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Capitalizing on the the increased breadth of research questions being asked as part of the Lenfest Ocean Program grant, the CIDOE is supporting a larval dispersal study that also kicked off this year under the guidance of Dr. Scott Heppell from OSU. Three satellite drifters were deployed at the Little Cayman aggregation site on the night of spawning. The paths will be recorded by ARGOS satellites for 45 days and the resulting data will be used to develop a larval dispersal model in collaboration with researchers from University of Miami.
Video Compilation of the Little Cayman Spawning Aggregation
Click here. The file is 20MB and will take a few minutes to download. The clip includes footage of:
the large number of Nassau grouper at the site (estimated at 3,000-3,500 individuals) a few days prior to spawning; the use of the site by many different species to spawn (including horse-eye jack); Caribbean reef sharks that try to prey on spawning (and distracted!) fish; and finally the big event, Nassau grouper spawning.
Larval Dispersal Study
Visit the Grouper Moon Project Larval Dispersal Study Website for more detailed project information and more drifter track maps and video.
Images of Research
A gallery of video and images from the 2008 Grouper Moon Project research activities.