Proceedings of the 53rd Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute

Abstract:

The REEF/TNC Fish Survey Project is a volunteer fish monitoring program developed by the Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF) with support from The Nature Conservancy (TNC). REEF volunteers collect fish distribution and log scale abundance data for the project using a standardized visual method. These data are housed in a publicly accessible database on REEF’s Website (http://www.reef.org). To date, the REEF database contains over 19,000 surveys from approximately 1,800 sites in the tropical western Atlantic region. The standardized census method provides a consistency in data collection applied over a wide geographic range. Such a database represents a valuable tool for marine resource managers. REEF data are currently being used by a number of marine parks and resource agencies for assessment and long- term monitoring, including the Bonaire Marine Park (BMP; Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles). Between December 1993 and July 1999, approximately 2,000 fish surveys have been completed by REEF volunteers on the reefs of Bonaire and Klein Bonaire. From these data, a total of 362 species were reported from 77 sites surveyed, making Bonaire one of the most species rich locations in REEF's database. Similarity and ordination analysis on a sub-set of sites indicated that fish assemblages on Klein Bonaire were distinct from those on Bonaire. Sites within the two Bonaire research reserves appeared distinct from other Bonaire sites. This paper provides the most comprehensive species list to date for the BMP. In addition, this established database will act as a baseline against which future change can be assessed. 

Abstract:

Over the past 12 months a comprehensive assessment has been made of the fish stock of the Saba Bank. The assessment was initiated by the Environmental Department of the Government of the Netherlands Antilles in Curaçao, whereby the condition of the fishgeries resources of the Saba Bank was to be determined.

Over the past 12 months the Saba Bank fishermen engaged in two types of fishery: Spiny Lobster (Panulirus argus) fishery, and snapper fishery, with two main target species: Silk Snapper (Lutjanus vivanus) and Blackfin Snapper (Lutjanus buccanella). The main fishery activity on the Saba Bank is the lobster fishery; snappers are only targeted sporadically.

The objective of the fish stock assessment programme was to collect fishery dependent data on the different target species of the Saba Bank. Alongside data on Catch Per Unit Effort of the lobster fishery, biological data, such as length frequency, length-weight relationship, sex, number of females carrying eggs, and the number of lobsters in ecdysis, were collected.

During the study it became apparent that a high percentage of lobsters landed were under-sized and a substantial percentage of berried lobsters were landed. Furthermore a considerable number of traps were lost, due to passing by traffic and hurricanes. None of these traps were fitted with a biodegradable panel and the lost traps are extremely damaging to the ecology and consequently the fish stock of the Saba Bank.

As a result of this study, the following regulations are now being strictly enforced:

1. Presence of biodegradable panel in each trap.
2. Legal size limits for lobsters.
3. Prohibition to land berried lobsters.
4. Prohibition to land lobsters in ecdysis.
5. Prohibition to fish without licenses in both the Saban territorial waters and the Economic Fishery Zone (EFZ) of the Netherlnds Antilles.

Collecting fishery data alongside enforcement of the fishery regulations will enable successful management and will in the end result in sustainable exploitation of the fishery resources of the Saba Bank.