Do FADs influence the geographical distribution of dolphinfish (Coryphaena hippurus)?
For most fisheries, increasing the local production of pelagic fish is the main objective of Fish Aggregating Devices (fads). This does not rule out the existence of a larger-scale impact, especially on the migratory behaviour of fish. The analysis of data collected during 25 experimental fishing surveys around Martinique between 1995 and 1997 has led to the hypothesis that fads influence the migratory behaviour of young dolphinfish. Unlike recent studies of dolphinfish migration in the Caribbean, which tend to show an annual migration pattern with a seasonal passage through the French West Indies, the experimental fishing surveys done over more than a year on a monthly basis on a single cohort, show that the migratory pattern of part of the regional stock could be disrupted. This analysis has made it possible to estimate an average growth rate for this species during the first year of life.
Taquet Marc, Reynal Lionel, Laurans Martial (2000). Do FADs influence the geographical distribution of dolphinfish (Coryphaena hippurus)?. Pêche thonière et dispositifs de concentration de poissons, Caribbean-Martinique, 15-19 Oct 1999. https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00042/15321/