Fwc Fish And Wildlife Research Institute issued the following announcement on Aug. 31.
Beautiful weather and water conditions set the stage for the seasonal start of aerial surveys for red drum spawning aggregations. Biologists with the MERR (Movement Ecology and Reproductive Resilience) Lab fly weekly from mid-August through mid-November in search of these impressive groups of adult red drum. Surveys cover nearshore waters from 1-7 miles off the beaches between Redington Beach and Sanibel Island plus portions of Tampa Bay and Charlotte Harbor.
Although juvenile and subadult red drum inhabit the estuary year-round, soon after they exceed the upper slot limit (27” TL), they join these nearshore spawning aggregations, largely returning in the fall to spawn off their natal estuaries: MyFWC.com/research/saltwater/fish/red-drum/birthplace-role/
Biologists use aerial surveys to find and record locations of spawning aggregations as a metric incorporated into a larger multi-year study on red drum ecology and movement. Aerial data will also help assess how red tide in 2018 and 2021 impacted the adult red drum population.
Original source can be found here.
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