BTT has received thousands of bonefish fin clip samples from anglers in more than 15 countries, which will provide critical information about bonefish population connectivity and genetics. With the collection phase of the program ending in March, we are appealing to anglers to continue submitting fin clips until the deadline. The program will help us answer questions like whether there is connectivity between the North Cuban and Florida Keys bonefish populations. Industrial-scale netting over a decade ago had a huge impact on that Cuban fishery, which coincided with the decline in the Keys bonefish population. Both areas have seen some signs of a resurgence in recent years. If we know that there are shared populations like that, it will affect how we how we prioritize our management efforts moving forward. All of these collection efforts will go a long way towards developing our understanding of bonefish, which will help us protect them in the future. The following video shows you how easy it is!
Taking a fin clip sample is painless for the fish and the piece of fin regenerates in a few weeks – it’s basically like clipping a fingernail. If you’re traveling to fish for bonefish between now and then, please email us at info@bonefishtarpontrust.org to request a kit.
Top photo by Captain Will Vallely.
