| As a common nearshore predator in tropical and sub-tropical regions, great barracuda (Sphyraena barracuda) hold ecological, economic, and cultural importance, however, little is known about their basic biology. Fine-scale behaviour was assessed by tagging fish with acoustic transmitters equipped with pressure and tri-axial accelerometer sensors and tracking them with a hydrophone array in the The Bahamas. Although barracuda did not show differences in locomotory activity or depth use across habitat types and diel periods, some degree of movement repeatability and transience were apparent. The consequences of catch-and-release angling were also investigated showing some evidence of injury associated across lure types, that physiological disturbance was relatively minor, and initial mortality was negligible. Blood samples were examined for ciguatoxin, leading to the development of the first non-lethal approach for detecting ciguatera in fish. This thesis has increased the understanding of great barracuda biology and will promote conservation and management initiatives for this species. |
