The spotted halibut (Verasper variegatus) has been a target species for stock enhancement programs in the coastal waters of Japan. Using acoustic telemetry, we investigated the post-release survival of hatchery-reared juveniles in relation to the movements of their potential predators. Eighty hatchery-reared juveniles (95–111 mm in total length) were tagged with V5D acoustic transmitters (Innovasea, USA) in both 2024 and 2025. Simultaneously, their potential predators, including piscivorous fishes and crustaceans, were tagged with V7 or V9 series acoustic transmitters (Innovasea, USA). All tagged individuals were released in a harbour located midway along a channel connecting a lagoon and the Pacific Ocean, and were tracked using moored VR2W receivers (Innovasea, USA). This study provides insights into the association between the movements and survival of the tagged juveniles, and the behavioral patterns of the tagged predators.
Takagi et al. (Wed,) studied this question.