Automated monitoring of fine-scale movements of the endangered smalltooth sawfish (Pristis pectinata)

Abstract

Juvenile smalltooth sawfish (Pristis pectinata) were monitored in the Peace River, Florida. A series of 37 acoustic receivers was used throughout the river, 9 of which were time synchronized. In 2016, 20 individuals were tagged and tracked from 27 May through 26 October. Most juveniles resided along the northern shoreline during the day, and some individuals crossed the river at night. Eleven smalltooth sawfish were detected on the southern shoreline, and 6 individuals used it extensively. Estimates of the sawfish positions were sorted into 3 habitat types: shallow, deep, and oyster reef. While at the southern shoreline, all sawfish tended to occupy shallow water, and most of them visited the oyster reefs. These results 1) improve our understanding of how the most productive nursery habitats function within the overall nursery, 2) will continue to influence decisions regarding management in this unique nursery, and 3) have implications for recovery planning for other nurseries of this endangered species.