Thanks to a $35,000 grant from our Foundation, Bonefish & Tarpon Trust (BTT) is diving in to understand where bonefish spawn in the Florida Keys. Building on a major win in 2023 when a spawning aggregation was successfully documented in the Upper Keys, BTT has turned its attention to three additional reef locations suspected to be critical for the species’ reproduction. With a network of tagged fish and underwater acoustic receivers, they’re collecting data around-the-clock to uncover the mystery of where thousands of bonefish gather to spawn under the light of the full and new moons.
Known as the “grey ghosts of the flats,” bonefish are one of Florida’s most iconic and elusive gamefish. Found primarily in the shallow waters of the Florida Keys and Biscayne Bay, these fast, stealthy swimmers offer world-class catch-and-release fishing and can live over 20 years. A recent study by scientists at the University of Miami estimated the value of a single bonefish in the Florida Keys to be $3,500 each year. That’s nearly $75,000 over the lifespan of the fish! Though much of their biology remains a mystery, their value to Florida’s economy and coastal ecosystems makes protecting their spawning grounds more important than ever.
So far, seven spawning events have been detected, most of them at night, led by migratory fish coming from as far as Islamorada. By identifying and protecting these precious spawning sites, BTT, with our support, is helping to ensure these iconic fish have a future in our waters.
