnson et al. 2017), amphibians (Glorioso et al. 2018), terrestrial and freshwater reptiles (Mazzotti et al. 2016;Card et al. 2018), coastal fishes (Boucek and Rehage 2014;Stevens et al. 2016;Purtlebaugh et al. 2020), coral reefs (Lirman et al. 2011;Toth et al. 2021), sea turtles (Foley et al. 2007;Lamont et al. 2018), manatees (Hardy et al. 2019;Cloyed et al. 2021), and coastal wetland plants (Cavanaugh et al. 2019;Osland et al. 2019a). Warming winters due to climate change are expected to lead to ecological tropicalization, which is the transformation of temperate ecosystems by polewardmoving tropical organisms (Vergés et al. 2014;Carter et al. 2018;Osland et al. 2021). ...
Warming winters due to climate change can facilitate the range expansion of invasive non-native species. In the southeastern United States, the frequency and intensity of extreme winter temperatures determines the northern range limits of many tropical organisms including many species of invasive non-native plants. However, the effects of winter climate change on invasive species’ range limits have been understudied. Here, we used temperature and species occurrence data to examine the sensitivity of invasive tropical plant species to freezing temperatures. We also examined the potential for northward range expansion of these species due to winter climate change. From an initial group of 81 invasive plant species selected due to their ability to transform native plant communities, our analyses identify and quantify species-specific temperature thresholds for 40 tropical, cold sensitive species. Future winter warming scenarios indicate that these tropical invasive plant species have the potential for northward range expansion across the southeastern United States in response to small changes in the severity of winter cold temperature extremes. The potential for range expansion is greatest in coastal areas, which typically have warmer temperatures than inland counterparts. Thus, coastal regions are likely to serve as biological invasion hotspots from which invasive species expand into inland areas. The state of Florida has become a global hotspot for biological invasions, with tens of millions of dollars (US) spent annually to control the ecological and societal impacts of invasive plants on publicly held conservation lands. Collectively, our results underscore the need to better anticipate and prepare for the northward range expansion of invasive plants from Florida into the southeastern United States in response to winter climate change.
... Haul seines (183 × 3 m) were deployed in the water column by boat. Due to a relatively large mesh size (25.4 mm) and net design, haul seines usually collect larger individuals (McMichael 2009, Stevens et al. 2016, Paperno et al. 2018. Center bag seines were 21.3 m × 1.8 m long and deployed along the shoreline for a distance of nine meters and thus covered an area of ~140 m 2 each sampling event. ...
Freshwater diversions and damming have altered coastal ecosystems greatly, resulting in fundamental changes in salinity, eutrophication, and ensuing shifts in ecological communities. Recently, efforts to restore water delivery and water quality in coastal systems have increased. To explore the impacts of altered freshwater discharge to a subtropical estuary, here Bayesian structural equation models are used to quantify the relationships among water quality properties, nutrients, and predator (sport) and prey (forage) components of the fish community. During periods of relatively low freshwater input, predatory sport fish and lower trophic level forage fish guild dynamics were tightly coupled with water quality and one another. In this low freshwater discharge system, water quality and nutrients were the most strongly linked components of the system. Conversely, during periods of high-water discharge, there was virtually no link between water quality and sport or forage fish guilds, and the sport fish and forage fish guilds became the most tightly coupled components. Ultimately, freshwater discharge disrupted existing linkages within the broader ecosystem. Based on these results, we expect the restoration of low freshwater flow into the estuary would strengthen the relationship between the fish community and the environment. As restoration of estuaries and rivers continues globally, freshwater delivery to downstream systems will be altered. Following the approach presented here, Bayesian structural equation models can be used to generate insight regarding potential system wide shifts following alteration of freshwater delivery, thereby providing a critically important tool for evaluating management strategies.
... For instance, pink salmon responded differently to extreme flood events based on when they occurred relative to spawning (Milner et al. 2018). The recovery of common snook, Centropomus undecimalis, varied in duration following cold snaps, depending on the timing of multiple stressors (Stevens et al. 2016). ...
Population responses to environmental perturbations can be influenced by stressor timing or asynchrony. Since physiological responses often depend on prior conditioning, responses to extreme events may depend on prior exposure to environmental conditions, which could enhance or erode resilience. Yet there are relatively few studies investigating population responses to extreme events in the context of asynchronous stresses. Most multi-stressor experiments impose them simultaneously, which may sometimes poorly reflect seasonal dynamics in nature. For example, hurricanes typically occur over a broad season and may impact populations pre-conditioned with either mild early-season or elevated late-season water temperatures. In the Atlantic, hurricane season begins in June, following mild spring water temperatures, but continues through summer and autumn months, when water temperatures in some estuaries can reach 32 °C. We used the ecologically and commercially important Eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) as a model system, investigating how newly settled oysters responded to hurricane-level low-salinity stress (1 ppt for 10 days) after a month of elevated late summer temperatures (32 °C) versus milder early-season conditions (24 °C) typical of Galveston Bay, TX, USA. Oyster mortality under synchronous thermal and salinity stressors was higher than under asynchronous stressor treatments (46% versus 4%). Additionally, oysters without a prior thermal stress had higher mortality under salinity stress than those with prior elevated temperatures (16% versus 4%). Unlike mortality, growth and metabolism were dependent on individual stressors rather than their timing. Results indicate that incorporating temporal dynamics, rather than simply crossing multiple stressors simultaneously, can have important consequences for our understanding of how disturbances influence populations.
... In Florida, Common Snook exist at the northern extent of their range and low winter water temperatures (< 10 C) can be lethal [40,46,108]. As a tropical species, maximum water temperature currently presents less of a threat to Florida Snook but may have some influence on reproductive timing and range expansion as waters warm under climate change. ...
Background
Spawning migrations are a widespread phenomenon among fishes, often occurring in response to environmental conditions prompting movement into reproductive habitats (migratory cues). However, for many species, individual fish may choose not to migrate, and research suggests that conditions preceding the spawning season (migratory primers) may influence this decision. Few studies have provided empirical descriptions of these prior conditions, partly due to a lack of long-term data allowing for robust multi-year comparisons. To investigate how primers and cues interact to shape the spawning migrations of coastal fishes, we use acoustic telemetry data from Common Snook ( Centropomus undecimalis ) in Everglades National Park, Florida, USA. A contingent of Snook migrate between rivers and coastal spawning sites, varying annually in both the proportion of the population that migrates and the timing of migration within the spawning season. However, the specific environmental factors that serve as migratory primers and cues remain unknown.
Methods
We used eight years of acoustic telemetry data (2012–2019) from 173 tagged Common Snook to investigate how primers and cues influence migratory patterns at different temporal scales. We hypothesize that (1) interannual differences in hydrologic conditions preceding the spawning season contribute to the number of individuals migrating each year, and (2) specific environmental cues trigger the timing of migrations during the spawning season. We used GLMMs to model both the annual and seasonal migratory response in relation to flow characteristics (water level, rate of change in water level), other hydrologic/abiotic conditions (temperature, salinity), fish size, and phenological cues independent of riverine conditions (photoperiod, lunar cycle).
Results
We found that the extent of minimum marsh water level prior to migration and fish size influence the proportion of Snook migrating each year, and that high river water level and daily rates of change serve as primary cues triggering migration timing.
Conclusion
Our findings illustrate how spawning migrations are shaped by environmental factors acting at different temporal scales and emphasize the importance of long-term movement data in understanding these patterns. Research providing mechanistic descriptions of conditions that promote migration and reproduction can help inform management decisions aimed at conserving ecologically and economically important species.
... Overall, marine heatwave duration and intensity have increased by a factor of 3 since 1980 and are expected to increase even more (Smale et al. 2019). Moreover, storm-induced cold shock events could also harm fish assemblages (Szekeres et al. 2016), which occurred in 2010 causing widespread mortality of marine fishes in South Florida, including flats species (Adams et al. 2012;Stevens et al. 2016). As oceans continue to absorb large percentages of anthropogenic CO 2 emissions Sabine et al. 2004;le Quéré et al. 2009), oceanic pH levels have dropped (Harley et al. 2006;Gattuso et al. 2015), with this acidification proving detrimental to calcifying organisms (e.g., shellfish, zooplankton, and coral reefs). ...
... For example, in January 2010, Florida (USA) experienced a 12-day cold period leading to decreases in water temperature of over 10 °C (NOAA 2010;Adams et al. 2012). The massive fish kill that ensued included a variety of species resulting in a 60-80% decline in the common snook population (Adams et al. 2012;Muller and Taylor 2014;Stevens et al. 2016;Santos et al. 2020) and likely accelerating a long-term decline of bonefish (A. vulpes) Brownscombe et al. 2019a). ...
... Overall, marine heatwave duration and intensity have increased by a factor of 3 since 1980 and are expected to increase even more (Smale et al. 2019). Moreover, storm-induced cold shock events could also harm fish assemblages (Szekeres et al. 2016), which occurred in 2010 causing widespread mortality of marine fishes in South Florida, including flats species (Adams et al. 2012;Stevens et al. 2016). As oceans continue to absorb large percentages of anthropogenic CO 2 emissions Sabine et al. 2004;le Quéré et al. 2009), oceanic pH levels have dropped (Harley et al. 2006;Gattuso et al. 2015), with this acidification proving detrimental to calcifying organisms (e.g., shellfish, zooplankton, and coral reefs). ...
... For example, in January 2010, Florida (USA) experienced a 12-day cold period leading to decreases in water temperature of over 10 °C (NOAA 2010;Adams et al. 2012). The massive fish kill that ensued included a variety of species resulting in a 60-80% decline in the common snook population (Adams et al. 2012;Muller and Taylor 2014;Stevens et al. 2016;Santos et al. 2020) and likely accelerating a long-term decline of bonefish (A. vulpes) Brownscombe et al. 2019a). ...
Tropical and subtropical coastal flats are shallow regions of the marine environment at the intersection of land and sea. These regions provide myriad ecological goods and services, including recreational fisheries focused on flats-inhabiting fishes such as bonefish, tarpon, and permit. The cascading effects of climate change have the potential to negatively impact coastal flats around the globe and to reduce their ecological and economic value. In this paper, we consider how the combined effects of climate change, including extremes in temperature and precipitation regimes, sea level rise, and changes in nutrient dynamics, are causing rapid and potentially permanent changes to the structure and function of tropical and subtropical flats ecosystems. We then apply the available science on recreationally targeted fishes to reveal how these changes can cascade through layers of biological organization—from individuals, to populations, to communities—and ultimately impact the coastal systems that depend on them. We identify critical gaps in knowledge related to the extent and severity of these effects, and how such gaps influence the effectiveness of conservation, management, policy, and grassroots stewardship efforts.
