Rockfish data (Movement and habitat use patterns of top predators and keystone species in the benthic food web.)

We have been using and continue to use acoustic telemetry methods to monitor the movement behavior and define habitat use of groundfish species in and out of Puget Sound waters. Detections of individual fishes has been collected at small and large scales over short and long term periods. We have data on sixgill and sevengill sharks, spiny dogfish, lingcod, copper, quillback, yellowtail and black rockfish, and spotted ratfish. These data are being used to describe the spatio-temporal patterns of behaviors expressed by top predators and other important members of the groundfish community in Puget Sound and along the West Coast. We intend for this information to inform the strength of inter- and intra-specific interactions quantified by ecosystem-scale models as well as the development of models used to determine the efficacy of spatial management strategies such as Marine Protected Areas. This has been a research topic since 2003, and will continue with work on listed species such as yelloweye and canary rockfish. Acoustic telemetry data for rockfish in Puget Sound, primarily copper and quillback