Movement patterns of grey grunter Pomadasys furcatus (Pisces: Haemulidae) in the iSimangaliso Marine Protected Area, South Africa

Pomadasys furcatus is a relatively common inshore fish species caught in the shore-based linefishery in northern KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), South Africa, yet relatively little is known about the biology and ecology of this species. Movement patterns of this species were studied based on data obtained from a 20-year tag-recapture study conducted in the iSimangaliso Marine Protected Area in northern KZN from 2001 to 2021. A total of 4 983 fish were caught, of which 1 302 were tagged and released and 74 were recaptured. Results showed that P. furcatus is a highly resident species with a linear coastal home-range size of 250–540 m. None of the fish recaptured moved out of the protected area no-take zones in which they were tagged, suggesting limited adult spillover. Based on their residency, options for the future conservation and management of this species are discussed.