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The FACT Project is a local-state-federal cooperative of researchers using acoustic telemetry, or fish tracking, to better understand the movements, reproduction, life-cycle and habitat-use patterns of multiple commercially and ecologically important fishes along Florida’s Atlantic coast – from Mosquito Lagoon at the northern extent to Lake Worth Inlet to the south. As of March 2008, fish species currently being tracked, via implanted acoustic transmitters or tags, include mangrove snapper (68 juvenile; 20 adult), snook (6+), red drum (44), lemon sharks (15), and several species of rays (54). As the tagged fish move throughout their mosaic of habitats their individual transmitted signals are recorded by > 130+ acoustic receivers covering approximately 300 km2 of the coastal ecosystem – from river to reef, and from estuaries to inlets (FACT maps). Participating researchers exchange fish location data and work together to coordinate their results. We are currently focusing on large-scale movements between coastal and off-shore habitats and between lagoons. In the future, we hope to compare movement patterns between age-classes within species and between natural and man-made habitats throughout the study areas. A partial list of actively participating researchers is provided below and for detailed information, please contact either Samantha.Whitcraft@noaa.gov or Erick.Ault@MyFWC.com.
- Samantha Whitcraft – NOAA Southeast Fisheries Science Center
- Craig Faunce, Ph.D. – NOAA Pacific Northwest Fisheries Science Center
- Erick Ault – Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
- Eric Reyier – Dynamac Corporation/NASA
- Steve Kessel – Cardiff University/Bimini Field Station
- Samuel Gruber, Ph.D. – University of Miami/Bimini Field Station
- Jynessa Dutka-Gianelli – Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
- Craig Layman, Ph.D. – Florida International University