Juvenile Tarpon Residency and Habitat Use in Texas Coastal Bend Nursery Habitats

Factors responsible for the decline of tarpon (Megalops atlanticus) in coastal waters off Texas are uncertain, but overfishing and juvenile recruitment failure are commonly cited. An improved understanding of the juvenile population characteristics of this species is needed to evaluate the viability of rebuilding plans for the Texas population. The primary goals of this project are to:

1. Identify juvenile tarpon residency periods in Texas Coastal Bend nursery habitats using acoustic telemetry;
2. Determine which environmental variables influence juvenile tarpon residency in identified nursery habitats