By all accounts, the 6th International Bonefish & Tarpon Trust Symposium in 2017 was a great success. The Symposium provided a forum for the exchange of knowledge and ideas between scientists and anglers who are united by a passion for the fishes and habitats of the flats. Bonefish & Tarpon Trust is proud to share that many of the research projects that were reported at the Symposium have been published in the scientific journal Environmental Biology of Fishes. The 23 scientific articles appear in the peer-reviewed “Special Issue: Fishes of the Flats.”
The articles address a wide range of topics, including assessment of the status of the Florida Keys bonefish fishery, identification of bonefish pre-spawning sites, tracking of bonefish in Belize and Mexico and permit in the Florida Keys, habitat assessments, bonefish reproduction, and juvenile tarpon habitats. The inclusion of anglers and guides as citizen scientists is a component of many of the studies.
The theme of the 6th Symposium was Science to Achieve Actionable Knowledge, where “Actionable Knowledge” is defined as “the creative intersection between what we know and putting what we know into everyday practice.” In other words, theoretically based science with results directly applicable to conservation, management, and education. True to the theme, the articles in this Special Issue show how research of the flats incorporates important conservation-focused research from other areas, while also contributing important new information to flats conservation and coastal conservation in general.
We look forward to building upon the science presented in the Special Issue at the 7th International Bonefish & Tarpon Trust Symposium in Fall 2020. The theme of the 7th International Symposium will be Conservation Connections. Stay tuned to BTT.org for details.
Click here to view the Table of Contents of the Special Issue: “Fishes of the Flats.” If you would like to receive a copy of an article, please contact Nick Roberts and he will put you in touch with the article’s lead author who can provide a copy. Photo: Dr. Aaron Adams
