ABSTRACT
Telemetry research on Red Snapper, Lutjanus campechanus, began in the early 1990s in the northern Gulf of Mexico. The close association of Red Snapper to reef structures provided a unique opportunity for Red Snapper movement studies to parallel advances in telemetry methods. The first telemetry study tracked transmitter-tagged Red Snapper from a surface-operated receiver and reported high residency for fish detected at approximately monthly intervals. In more recent years, the use of remote receivers to continuously track (at ~10 min intervals) the movements of transmitter-tagged fish has generated millions of fish locations over several years. These remote detections provided higher spatial and temporal resolution compared with manual tracking from a surface vessel. As telemetry technology advanced to multiple receiver arrays and positioning accuracy increased, studies were able to describe long-term and fine-scale movement patterns related to seasonal patterns, 50diel patterns, and environmental variations. These telemetry technology advances also allowed estimates of mortality (fishing and natural) independent of the fishery, which are a critical component of management. The present study provides a review on Red Snapper telemetry studies and identifies possible future research directions for this important reef fish.
