Information sought on reef fish spawning aggregations

[andy cornish]

Dear All,

The Society for the Conservation of Reef Fish
Aggregations (SCRFA) would like to enlist the help of
coral reef researchers in collating information on
spawning aggregations.

Many reef fishes aggregate in large numbers at
specific times and places to reproduce, particularly
on the outer reef edge or reef passes.  Some sites may
be used by many species, either simultaneously or at
different times of day, month or year. Once they have
been discovered, their predictable nature makes them
extremely vulnerable to overexploitation. Overfishing
has already depleted a substantial number of such
reproductive gatherings in the Caribbean and
considerable anecdotal evidence also suggests that
many spawning aggregations of groupers are
systematically being destroyed by the live reef food
fish trade, especially in Indonesia and the western
Pacific.

SCRFA strives to promote and facilitate the
international conservation and management of reef fish
spawning aggregations and has initiated a global
database to document aggregation history and status
throughout the tropics to facilitate sound
science-based development of appropriate
fishery-specific management and conservation and to
provide supporting information to stakeholders.

However, spawning aggregation sites are often poorly
documented and we are lacking information from many
areas of the Pacific, Indian Ocean and Caribbean.

We would like to hear from you if you aware of
aggregations that have not been reported in the
published literature, whether you know personally of
such sites, or are aware of grey literature that may
have contain relevant information. Also if you have
conducted recent assessments of aggregations
previously reported. Those contributing can be assured
that the precise locations of spawning sites will not
be released, unless there is specific reason to do so
and after consultation with both the SCRFA Board and
the contributor, to avoid the possible abuse of this
information.

Apologies for the cross posting and thanks,

Andy Cornish

=====
Andy Cornish Ph.D,
Teaching Consultant,
Department of Ecology & Biodiversity,
The University of Hong Kong,
Pokfulam Rd., Hong Kong

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