Mote Marine Laboratory

Aaron received a bachelor’s degree from St. Mary’s College in Maryland, a Master’s from the College of William and Mary, and a Ph.D. from the University of Massachusetts Boston, and also holds a Coast Guard Captain’s License. He has lived, worked, and fished on both coasts of the US, as well as throughout the Caribbean, where he has been conducting fish research for the last 20 years. His pursuit of effective fisheries and habitat conservation are rooted in his years growing up near Chesapeake Bay, when he witnessed the collapse of the Bay’s habitats and fisheries. After leading Mote's Habitat Ecology Program for a decade, he is now a professor at the Florida Institute of Technology, where he leads the University's Vero Beach Field Station. He is also the Director of Bonefish & Tarpon Trust and an adjunct scientist at Mote Marine Laboratory.  In addition to research, he spends considerable effort translating science into fishermen’s terms, and has authored two books, many magazine articles, and has been part of TV shows applying fish science to fly fishing.

Ph.D. Environmental Biology. University of Massachusetts Boston.
M.A. Marine Science, College of William and Mary, Virginia Institute of Marine Science.
B.A. Biology, St. Mary's College of Maryland

Professional (peer-reviewed) Publications

33. Barbour, A.B. and A.J. Adams. In Review. Biologging to examine multiple life stages of an estuarine-dependent fish, common snook, Centropomus undecimalis. Submitted to Marine Ecology Progress Series.

32. Barbour, A.B., A.J. Adams, D.C. Behringer, T. Yess, and R.K. Wolfe. 2011. PIT tag antenna arrays as fishery monitoring tools in tropical environments. Proceedings of the 63^rd Gulf and Caribbean Research Institute. 118-124.

31. Adams, A.J., J.E. Hill, B.N. Kurth, and A.B. Barbour. In Press.  Effects of a thermal disturbance on a subtropical, estuarine-dependent fish. Gulf and Caribbean Research.

30. Boucek, R.E. and A.J. Adams. 2011. Comparison of retention rates for three tag types in common snook, Centropomus undecimalis. North American Journal of Fisheries Management. 31(4):693-699.

29. Adams, A.J., J.E. Hill and C. Samoray. 2011. Characteristics of spawning ground fidelity by a diadromous fish: a multi-year perspective. Environmental Biology of Fishes. 92:403-411.

28. Mateo, I., E. Durbin, R. Appeldoorn, A. Adams, F. Juanes, D. Durant. 2011. Inferred growth of juvenile French grunts (Haemulon flavolineatum) and schoolmaster (Lutjanus apodus) in mangrove and seagrass habitats. Bulletin of Marine Science. 87(3):339-350.

27. Mateo I., E. Durbin, R. Appeldoorn, A. Adams, F. Juanes, R. Kingsley, P. Swart, and D. Durant. 2010. Role of mangroves as nurseries for French grunt Haemulon flavolineatum and schoolmaster Lutjanus apodus assessed by otolith elemental fingerprints. Marine Ecology Progress Series. 402:197-212.

26. Adams, A.J., R.K. Wolfe, N. Barkowski, D. Overcash. 2009. Fidelity to spawning grounds by a catadromous fish, Centropomus undecimalis. Marine Ecology Progress Series. 389:213-222.

25. Adams, A.J. and J.P. Ebersole. 2009. Mechanisms affecting recruitment patterns of fish and decapods in tropical marine ecosystems. Chapter 6 In I. Nagelkerken (ed) Ecological linkages among tropical coastal ecosystems. Springer. New York.

24. Adams, A.J., R.K. Wolfe, C.A. Layman. 2009. Preliminary examination of how human-driven freshwater flow alteration affects trophic ecology of juvenile snook (Centropomus undecimalis) in estuarine creeks. Estuaries and Coasts. 32(4):819-828.

23. Vásquez-Yeomans, L, E. Sosa-Cordero, M.R. Lara, A.J. Adams, and J.A. Cohuo. 2009. Patterns of distribution and abundance of larval Albula spp. (Albulidae) in the western Caribbean and adjacent areas. Ichthyological Research.

22. Danylchuk, A.J., A.J. Adams, S.J. Cooke, and C.D. Suski. 2008. An evaluation of the injury and short-term survival of bonefish (Albula spp) as influenced by a mechanical fish handling device used by recreational anglers. Fisheries Research. 93(1-2):248-252.

21. Adams, A.J. and R.K. Wolfe. 2007. Occurrence and persistence of non-native Cichlasoma urophthalmus (Family Cichlidae) in estuarine habitats of southwest Florida (USA): environmental controls and movement patterns. Marine and Freshwater Research. 58(10): 921-930.

20. Miller, R.J., A.J. Adams, J.P. Ebersole, E. Ruiz.  2007.  Evidence for positive density-dependent effects in recovering Diadema antillarum populations. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology. 349:215-222.

19. Adams, A.J., R.K. Wolfe, M.D. Tringali, E. Wallace, and G.T. Kellison. 2007. Rethinking the status of Albula spp. biology in the Caribbean and Western Atlantic. In: J.S. Ault (ed) Biology And Management of the World Tarpon And Bonefish Fisheries. CRC Press. Boca Raton, FL.

18. Adams, A.J. and R.K. Wolfe. 2006. Cannibalism of juveniles by adult Centropomus undecimalis.  Gulf of Mexico Science.  24(1/2):11-13.

17. Adams, A.J., C. Dahlgren, G.T. Kellison, M.S. Kendall, C.A. Layman, J.A. Ley, I.Nagelkerken, J.E. Serafy.  2006. Nursery function of tropical backreef systems. Marine Ecology Progress Series. 318:287-301.

16. Adams, A.J., R.K. Wolfe, W.E. Pine III, B. Thornton. 2006. Efficacy of PIT tags and an autonomous antenna system to study the juvenile life stage of an estuarine-dependent fish. Estuaries and Coasts. 29(2):311-317.

15. Dahlgren, C., G.T. Kellison, A.J. Adams, B.M. Gillanders, M.S. Kendall, C.A. Layman, J.A.Ley, I. Nagelkerken, J.E. Serafy. 2006. Marine nurseries and effective juvenile habitats: concepts and applications.  Marine Ecology Progress Series. 312:291-295.

14. Layman, C.A., C. Dahlgren, G.T. Kellison, A.J. Adams, B.M. Gillanders, M.S. Kendall, J.A.Ley, I. Nagelkerken, J.E. Serafy. 2006. Reply Comment: Marine nurseries and effective juvenile habitats.  Marine Ecology Progress Series. 318:307-308.

13. Adams, A.J., R.K. Wolfe, G.T. Kellison, B.C. Victor. 2006. Patterns of juvenile habitat use and seasonality of settlement by permit, Trachinotus falcatus. Environmental Biology of Fishes. 75:209-217.

12. Adams, A.J.  2005.  Fish assemblages associated with an established (> 10 years old) artificial reef and an adjacent natural reef.  Proc. 47th Annual Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute. 441-457.

11. Adams, A.J. and D.A. Blewett. 2004. Spatial patterns of estuarine habitat use and temporal patterns in abundance of juvenile permit, Trachinotus falcatus in Charlotte Harbor, Florida. Gulf and Caribbean Research. 16(2):129-139.

10. Adams, A.J. and J.P. Ebersole. 2004. Resistance of coral reef fishes of back-reef and lagoon habitats to a hurricane.  Bulletin of Marine Science.75(1):101-113.

9. Adams, A.J. and J.P. Ebersole. 2004.  Processes influencing recruitment inferred from distributions of coral reef fishes. Bulletin of Marine Science. 75(2):153-174.

8. Adams, A.J., R.J. Miller, and J.P. Ebersole. 2004. Tethers make juvenile surgeonfishes (Acanthuridae) vulnerable to attacks by benthic invertebrates. Bulletin of Marine Science. 74(1):207-211.

7. Adams, A.J., J. V. Locascio, B.D. Robbins.  2004. Microhabitat use by a post-settlement stage estuarine fish: evidence from relative abundance and predation among habitats. Journal of Experiemental Marine Biology and Ecology. 299:17-33.

6. Miller, R.J., A.J. Adams, N.B. Ogden, J.C. Ogden, and J.P. Ebersole. 2003. Diadema antillarum 17 years after mass mortality. Coral Reefs. 22:181-187.

5. Adams, A.J. and J.P. Ebersole. 2002. Use of back-reef and lagoon habitats by coral reef fishes.  Marine Ecology Progress Series. 228:213-226.

4. Adams, A.J.  2001. Effects of a hurricane on two assemblages of coral reef fishes: multiple-year analysis reverses a false ‘snapshot’ interpretation.  Bulletin of Marine Science. 69(2): 341-356.

3. Adams. A.J. and  W.J. Tobias. 1999.  Red mangrove prop-root habitat as a finfish nursery area: a case study of Salt River Bay, St. Croix, USVI. Proc. 46th Annual Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute. 22-46.

2. Adams, A.J. 1996. Estimates of finfish community structure in a mangrove lagoon: traps versus visual transects.  Proc. 27th Meeting of the Association of Marine Laboratories of the Caribbean. p.1-16.

1. Adams, A.J. 1995. Historical catch per unit effort of the recreational fishery for billfish in the U.S. Virgin Islands: St. Croix.  International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna Working Document SCRS/95/. 8pp.

Fishing Publications

Adams, A.J. 2008. Fly Fisherman’s Guide to Saltwater Prey. Stackpole Books. Mechanicsburg, PA. 206pp.

Adams, A.J. 2004. Fisherman’s coast: angler’s guide to marine warm-water gamefish and their habitats. Stackpole Books. Mechanicsburgh, PA. 210 pp. An in-depth review of fish habitat ecology in laymen’s terms.

Fernandez, Chico and A.J. Adams. 2004. Fly Fishing for Bonefish. Stackpole Books.   Mechanicsburgh, PA. 192pp.

Adams, A.J. 2008 – 2009. Shallow Water World. Regular conservation column for Shallow Water Angler magazine.

Adams, A.J. 2008. March-April issue. Eyeing the Future. Fly Fishing in Salt Waters.

Adams, A.J. 2004 – 2006. On The Line. An article series translating marine ecology into laymen’s terms. In Mote Magazine.

Adams, A.J. 2001 – 2003. Science for fly fishers, examining the warmwater world.  An eight-part series on the ecology and conservation of warm-temperate and tropical coastal habitats for a national fly fishing magazine. Saltwater Fly Fishing magazine.  

This Is Fly online magazine (www.thisisfly.com): Issue 3 ‘Permit 101’; Issue 4 ‘The science of handling and releasing bonefish’, Issue 20 ‘Saving for the Future’

Florida Fishing Weekly, 2007: ‘Who is BTU?’; ‘A Few General Tips on Catch and Release’; ‘The Bonefish Conundrum’

American Angler magazine. ‘How bonefish use tides’, February 2008; ‘Fly fishing for redfish’, July 2008, ‘Bonefish Flies’ 2011.

Bonefish & Tarpon Trust Journal. 2009, 2010, 2011. Magazine editor and author of numerous articles.

Tide Magazine. ‘The bonefish and tarpon puzzle.’ 2010

Fly Tyer Magazine. Simple Baitfish. 2011

Department: Directorate of Fisheries & Aquaculture