Coastal Wetlands StudiesChase Wunder

Acoustic Telemetry and Autonomous Surface Vehicles (auvs): Mapping Habitat Use of Summer Flounder in a Salt Marsh Subtidal Creek

Summer flounder (Paralichthys dentatus) inhabit coastal salt marsh estuaries in New Jersey from late spring through fall and are a species of great economic importance in the Mid-Atlantic region. Salt marsh tidal creeks are understood to serve a critical role in the growth and development of summer flounder, however fine scale habitat use and yearly residency of summer flounder within salt marsh creek systems remains unclear. Acoustic telemetry (tracking with electronic transmitters) coupled with high resolution benthic mapping from autonomous surface vehicle (ASV) will be used to quantify the habitat use of summer flounder in Little Sheepshead Creek, New Jersey that will help identify and predict how populations may respond to future climate or anthropogenic driven change.