The Future of Cobia Tagging

Cobia tagging is more than just a pastime for local anglers- it’s a vital part of marine conservation efforts. Known for its rich marine biodiversity, Destin-Fort Walton Beach attracts fishermen from all over to participate in Cobia migration.

A Collaborative Conservation Effort

Over the last few weeks, the United States Geological Survey team has been busy tagging Cobia, which are abundant at the Okaloosa Island Pier. A total of 20 Cobia were tagged with internal acoustic tags and/or satellite tags. All fish were also tagged with dart tags.  

The movements of this iconic species are being examined to establish migration pathways throughout the region.  With such a large area to cover, this work is part of a large collaboration with the United States Geological Survey, the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Council, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Mississippi Department of Marine Resources, University of Southern Mississippi- Gulf Coast Research Lab, and the Destin-Fort Walton Beach Coastal Resources team.  This project wouldn’t be possible without the support of the Okaloosa Island Pier which is establishing itself as quite the research destination.

Revitalizing Cobia Populations

Cobia has long been a popular fishery in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Many years ago, you could see a dozen or more boats slowly cruising off the shore of Destin-Fort Walton Beach looking for this highly sought-after game fish. It also was a popular tournament fish that supported several local fishing tournaments. Unfortunately, the number of Cobia observed along the beaches has declined over the years. While poor fisheries management may be a contributing factor, other causes might be related to shifts in migration patterns or other unknown factors. This research will contribute valuable data to help anglers and fisheries managers better understand Cobia populations in the Gulf of Mexico. The Destin-Fort Walton Beach area, and its anglers who are passionate about this species, have been at the forefront of finding ways to support the Cobia fishery. Not only have they advocated for improved fisheries management, but several of the tournaments have worked with the Coastal Resources team and shifted their philosophy to create a tag-and-release component for Cobia which supports data collection efforts.    

If fishermen catch a tagged fish, they should call the phone number on the dart tag and provide the fish ID number located on the dart tag along with a GPS point of where the fish was caught. This provides additional movement data which can be helpful when studying migration patterns.