Guidelines for capture, husbandry and long-term transportation of a wild Epinephelus marginatus (Lowe, 1834)
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1
Flying Sharks, Portugal
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2
MARE- Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, School of Tourism and Maritime Technology, Polytechnic Institute of Leiria, 2520-641 Peniche, Portugal, Portugal
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3
MARE – Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, University of Coimbra, 3004-517 Coimbra, Portugal, Portugal
The Dusky Grouper (Epinephelus marginatus), is a species with a large geographic range, and a known teleost off the Azorean rocky shore. On the 5th of September 2015, a specimen was captured with a passive capture method (underwater trap) off the Faial coastline. The manipulation of live marine fish involves careful planning and logistics, especially when it comes to large animals, and the procedures involved have never been reported for Epinephelus marginatus. Decompression diseases may easily cause harmful effects on the fish, and even occasionally result in death. Also, venting is crucial in many cases, as it neutralizes fish buoyancy after being hauled to the surface. Public aquariums often seek large fishes to exhibit, including species such as groupers, but even though many of them have succeeded in the capture and maintenance, there aren’t specific guidelines for this kind of operation. The aim of this study was to provide standard guidelines and a description of the capture, acclimation and long-term transportation of this animal from the Azores to its final destination, the Lisbon Oceanarium. In order to capture this specimen with minimum handling and without possible damage, a cage was set 21m deep. During the trial, 14 dives were made, in order to check the cage content and replace the bait. After 20 days, a Dusky Grouper with a total length of 93 cm was caught in the trap. Decompression stops during ascension were conducted, to prevent barotrauma, and also venting to neutralize buoyancy. The specimen was later transported in a tank for over 5 days by sea, in a shipping container, from Horta to Lisbon. Through length-weight relationships, the weight was estimated between 15 to 17 kg. The utilized fishing gear allowed to obtain a large specimen without causing injuries, and the process was effective as it ensured the health and welfare of the animal until the arrival at the facilities of Lisbon Oceanarium.
Keywords:
Epinephelus marginatus,
Dusky grouper,
Capture,
decompression stops,
Barotrauma,
Venting
Conference:
IMMR | International Meeting on Marine Research 2016, Peniche, Portugal, 14 Jul - 15 Jul, 2016.
Presentation Type:
Poster presentation
Topic:
Biodiversity, Conservation and Coastal Management
Citation:
Vieira
NS,
Silva
LH,
Gonçalves
SC,
Rosa
RM,
Correia
JP and
Rodrigues
AM
(2016). Guidelines for capture, husbandry and long-term transportation of a wild Epinephelus marginatus (Lowe, 1834).
Front. Mar. Sci.
Conference Abstract:
IMMR | International Meeting on Marine Research 2016.
doi: 10.3389/conf.FMARS.2016.04.00069
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Received:
12 Apr 2016;
Published Online:
13 Jul 2016.
*
Correspondence:
Prof. Sílvia C Gonçalves, MARE- Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, School of Tourism and Maritime Technology, Polytechnic Institute of Leiria, 2520-641 Peniche, Portugal, Peniche, Portugal, scgoncalves@ipleiria.pt