BREEF / MacAlister Elliott & Partners Ltd.
FISHERIES MANAGEMENT ACTION PLAN FOR THE BAHAMAS Report to the BAHAMAS DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES
by
THE BAHAMAS REEF ENVIRONMENT EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION (BREEF) and MACALISTER ELLIOTT AND PARTNERS LTD 1061/R/01/D
October 1998
BREEF - Goodwill in Action
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Contents Executive Summary.......................................................................................................................................................... 4 Introduction ...................................................................................................................................................................... 6 1 The Bahamian Fishing Industry .............................................................................................................................. 7 1.1 Summary ............................................................................................................................................................ 7 1.2 Economic importance of fisheries ...................................................................................................................... 8 1.3 Landings, values and exports ............................................................................................................................. 9 1.4 Fishing techniques............................................................................................................................................ 14 1.5 Offshore fishing................................................................................................................................................ 16 1.6 Sportsfishing and recreational fishing .............................................................................................................. 16 1.7 Illegal fishing ................................................................................................................................................... 17 1.8 Department of Fisheries financing ................................................................................................................... 17 1.9 Fisheries legislation.......................................................................................................................................... 17 1.10 Fisheries data collection and enforcement................................................................................................... 18 2 Ecology and Conservation Status of Commercial Species.................................................................................... 20 2.1 Summary .......................................................................................................................................................... 20 2.2 Ecology of crawfish Panulirus argus............................................................................................................... 20 2.3 Crawfish conservation status............................................................................................................................ 21 2.4 Ecology of queen conch Strombus gigas.......................................................................................................... 23 2.5 Conch conservation status ................................................................................................................................ 24 2.6 Ecology of Nassau grouper Epinephalus striatus............................................................................................. 24 2.7 Nassau grouper conservation status.................................................................................................................. 25 2.8 Nassau grouper spawning aggregations in the Bahamas .................................................................................. 27 3 Status of the Commercial Fisheries....................................................................................................................... 28 3.1 Summary .......................................................................................................................................................... 28 3.2 Data availability and gaps ................................................................................................................................ 28 3.3 Analysis of catch per unit effort (CPUE) data.................................................................................................. 31 3.4 Crawfish fishery investment trends .................................................................................................................. 35 3.5 Conclusions : status of key stocks .................................................................................................................... 37 4 Fisheries Management .......................................................................................................................................... 38 4.1 Summary .......................................................................................................................................................... 38 4.2 Requirement for management .......................................................................................................................... 39 4.3 Objectives of management ............................................................................................................................... 39 4.4 Towards fisheries management: cooperation and co-management .................................................................. 40 4.5 Financing management..................................................................................................................................... 42 4.6 Self-financing of management: the “Fisheries Authority” model .................................................................... 44 4.7 Main commercial fisheries: specific management actions ............................................................................... 45 4.8 Economic impact of management changes....................................................................................................... 50 4.9 Licensing the foreign tuna and billfish fishery ................................................................................................. 53 5 Marine Reserves.................................................................................................................................................... 56 5.1 Summary .......................................................................................................................................................... 56 5.2 Note: Terminology ........................................................................................................................................... 56 5.3 Marine reserves in the Bahamas....................................................................................................................... 56 5.4 Advantages of marine reserves......................................................................................................................... 57 5.5 Reserve design and site selection for marine reserves...................................................................................... 60 5.6 Management and financing .............................................................................................................................. 61 5.7 Enforcement ..................................................................................................................................................... 62 6 Data Collection ..................................................................................................................................................... 64 6.1 Summary .......................................................................................................................................................... 64 6.2 Linking policy to data collection...................................................................................................................... 64 6.3 Data collection ................................................................................................................................................. 65 6.4 Data management ............................................................................................................................................. 67 7 Management of the Marine / Coastal Environment............................................................................................... 70 7.1 Summary .......................................................................................................................................................... 70 7.2 Tourism ............................................................................................................................................................ 70 7.3 Environmental Impact Assessment .................................................................................................................. 70 7.4 Integrated Coastal Zone Management.............................................................................................................. 74 8 Summary of Recommendations ............................................................................................................................ 75
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Annexes 3.1 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8
Landings estimated from consumption estimates Import duty subsidy and crawfishing operations Private sector Fisheries Authorities worldwide Licensing Crawfish quotas Crawfish closed season Crawfish gear limitations Crawfish minimum size Gear for tropical demersal fishing
1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 3.2
Total value of exports and landings 1980-97 Landings in the Bahamas 1997 by weight Landings 1997 by value Crawfish landings live weight 1982-1997 Conch landings meat weight 1982-1997 Monthly conch landings 1997 Grouper landings live weight 1982-1997 Monthly landings of Nassau grouper 1997 Scalefish exports 1997 by weight Crawfish landings and CPUE 1982-97
1.1 2.1 2.2 2.3
Contribution to GDP of fisheries and others Status of P.argus in the Caribbean Minimum legal size for selected countries Nassau grouper spawning aggregations
4.9 5.1 5.2 5.3 6.1 6.2 6.3 7.1
Costs and earnings study Grouper in the Exuma Land and Sea Park Marine reserves as fisheries management tools Financing of marine reserves: two case studies Performance indicators for the fishing industry Sample data collection form Sample logsheet Belize legislation: projects requiring EIA
3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 5.1 5.2 6.1 7.1
Seasonal changes in crawfish CPUE CPUE data and crawfish effort model Conch landings and CPUE 1989-97 Grouper landings and CPUE 1989-97 Seasonal grouper CPUE relative to August Duty free imports and crawfish landings 1989-97 Sensitivity of crawfish operations to import duty Sensitivity of crawfish operations to landings Fisheries database relationships EIA process
2.4 3.1 4.1 6.1
Spawning aggregations in the Bahamas Areas surveyed for crawfish catch/effort Duty free imports 1989-97 Commercial species in marine reserves
Figures
Tables
Abbreviations BEST Bahamas Environment, Science and Technology Commission BNT Bahamas National Trust BREEF Bahamas Reef Environment Educational Foundation CITES Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Flora and Fauna CPUE Catch per unit effort DoF Department of Fisheries (Bahamas) DR Dominican Republic EIA Environmental Impact Assessment EEZ Exclusive Economic Zone FAO Food and Agriculture Organisation of the UN GDP Gross Domestic Product GFP Gross Fisheries Product GoB Government of The Bahamas GPS Global positioning system IUCN World Conservation Union MEY Maximum economic yield MCS Fisheries monitoring, control and surveillance MSFM Mean size at first maturity MSY Maximum sustainable yield RBDF Royal Bahamas Defence Force TAC Total allowable catch TCI Turks and Caicos Islands UNCLOS United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea Bahamian : United States dollar conversion ratio BS$ 1.00 = US$ 1.00 This report text refers to Panulirus argus, (commonly known as Caribbean spiny lobster) as "crawfish" throughout which is consistent with Bahamian terminology.
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Executive Summary The Bahamas is richly endowed with the largest area of productive shallow water in the western Atlantic, a large Exclusive Economic Zone with habitats ranging from sea grass beds and coral reefs to deep oceanic waters. This rich environment supports one of the world’s major spiny lobster (“crawfish”) fisheries (only Australia, Brazil and Cuba are larger), with an ex vessel value in 1997 of B$ 65.5 million. The Bahamas also has the most important remaining fisheries for conch and Nassau grouper in the western Atlantic and Caribbean, most others having been depleted through overfishing. The fishing industry is important to The Bahamas both socially and economically. Its contribution to GDP of 2.25% in 1995 is more important than that of the agriculture sector (0.94%), banking sector (1.76%) and insurance sector (2.19%). In 1997, total fisheries exports, mainly to the US, were valued at B$ 62.7 million. In social and employment terms it is probably the second key sector after tourism, particularly in the Family Islands. Despite this critical economic and social importance, the fishing industry is not being managed. The status of stocks is not being analysed, insufficient data is being collected and catches and effort are not effectively controlled. At present, the Government of the Bahamas (GoB) would not be able to predict or avoid a collapse in stocks due to overfishing or for environmental reasons. Analyses of Department of Fisheries (DoF) catch and effort data, although not conclusive, appear to show that crawfish catches are probably exceeding their optimum economic yield, and may have reached / passed maximum sustainable yield. Catches have not increased in the past four years despite growing fishing effort. The Bahamian crawfish fishery is particularly vulnerable at present because crawfish fisheries throughout the Caribbean are reaching the point of maximum exploitation (Turks and Caicos, Cuba, Mexico) or overfishing (Brazil, Central America) and it is possible that some areas of the Bahamas are supplied with crawfish larvae from these areas. Nassau grouper is almost certainly becoming overexploited in The Bahamas, since evidence from across the region shows that exploitation of spawning aggregations above very low levels is not sustainable. If The Bahamas continues on the path of expanding and developing the fishing industry, without adequate management controls in place, it is inevitable that i) economic and social benefits from the industry will decline as crawfish and grouper stocks exceed the optimum economic yield (increasing effort and static landings indicate that this is already happening) and ii) eventually landings will be reduced as stocks decline due to unsustainable exploitation, causing serious economic, social and environmental problems. Therefore, a fundamental review of fisheries policy is required, in order to i) assign the fisheries sector the priority it deserves given its social and economic importance, and ii) shift the emphasis of policy from supporting development and subsidising increases in fishing effort to biological and economic management and control of catches and effort. Various elements need to be put in place to develop successful fisheries management in The Bahamas: Dialogue with the industry: Fishermen and processors must understand the need for management (some already do), and a management regime needs to be developed in discussion with the industry. This can be promoted through restructuring the Fisheries Advisory Committee and supporting the development of fishermen’s organisations.
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BREEF / MacAlister Elliott & Partners Ltd. Financing management: Successful fisheries management also requires finance. The DoF does not receive adequate funds from the central Ministry budget to manage, control and enforce their policies effectively. Administration costs associated with licence and permit issue are probably barely covered. The fisheries resources of the Bahamas belong to the Bahamian nation, and therefore those exploiting the resources are benefiting at the expense of those not involved in the industry by using a national good. It is therefore acceptable to recoup management costs from the industry and a portion of the resource rent (excess profits) generated by the fishing industry through being able to exploit a national natural resource. This could be done by increasing the royalty paid on crawfish exports, and/or by other forms of licensing or taxation. Another potential source of finance from the industry might come from licensing the offshore tuna and swordfish fishery, which is presently being conducted illegally by foreign vessels inside the Bahamian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Licensing would also allow more control over biological exploitation of the resource, which is considered to be under stress. Implementation of management: One model for the management of the entrepreneurial business of fishing, which has worked well in other countries, is for government to control an executive organisation able to respond quickly to changing needs (a Fisheries Authority). This has the advantage of allowing fees from the industry to be channelled directly into management (hence the industry perceives that it is gaining) and allowing unpopular management decisions to be taken by an executive rather than political organisation. Profits after data collection, management and enforcement costs, would be returned to government. Data collection: The data collection and management system needs restructuring if meaningful management decisions are to be made in the long term. A great deal can be done immediately without a large increase in DoF resources; key priorities are to refine measures of effort, restructure the database system and enter pre-1990 data. Data collection needs to be expanded where resources allow. The Fisheries Authority model would make more resources available for data collection. Management measures: Although existing DoF data for analysis of stocks is limited, the UN (FAO) Code of Conduct on Responsible Fisheries (adopted unanimously by UN Member States) and the Rio Declaration both state that lack of scientific certainty is not a reason for inaction on management if there is reason for concern over the status of biological resources (as in this case). Action on specific management measures needs to be taken now if problems are to be avoided. Recommended management measures include: i) licensing to cover all vessels (to comply with Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries), ii) licences to cost more, on a sliding scale (at present license fees probably cost more to collect than the size of the fee), iii) set a total allowable catch and export quota for crawfish, set provisionally at 1998-9 levels maximum, preferably minus 10%, iv) increases to minimum size of crawfish and grouper, v) control of fishing on grouper spawning aggregations, vi) limited entry to deepwater scalefish trap fishery, vii) export ban on Nassau grouper, viii) system of no-take zones / marine reserves, ix) full ban on exploitation of marine turtles, which are all endangered species. In addition it would be useful if the planning system took a more integrated view of the coastal and marine environment, particularly given the importance of the marine environment to tourism and fisheries, two of the key sectors of the economy. Elements of this include a system of marine reserves, a clear and transparent structure for environmental impact assessment and the concept of integrated coastal zone management, which are all briefly discussed.
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Introduction The Bahamas Reef Environment Education Foundation (BREEF) is a Bahamian NGO set up to support and promote conservation of the marine environment through education, research and management. BREEF and the Department of Fisheries are well aware that the fishing industry of the Bahamas has been changing and developing rapidly over the last decade, partially in response to successful fisheries development policies implemented by the Department. Both BREEF and the Department of Fisheries were keen to have an objective overview of the present status of the most important fisheries and stocks. Such a review could help support the Department in taking management decisions and the Government in deciding on resource allocation to fisheries management. BREEF therefore decided to employ UK based fisheries consultants MacAlister Elliott & Partners Ltd. to undertake the present study, the aims of which are to: provide information about the Bahamian fisheries to BREEF and other interested parties, and put their importance in a regional and global context review available fisheries data and assess as far as possible the status of stocks make recommendations to the Department of Fisheries for actions they could take to develop their fisheries data collection and management system, within the constraints of their existing resources support the Department of Fisheries in making recommendations to the Government of the Bahamas on fisheries policy and the role and resources of the Department of Fisheries as the Bahamian fishing industry develops look at alternative options for fisheries management and control of catch and effort and assess their usefulness in the Bahamian context make recommendations to the Government of the Bahamas on conservation and management of the marine environment The study has been produced by a Fisheries Biologist (Joanna Gascoigne) with support from a Fisheries Economist (Diana Tingley) and a Fisheries Stock Assessment Expert (Dr. Paul Medley). The majority of data came from the Department of Fisheries, with additional information from the Bahamas National Trust, BEST, the Ministry of Tourism, the Ministry of Health, the Department of Lands and Surveys, Island Seafoods, Paradise Fisheries, J&J Seafoods, Oceanwatch Bahamas, Friends of the Environment Abaco, the Out Islands Promotion Board, the Department of the Environment and Coastal Resources of the Turks and Caicos Islands, the Ministry of the Environment of Belize, Saba Marine Park Authority, FAO, CITES Secretariat, the Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Council, the University of Portsmouth (UK) and numerous individuals associated with the fishing industry and marine research in the Bahamas. BREEF would like to extend its gratitude to all concerned.
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1 The Bahamian Fishing Industry 1.1 Summary Commercial fishing in the Bahamas is economically important; in 1997 the sector contributed 2.25% to GDP, employed approximately 9,300 full-time and 12,000 part-time in direct capture activities and is an important provider of income and food, particularly in the Family Islands. There are three main commercial fisheries in the Bahamas: Crawfish (Panulirus argus): The Bahamian crawfish fishery is significant in global terms, being the 4th largest spiny/rock lobster fishery in the world. In 1997, according to DoF figures, the fishery produced 5.7 million lbs (2,579 metric tonnes) of frozen tails, corresponding to 6,450 - 7,700 tonnes live weight1, with a first sale value of B$ 58.7 million. This export based fishery involves several capture techniques: diving on reefs, diving on artificial habitats or “condos” and trapping. The legal minimum size is 5.5 inches tail length and there is a closed season from April 1 – July 31. The export value of frozen crawfish tails in 1997 was B$ 59.5 million as reported by processors. Queen conch (Strombus gigas): Conch is fished by free diving, diving with compressors or collection from shallow water. Conch landings in 1997 according to DoF figures were 1.43 million lbs. Because conch is listed in Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Flora and Fauna (CITES) as a species that is at risk of overexploitation, the Bahamas has imposed an export quota of 450,000 lbs (205 tonnes) meat weight. In 1997 360,000 lbs was exported. Scalefish: This includes mainly reef associated fin fish species, particularly Nassau grouper (Epinephalus striatus) but also other species of grouper, snapper, jacks, grunts, hogfish, triggerfish and other species2. The fishery includes commercial operations using traps to target shallow and deep water species and day fishing operations using hook and line, spears, traps or a combination for subsistence and local direct sale. Snapper and Nassau grouper spawning aggregations, which occur at known sites and times of year, are often targeted. DoF data suggest that landings of Nassau grouper in 1997 totalled 1.13 million lbs (513 metric tonnes); this is probably the largest landing of Nassau grouper anywhere. In addition to this, there is: A sports fishing industry targeting dolphinfish, blue and white marlin, wahoo, sailfish and bonefish, mainly on a catch and release basis Unknown levels of recreational fishing for reef fish, crawfish and conch by both Bahamians and visitors Unknown illegal catches of crawfish, conch and scalefish by poachers from surrounding countries Unknown illegal catches of tunas and billfish by Far Eastern Distant Water Fishing Nations and US 1
Bahamian landings figures for crawfish are recorded as weight of tails (since usually the tails only are landed). However, to compare Bahamian landings with other countries, figures have to be converted to live weight. There is debate over the conversion factor: generally for P. argus elsewhere in the Caribbean 2.48 / 2.5 is used, however the Bahamas DoF has always used 3. This obviously makes a significant difference to the live weight figures (see Section 2.3 and Table 2.2). It is probable that in using a conversion factor of 3 the DoF have been consistently overestimating live weight production. Throughout this report a range of possible figures are given. Figure 1.4 below shows the difference that this difference in conversion factor makes to live weight landings data. 2 Important species include Nassau grouper Epinephalus striatus, red hind E. guttatus, rock hind E. adscensionis, yellowfin grouper Mycteroperca venenosa, black grouper M. bonaci, tiger grouper M. tigris, lane snapper Lutjanus synagris, mutton snapper or muttonfish L. analis, schoolmaster L. apodus, grey snapper L. griseus, yellowtail snapper Ocyurus chrysurus, hogfish Lachnolaimus maximus, queen triggerfish Balistes vetula, barracuda Sphyraena barracuda, grunts Haemulon spp. and jacks Caranx spp. and Seriola spp.
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BREEF / MacAlister Elliott & Partners Ltd. longliners offshore in the Bahamian EEZ Unknown illegal purchases of crawfish by Americans and possibly Cubans. Licence fees are very small compared to other fisheries investments and the total value of catches, and do not add much to Government revenues. Licences are required for vessels over 20 feet (to be extended to vessels over 10 feet), crawfish trapping and the use of compressors. Processors are also required to be licensed. Fishing enterprises are required to have a business licence, as with all enterprises in the Bahamas, the cost of which depends on gross revenue. Data collection and enforcement on land is the responsibility of the DoF, which has limited resources, particularly outside New Providence. Enforcement at sea is the responsibility of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force, which also has other responsibilities.
1.2 Economic importance of fisheries The traditional mainstays of the Bahamian economy are tourism and offshore banking, with the tourism industry directly and indirectly employing about 40% of the work force and generating an estimated 50% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The fisheries sector is important to the Bahamian economy in terms of its contribution to GDP. According to GoB figures3, the sector contributed between 2.3% and 2.5% to GDP between 1994 and 1996, about the same as the insurance sector, half as much again as banking and almost three times agriculture. Table 1.1 shows the contribution to GDP in 1995 of various sectors of the Bahamian economy. Sector Wholesale and retail trade Hotels Real estate Communications Manufacturing Electricity Business activity Construction Fisheries Insurance Restaurants Banking Air transport and allied services Transport (excluding shipping and air) Shipping and allied services Mining and quarrying Agriculture Total* *Also includes other elements such as the public sector
Contribution to GDP (B$ million) 409.7 269.85 227.05 106.28 85.11 75.56 74.27 73.31 61.67 60.22 48.38 48.36 45.87 42.37 38.12 25.76 25.75 2746.13
% contribution to GDP 14.9 9.82 8.27 3.87 3.10 2.75 2.70 2.67 2.25 2.19 1.76 1.76 1.67 1.54 1.39 0.94 0.94
In 1997 total landings of fishery products were valued at B$ 69.5 million (first sale price to fishermen), with 84% of this value being attributable to landings of frozen crawfish tails. Total fishery exports during 3
From the Department of Statistics: Gross value added by industrial origin at constant 1991 prices: 1989-1995.
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BREEF / MacAlister Elliott & Partners Ltd. the same period were recorded at B$ 62.7 million (from processors records) with 95% of this total value being derived from exports of frozen crawfish tails. Preliminary results of the 1995 Fisheries Census4 show that there were 4,050 Bahamian vessels active in the commercial fishery employing approximately 9,300 fishermen representing 6.8% of the total workforce. Around 16% (652) of the vessels were greater than 20 feet in length and approximately 1,500 smaller dinghies were used in conjunction with these larger vessels mainly in crawfish mothership operations. The Census also indicated that 500 people were employed in processing factories or buying plants. In 1995, processing plant permits were issued to 17 enterprises and in 1996, 19. It has also been estimated that there are around 12,000 part-time fishermen (8.8% of the total workforce) for whom fishing one of several means of generating income. The fishing industry is important to the Bahamian economy in terms of geographic spread, as well as contribution to GDP, exports and employment. The majority of fishermen are located in New Providence, however the crawfish fishery is also particularly important in Eleuthera and Abaco. Scalefish and conch fishing is of great socio-economic importance in all Bahamian islands and on the Family islands there is substantial subsistence fishing for food and informal sale to friends and neighbours.
1.3 Landings, values and exports 1.3.1 Total landings The value of the Bahamian fishery has expanded almost ten-fold over the last 20 years, mainly due to increasing exploitation of the crawfish resource for export. The most important species landed in terms of volume in decreasing order are crawfish, snapper, conch, grouper and jack. In terms of value the relative importance in decreasing order is crawfish tails, conch, Nassau grouper, snapper and crawfish whole. Figure 1.1 shows the growth in total landings since 1980 (from DoF figures) while figure 1.2 gives the DoF breakdown of 1997 landings by volume and figure 1.3 gives 1997 landings by value highlighting the overall dominance and importance of the crawfish fishery. Figure 1.1: Total Value of Exports and Landings (1980-97) 80
70
value (B$ million)
60
50
40
30
20
10
1980
1982
1984
1986
1988
exports
1990
1992
1994
1996
landings
4
Deleveaux, V., Higgs, C. A Preliminary Analysis of Trends in the Fisheries of the Bahamas Based on the Fisheries Census. Department of Fisheries, Bahamas (1995)
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Figure 1.2: 1997 Landings - main species stone crab grunt grouper fillet crawfish whole other grouper jack Nassau grouper conch (fresh) snapper crawfish tails 0
1
2
3
4
5
6
Volume (lbs million)
Figure 1.3: 1997 Landings by Total Value (B$)
crawfish tails conch (fresh) Nassau grouper snapper crawfish whole stone crab grouper fillet other
1.3.2 Crawfish Bahamian landings from the crawfish fishery rank the fourth largest in the world, after Australia (Panulirus cygnus), Brazil (mainly P. argus) and Cuba (P. argus). Catches in the Bahamian crawfish fishery increased rapidly throughout the 1980s, peaking at between 6,450 - 7,700 metric tonnes5 in 1992 (depending on the conversion ratio from landed to live weight used), since when they have declined slightly and levelled off. Capture is currently limited to an eight month season running from August 1 - March 31 and in 1997 5.67 million lbs of frozen tails were landed along with 0.17 million lbs of frozen whole crawfish. Figure 1.4 illustrates the relative changes in the total live weight conversion of crawfish landings using two separate conversion factors of 2.5 and 3 times the weight of crawfish tails landed to determine approximate equivalent live weights.
5
Precise figure depends on conversion ratio from tails to live weight (see Footnote 1, Section 2.3 and Table 2.2)
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Figure 1.4: Crawfish landings 1982-97 metric tonnes live weight 9,000 8,000 7,000 6,000 5,000 4,000 3,000 2,000 1,000 0 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 Conversion from tails 3
Conversion from tails 2.5
Approximately 92% of crawfish tail landings volume was exported in 1997 with an export value of B$ 59.5 million as reported by processors. Of this total around 60% by volume goes to the US, 35% to France and 5% to Canada. A new market is being developed for whole crawfish exports to Japan which has an export value of approximately B$ 0.058 million in 1997. 1.3.3 Conch Conch landings in 1997 according to DoF figures were 1.43 million lbs with 0.36 million lbs being exported to the US and Canada (81% and 19% by volume respectively) generating export sales of approximately B$ 0.98 million. The largest recorded Bahamian landings to date are 1.53 million lbs in 1994. An upwards trend in DoF landings figures since a low point in 1989 may reflect i) increased tendency for fishermen to sell to established processors who report landings data to DoF, ii) increased efficiency in data gathering, iii) fluctuations in effort in a fishery exploited at a relatively low level, or iv) recovery from a stock decline. Much of the catch is not sold to licensed buyers, particularly in the Family Islands, but is instead sold directly to consumers or businesses by the fishermen or is consumed directly. Therefore DoF figures are likely to be an underestimate of actual landings. See Section 3.2.2 and Annex 3.1 for a discussion of landings data and an attempt to estimate actual landings.
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Figure 1.5: Conch landings 1982-97 lbs. meat weight 1,800,000 1,600,000 1,400,000 1,200,000 1,000,000 800,000 600,000 400,000 200,000 0 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997
The 1997 figures for monthly landings of conch, as shown below in Figure 1.6, indicate that 60% of conch is caught during the closed season for crawfish. This fact is not surprising as the closure of the crawfish fishery allows year-round fishermen to target the second most lucrative species, conch, despite the fact that such fishermen will use compressors which are banned during this period. Figure 1.6: Monthly conch landings 1997 (lbs) 400000
350000
300000
250000
200000
150000
100000
50000
0 Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
1.3.4 Grouper Data is hard to come by, but these are certainly some of the largest grouper landings in the western Atlantic, and probably the largest landings of Nassau grouper anywhere. DoF data suggest that landings of Nassau grouper in 1997 totalled 1.13 million lbs (515 tonnes), with landings of other grouper species of 0.17 million lbs and of grouper filet of 0.15 million lbs, equivalent to 0.37 million lbs live weight6; the respective first sale values of these landings were B$ 2.48 million, B$ 0.37 million and B$ 0.44 million. It should be noted recorded landings of grouper filet are not always accurate in that some landigs of other species recorded as grouper filet. The same caveat applies to these figures as to the conch landings data: not all the catch is sold to the licensed buyers and hence makes its way into the statistics. See Section 6
Multiply filet by 2.5 to get live weight
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BREEF / MacAlister Elliott & Partners Ltd. 3.2.2 and Annex 3.1 for a complete explanation of data recording problems. Figure 1.7 shows DoF figures for grouper landings from 1982-1997, with Nassau grouper differentiated from other grouper species for the last four years only. Note the dominance of Nassau grouper over other species in the whole grouper landings: this is indicative that i) it is relatively common compared to other grouper species and ii) it commands a higher price and has a cultural value in the Bahamas. Figure 1.7: Grouper landings 1982-1997 lbs 1,800,000 1,600,000 1,400,000 1,200,000 1,000,000
fillet x 2.5 other grouper* Nassau grouper
800,000 600,000 400,000 200,000
19 82 19 83 19 84 19 85 19 86 19 87 19 88 19 89 19 90 19 91 19 92 19 93 19 94 19 95 19 96 19 97
0
Much of the Nassau grouper landings come from fishing on spawning aggregations, which occur at various sites in the Bahamas from December – February. In 1997, 35.7% of Nassau grouper landings were in December and January and 47.8% from December to February. Figure 1.8: Monthly Nassau grouper landings (lbs) 250000
200000
150000
100000
50000
0 Jan-97 Feb-97 Mar-97 Apr-97 May-97 Jun-97 Jul-97 Aug-97 Sep-97 Oct-97 Nov-97 Dec-97
1.3.5 Scalefish exports The species mix for scalefish exports is very different from the species preferred on the local market. The main exporter is a Grand Bahama based company which runs deep water trapping vessels targeting mainly red snapper for the export market, along with some other snapper species (mutton snapper) and grouper (yellowfin, black and rock hind). Nassau grouper is not exported in significant commercial quantities. Scalefish exports from the Bahamas in 1997 totalled 321,795 lbs (146 tonnes). Figure 1.9 gives a breakdown by species.
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Figure 1.9: 1997 scalefish exports (lbs) Silk snapper Schoolmaster Hogfish Rock hind Black grouper Yellowfin grouper Muttonsnapper Red snapper 0
20000
40000
60000
80000
100000
120000
140000
1.4 Fishing techniques 1.4.1 Crawfish Crawfish are fished in three ways in the Bahamas: Artificial habitats or “condominiums” Condos (also known as casitas elsewhere in the Caribbean) are large rectangular sheets of aluminium with 3 wooden and one open side, which are laid by divers to provide artificial shelters for crawfish. Once a condo is down, it may be moved around by divers, but it is not brought up. A condo is therefore deemed to be a permanent feature on the seabed (like an artificial reef), and is not legally owned by anyone, no matter who put them there. A condo lasts around 3 years on the seabed before disintegrating. Condos may be fished from a mothership that carries a group of divers who work from smaller dinghies using compressors. These vessels tend to work offshore on the Bahama banks, particularly around the southern and western edges of the Great Bahama Bank. The crawfish are removed from the condo using a hook. On board the tails are wrung, cleaned, soaked in “Pellican Dip” (sodium or potassium metabisulphite: a preservative) and frozen. Condos are also set and fished by day fishermen. Many put condos down in nearshore areas, and/or fish others that they find. It is not clear whether condos enhance crawfish populations by reducing predation, or whether they simply relocate crawfish from the reef. It is likely that both effects occur, but fishermen report that if condos are left for a period of several months to a year in an area of the banks where there have not formerly been crawfish, crawfish will arrive in that area, implying that the artificial habitats are enhancing survival in areas far from major reef areas. The use of condos has increased rapidly in recent years from their introduction in the late 1980s, since they have been found to be a more efficient means of catching crawfish than either trapping or spearing in natural habitats. The 1995 DoF fisheries census estimated that around 650,000 condos were in place at that stage. Spearfishing Divers use free diving or compressors to search for crawfish on the reef, where they are hooked out of crevices and speared. Usually these are day fishermen, who increasingly also set condos. This fishery has been associated with the use of bleach, used to force crawfish out of crevices in the reef (also sometimes used with condos). This destructive practice has reduced recently, although it is reported 1061/R/01/C
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BREEF / MacAlister Elliott & Partners Ltd. that other substances such as detergent and gasoline are in use. Trapping Crawfish traps are made of wooden slats, set in strings and baited with cowhide. A big trapping boat will fish around 1-2,000 traps. Once on board the crawfish are tailed and frozen, although a low quantity of whole crawfish are brought ashore, also frozen. A major problem for trap fishermen has been theft from traps, and most have stopped marking traps with buoys, instead using GPS to mark the location of strings and then picking them up with a hook on a trawl. 1.4.2 Conch Conch are usually fished by free diving, and in some cases they can be picked up out of very shallow water, although it tends to be juveniles that are available in this way. The fact that conch is mainly a free diving fishery in the Bahamas provides a deeper water refuge for spawning stock, although it is permitted to harvest conch using compressed air during the crawfish season (however according to DoF figures, 60% of conch landings are during the closed season). Examples from elsewhere in the Caribbean show that as conch is depleted in shallow water fishermen exploit deeper stocks using compressed air sources. According to the regulations, conch may not be harvested before they have a well formed flared lip. The DoF is working on building awareness of this regulation and the reasons behind it. 1.4.3 Grouper and other scalefish The major scalefish fishery is for grouper (Nassau grouper) and various species of snapper (lane snapper, yellowtail snapper, muttonfish (mutton snapper) etc.) but is a typical multi-species reef fishery: various other species such as hogfish (actually a species of wrasse), grunts and jacks are also targeted. Shallow water scalefish are caught using spears (either free diving or with a compressor), scalefish traps, hook and line or nets. Aggregating devices are sometimes used to attract snappers and grunts: this can be almost anything set on the seabed as a small artificial reef. Nassau grouper and several of the snapper species aggregate to spawn and are extensively exploited during these periods by fishermen. See Sections 2.7 and 2.8 for a discussion of Nassau grouper spawning aggregations in the Bahamas and elsewhere. 1.4.4 Deep water scalefish Bahamian fishermen have always known that it is possible to catch snapper and grouper in deep water on the drop-off using hook and line. During the 1970s and 80s, studies carried out by the DoF with support from FAO and UNDP indicated the potential for a commercial fishery for snapper and grouper species at depths of 30-180 fathoms (180-1000 feet, 50-300 metres). Target species include red snapper, silk snapper, black snapper, blackfin snapper, misty grouper and red grouper7. Until recently this resource had not been systematically targeted by commercial fishermen. Interest in this fishery is now increasing, partly from crawfish trappers and processing interests who are keen to diversify away from crawfish. A group of boats based in Grand Bahama and at least two boats based in Nassau are specialising in this fishery full time. Lines with 10 or more hooks are no longer permitted, hence these boats set scalefish traps in strings down the drop-off from shallow to deep water (reported 80-800 feet or so), so that different species are caught by different traps at different depths. The Nassau based boats work around the Tongue of the Ocean, from 7
Analysis of Results of Deepwater Snapper/Grouper Pilot Fishing Studies. Department of Fisheries
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BREEF / MacAlister Elliott & Partners Ltd. Nassau south down the eastern side, and back up the east coast of Andros. There is some concern over the environmental effects of this form of trapping, based around two issues: Deep water species are slow growing, taking a long time to reach maturity. They are very easy to overexploit, and the story of deep water fisheries in many places is one of boom and bust8. In several places in the tropics these fisheries have worked well, but this is nearly always due to careful and intensive management (see Annex 4.8). Electric hauling lines of traps over coral areas has the potential for significant environmental and habitat damage. As well as being undesirable in itself, this will reduce the sustainability of the fishery by damaging the habitat on which these species depend. Deep water coral and benthos is also slow growing and therefore these habitats could take many years to regenerate. Ghost fishing by lost traps, particularly if the biodegradable panel rule is not fully applied, or if traps are made of plastic.
1.5 Offshore fishing The Bahamian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) extends 200 miles into the Atlantic ocean, and includes migration routes for some high value commercial pelagic species such as yellowfin tuna, blackfin tuna and swordfish, usually exploited by longline. At present very few Bahamians are exploiting these stocks (none far offshore) and no foreign vessels are licensed to do so. There is anecdotal evidence9 that Far Eastern and US longliners are operating in the Bahamian zone without licenses, the Far Eastern vessels using deep set longlines (around 150-200m) for tunas and the US fleet using shallower longlines with light sticks for swordfish. At present the Bahamas derives no benefit from these activities, and would probably not be able to control them without demonstrating some management of its EEZ, which is an obligation under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
1.6 Sportsfishing and recreational fishing The sportsfishing industry targets blue marlin, white marlin, wahoo, dolphinfish and tunas. As well as recreational sportsfishing, numerous tournaments are held year round in the Bahamas. Recreational sportsfishermen usually keep dolphin and tuna for consumption but mainly release billfish. In addition, tourists on yachts or fishing boats, or the crews of sportsfishing boats target an unknown quantity of grouper, snapper, crawfish and conch for their own consumption and possibly sale in the US. The sports and recreational fishery is controlled through licensing and bag limits. Bag limits for migratory fish are 6 fish per person for kingfish, dolphin and wahoo, on the vessel at any one time. For other resources they are 20 lbs of scalefish, 10 conch and 6 crawfish per person on the vessel at any time, which may also be exported from the Bahamas. This is certainly more than adequate from the point of view of subsistence while in the Bahamas. Bonefish fishing is a rapidly developing area of sportsfishing that is a welcome source of high paying visitors in many areas of the Family Islands. Bonefishing is carried out from small boats in shallow water and visitors hire a guide who can be paid as much as $3-400 per day. Recreational bonefishing is mainly 8
e.g. Orange roughy in the Southern Ocean, including New Zealand, South Africa and Argentina, redfish in the North Atlantic (Iceland) 9 MacAlister Elliott and Partners, personal communication (pers. comm.) from industry sources
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BREEF / MacAlister Elliott & Partners Ltd. on a catch and release only basis, however there is also a traditional line fishery for bonefish in many areas.
1.7 Illegal fishing Any information about illegal fishing is by definition hard to come by, although there are periodically arrests of foreign fishing vessels in Bahamian waters (9 in the 1997-8 crawfish season, mainly from the Dominican Republic). Aside from Bahamian and tourist vessels violating the fisheries regulations, there are probably four types of illegal fishing going on in the Bahamas: Illegal fishing by boats from the DR, Cuba, Honduras, the US and perhaps elsewhere is apparently widespread on the banks, targeting crawfish, grouper and other scalefish. Illegal longlining offshore in the Bahamas 200 mile zone. Some sportsfishing boats and yachts catch more that their limit of crawfish and scalefish and it is reported that crews /owners of yachts and sportsfishing boats sell catches in the Bahamas and the US to supplement their income. There are unconfirmed reports of illegal buying and exporting of Bahamian crawfish, mainly by Americans who fill boats (or even planes) with tails to resell in the US, possibly also by Cubans.
1.8 Department of Fisheries financing In 1997/8 the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries had an expenditure of approximately B$ 5.1 million and the DoF was allocated B$ 1.2 million. These amounts represent a combined total of 0.74% of total government spending. The DoF receives only 23% of the Ministry budget, despite contributing two thirds of the Ministry total to GDP and despite the extensive management requirements of the fishing industry. Recurrent expenditure of the Department of Fisheries in 1996/7 amounted to B$ 986,649 with 78% being spent on personal emoluments. Revenue collected during the same period amounted to B$ 38,346 with almost 89% of this amount being attributable to licence and permit fees. There was no revenue from fines or forfeiture during this period. Income from the issue of licences and permits totalled B$ 56,922 in 1995/6. Between Jul-Dec 1997 revenue totalled B$ 59,953 with $ 13,642 being derived from the issue of licences and permits and a $ 45,351 from fines and forfeitures.
1.9 Fisheries legislation Bahamian fisheries are governed by the Fisheries Resources (Jurisdiction and Conservation) Act 1977. This is currently under revision. The aims of redrafting the legislation include: Giving the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries and the Director of Fisheries broad scope for developing conservation measures for fish stocks and identifying marine reserves and no take zones Simplifying the procedure for forfeiture of vessel and catch Making explicit a ban on longlining. 1.9.1 Permits Below are some of the permits required for various fishing activities: Permit for commercial fishing vessel $10
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BREEF / MacAlister Elliott & Partners Ltd. Permit to trap crawfish Permit to sell fisheries resources Permit to engage in sportsfishing using 6 reels or less Licence to export fisheries resources or products Permit to use a compressor Licence to process and preserve fisheries resources / products for commercial purposes
$10 $5 $20 per trip or $150 per year $300 $10 $300
Note: Licence costs for commercial fishermen (commercial fishing licence, licence to trap crawfish, compressor licences) can be regarded as a token fee, as can the licences for processors. It probably costs more in man hours in the DoF to process the various licence applications than is gained by the GoB in licence fees. Only vessels over 20 feet have to be licensed. In 1995 this represented 652 boats out of an approximate total of 4,050 boats in the commercial fishery10. Under the new legislation the DoF proposes to extend licensing requirements to vessels over 10 feet, which will then cover nearly all vessel operating in the fishery. Revenue from licences does not revert to the DoF; all government income enters a Consolidated Fund, which is shared among government departments according to the overall government budget.
1.10 Fisheries data collection and enforcement 1.10.1 Data collection and enforcement on shore Fisheries data collection and enforcement on shore is the responsibility of the DoF, who check licences, gear, landings and export shipments and collect information on purchases by the processors, catches and effort. Enforcement and data collection in the Family Islands is the responsibility of the extension officers. Extension Officers: Grand Bahama 2 Abaco 3 North Andros 1 Other Family Islands 0 See Section 3.2 for more details on data availability and gaps. 1.10.2 Enforcement at sea Enforcement out at sea is the responsibility of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF). The RBDF concentrates patrols on the southern edge of the Great Bahama Bank, which is the main area for poachers from the Dominican Republic, Cuba and Honduras, as well as for the arrival of illegal immigrants and drugs. They also patrol the Cay Sal bank and the western edge of the Little Bahama Bank on occasion. The force aims to have a presence in the southern Bahamas more or less continuously, although vessels have to detour to Inagua to refuel. There are continuing complaints from fishermen that it is difficult to get a response from the RBDF out at sea if a vessel is violating regulations. The RBDF acknowledges that it are not always in a position to 10
Vallierre Deleveaux and Colin Higgs 1995: A preliminary analysis of trends in the fisheries of the Bahamas based on the fisheries census (1995)
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BREEF / MacAlister Elliott & Partners Ltd. respond, particularly given that fisheries enforcement cannot be its first priority.
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BREEF / MacAlister Elliott & Partners Ltd.
2 Ecology and Conservation Status of Commercial Species 2.1 Summary Crawfish, conch and Nassau grouper have similar life cycles, involving dispersal during a pelagic larval phase, settlement inshore and gradual migration offshore as a juvenile to adult habitat in deeper water on the reef or in seagrass beds (conch). Crawfish are notable for their long larval phase (up to 12 months) and for large scale migrations into deeper water during the summer spawning season. Nassau grouper are notable for the formation of spectacular spawning aggregations at known sites, around the full moon periods in December and January. Crawfish fisheries in the Caribbean region are mainly at maximum exploitation or overfished. Conch is also considered overfished in the Caribbean, and has been placed on Appendix II of CITES, as a species which “may become threatened with extinction unless trade in specimens is subject to strict regulation”. The conservation status of Nassau grouper in the Caribbean is the most worrying, with overfishing the rule almost everywhere and spawning aggregations continuing to disappear. Experience in the rest of the Caribbean has shown that anything other than very controlled fishing pressure on spawning aggregations is unsustainable. It is not clear how many Nassau grouper spawning aggregations currently exist in the Bahamas and attempts are made to estimate the number using data from various sources, giving an estimated range from around 13 to a maximum of 31.
2.2 Ecology of crawfish Panulirus argus The Caribbean crawfish Panulirus argus is nocturnal, sheltering in crevices and holes in the reef during the day and coming out at night into shallow water bank / seagrass areas to feed on invertebrates and detritus. It is social, sheltering in groups. In the Bahamas, the spawning season is thought to peak between April and July, and adults migrate to deeper waters, sometimes en masse, to mate and spawn. The male deposits sperm on the female’s thorax in the form of a “tar spot”, and the female uses this to fertilise her eggs, which she carries under her tail until they hatch (“berried” female). The spawning season is the summer, with females first commonly found with unlaid eggs around March, and berried females are found until August or September, mainly in deeper water and on the edges of the banks. The pelagic larval phase (phyllosome phase) is long compared to most marine species, lasting from 3-4 months up to a year. This means that larvae may be carried long distances by ocean currents and there is some debate about the extent to which Caribbean stocks are mixed or distinct. It is probable that the Bahamas both retains some of its own larvae and receives larvae from upstream areas (the Turks and Caicos Islands and potentially the wider eastern Caribbean and Brazil). Some work suggests that circulation in Exuma Sound may well act to retain larvae, hence crawfish populations around the Sound could be a genetically and ecologically distinct population11. Work in the TCI also suggests that a gyre may exist between the Caicos bank, the southern Bahamas and eastern Cuba, possibly retaining larvae in
11
Eggleston and Lipcius unpublished, cited in Lipcius RN and Cobb CS 1994: Introduction: Ecology and fishery biology of spiny lobsters, pp. 1-30 in Phillips, Cobb and Kittaka (eds.) 1994: Spiny Lobster Management, Fishing News Books.
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BREEF / MacAlister Elliott & Partners Ltd. that area 12. After 4-12 months, crawfish phyllosome larvae metamorphose into a “puerulus” stage, which migrates inshore. The pueruli settle in inshore shallow water “nursery” areas, usually algae and seagrass areas, where they metamorphose into juvenile crawfish. As the juvenile crawfish grow they migrate further offshore to the reef area. Spawning success increases with age, and Cuban scientists predict that female fertility is proportional to the carapace length to the power of 2.97, ie. that fertility increases exponentially with length, at least in the early stages of maturity13.
2.3 Crawfish conservation status “Typically, either of two patterns prevails in the spiny lobster fisheries... Both involve a sharp increase in catch with rather limited effort during the development of the fishery. Subsequently either catch rates drop, sometimes precipitously with increases in effort (eg. New Zealand, Mexico, parts of the Caribbean), or catch rates remain somewhat stable despite major increases in effort (e.g. Florida, Western Australia) 14 . 2.3.1 Caribbean-wide conservation status Concern about over-exploitation of P. argus is widespread in the Caribbean. The table below shows the current conservation status of crawfish fisheries across the region15, the majority of which are overexploited or fully exploited. These Caribbean-wide levels of exploitation are of concern in the context of the wide dispersion of larvae which means that there is a possibility that stocks across the Caribbean are connected through larval transport, and downstream areas (such as the Bahamas) may hence be dependent to some extent on upstream areas for recruitment. Table 2.1: 1998 status of P. argus stocks in the Caribbean Country
Stock status
Brazil
Fishing mortality estimated to be high (>0.45). Recommended by the FAO/DANIDA workshop that effort be reduced from 60 million trap days to around 15 million trap days for optimum economic exploitation within safe levels.
Venezuela
Landings have increased from 400 tonnes in 1989 to 1,000 tonnes in 1992, stable at around that level since then. Fishing mortality estimated to be very high (0.68) and stock likely to be overexploited.
Honduras / Nicaragua / Colombia
These countries seem to share a common stock. The stock is considered to be fully exploited but effort by all three countries continues to increase.
12
1997-8 Fisheries Management Plan for Lobster and Conch. Department of the Environment and Coastal Resources, Turks and Caicos Islands. 13 Cruz and Leon 1992 quoted in Baisre JA and Cruz R 1994: The Cuban spiny lobster fishery, pp. 119-132 in Phillips, Cobb and Kittaka (eds) Spiny Lobster Management, Fishing News Books. 14 Lipcius RN and Cobb CS 1994: Introduction: Ecology and fishery biology of spiny lobsters, pp. 1-30 in Phillips, Cobb and Kittaka (eds) Spiny Lobster Management, Fishing News Books. 15 Data from preliminary results of FAO / DANIDA spiny lobster workshop, Mérida, Mexico, 1998.
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BREEF / MacAlister Elliott & Partners Ltd.
Jamaica
Stocks on the southern shelf are considered to be overexploited and unsustainable. Catches on the San Pedro bank have recently declined despite continuing increases in effort, but there is not enough data available to assess why.
Belize
Not enough information available
South Cuba
25% decline in recruitment and population size since 1982-3. Fishing mortality estimated at about 25% above maximum sustainable yield.
Northeast Cuba
Recruitment and catches both down since 1989, despite no decrease in effort.
Mexico: South Quintana Roo
Not heavily exploited, catches probably below maximum sustainable yield.
Mexico: North Quintana Roo
Population size and recruitment have been steadily declining throughout the 1990s.
Mexico: Yucatan
Not heavily exploited
Florida
Fishing mortality very high, fishery fully exploited and probably dependent on larval flow from upstream populations (Mexico, Dry Tortugas) for continued recruitment.
Turks and Caicos
Fully exploited.
2.3.2 Minimum size As well as overexploitation through excess effort and landings, there is also concern that throughout the Caribbean, minimum size limits are set too low, i.e. below the mean size at first maturity, meaning that at high levels of exploitation many lobsters will be caught before they have the opportunity to reproduce. This issue is complicated by the fact that it is difficult to pin down a consistent conversion factor to compare tail length with carapace length. Carapace length is the most reliable measure (used as standard by biologists) but countries where tails only are landed are obviously obliged to express regulations as tail lengths. Various conversion factors have been calculated which don’t always give the same results. Countries which have regulations for both tail length and carapace length will therefore find that the regulations are not consistent, but this is impossible to avoid. Estimated mean size at first maturity (MSFM) ranges from a maximum of 93 mm carapace length in Colombia to a minimum of 82 mm in Cuba. This gives tail lengths in the ranges 6.34-6.74 inches (Colombia) and 5.63-6.00 inches (Cuba) depending on the formula that is used (see Table 2.2 below). Table 2.2 gives minimum legal lengths for selected Caribbean countries. Two formula are used to convert tail length to carapace length, one from the Florida Fisheries and Wildlife Service and one from the Cuban lobster management authorities. Note that the Florida formula gives consistently lower results than the Cuban one: this is probably an artifact of sampling rather than a genuine morphometric difference between populations, since the proportions of an individual crawfish vary with age, size and gender, and this within-population variation of individuals is undoubtedly greater than any variation found between populations of P. argus in different parts of the Caribbean. Hence it is difficult to make tail length an accurate measure of age or even size.
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BREEF / MacAlister Elliott & Partners Ltd. Table 2.2 Country
Bahamas Belize Bermuda Brazil Colombia: Guijira Colombia: San Andres Cuba Dominican Republic Honduras Jamaica Mexico: Quintana Roo Mexico: Other Nicaragua St. Lucia TCI Florida Venezuela
Tail length Lt
Carapace length Lc
inches
mm
mm
5.5
139.7
5.12
Total length Ltot mm
130
Minimum size converted to CL Florida16 mm 74.6
68.9 210
5.51
140
5.91
150
4.92
Cuba17 mm 79.9 78 92 74 68.9
Comments
Below min. estimate of MSFM “ “ “
74.7
80.1
“
80.6
86.2
125
66
70.1
5.51
140
74.7
5.31
135
71.8
80.2 78 77
? Very variable results from different formulae Below min. estimate of MSFM “
5.71 5.31
145 135
77.7 71.8
83.2 77
5.5
139.7
74.7
80.1
69
75 95 83 76 120
“
“ Above max. estimate for MSFM Below min. estimate of MSFM Above max. estimate for MSFM
Conclusion: In most countries the minimum legal size for the fishery is below the mean size at first maturity, no matter which measures or morphometric formulae are used. Populations have fluctuated in most areas in the past, but it is worrying that most areas are concerned simultaneously about overexploitation, particularly in the context of possible upstream larval supply for downstream recruitment. There is a risk that if populations in the entire Caribbean are reduced at the same time, recovery of stocks will be slow due to reduced larval supply and recruitment.
2.4 Ecology of queen conch Strombus gigas Queen conch live in shallow bank areas, generally in seagrass beds. They probably mate and spawn throughout the year, but reproduction in the Bahamas probably peaks between April and July (as for 16 17
Lt = 1.71Lc + 12.19 mm Lc = 0.611Lt – 5.44 mm, Lc = 0.3838Ltot – 11.6569
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BREEF / MacAlister Elliott & Partners Ltd. crawfish). Larvae go through a pelagic stage of around 2-3 weeks before settlement in shallow inshore areas. Here the larvae metamorphose into tiny conch but remain buried in the sand during the day until they reach a size where they are less at risk from predation (shell length about 2-3 inches). The juvenile conch spend 2-2.5 years in shallow water (less than 15 feet / 5 metres) growing at around 3 inches per year. Older conch (3-3.5 years) start to move gradually offshore as they approach sexual maturity. At that stage (at a variable size) the shell stops increasing in size and instead a flared lip starts to form. This will thicken throughout the remainder of the animal’s life. When the lip reaches a certain thickness (estimated 2-5mm), the animal becomes sexually mature and will mate and spawn18.
2.5 Conch conservation status The conch fishery has expanded in effort and technology in most areas of the Caribbean, as export markets (mainly to the US) have developed and inshore populations have become depleted, forcing fishermen to search further offshore. The conch is now generally considered to be in decline throughout most of the Caribbean, and is listed on Appendix II of CITES as well as in the IUCN Red Data book as “commercially threatened”. It is a protected species in both Bermuda and Florida, with no exploitation allowed19. Management requirements under CITES Appendix II Conch (Strombus gigas) is listed on CITES Appendix II. This means that it is considered a species which “although not necessarily now threatened with extinction may become so unless trade in specimens of such species is subject to strict regulation in order to avoid utilisation incompatible with their survival.”20 The export of any specimen of an Appendix II species requires an export permit which is granted when the following conditions are met: a Scientific Authority of the State of export (in this case the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries) has advised that such export will not be detrimental to the survival of that species; a Management Authority of the State of export (also the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries) is satisfied that the specimen was not obtained in contravention of the laws of that State for the protection of fauna and flora. The role of the Scientific Authority is to monitor export permits and exports and to determine the controls on exports needed to maintain the species throughout its range “at a level consistent with its role in the ecosystems in which it occurs, and well above the level at which the species might become eligible for inclusion in Appendix I”. The DoF is currently addressing its management obligations under CITES with a 3 year conch stock assessment project.
2.6 Ecology of Nassau grouper Epinephalus striatus The Nassau grouper is distributed throughout the western Atlantic and Caribbean. Adults are reef dwellers and can live up to 20 years, reaching sexual maturity at about 4 lbs. weight, 20 inches length and 18
Berg CJ and Olsen DA 1989: Conservation and management of queen conch (Strombus gigas) fisheries in the Caribbean in J Caddy (ed.) Marine Invertebrate Fisheries: their assessment and management. John Wiley and Sons. 19 Berg and Olsen 1989 20 Article II: Fundamental Principles. Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna.
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BREEF / MacAlister Elliott & Partners Ltd. about 5 years old21. Like both the crawfish and the conch, as well as many other reef fish species, the Nassau grouper has a pelagic larval stage which subsequently settles in inshore, lagoon and mangrove areas, gradually moving offshore into first shallow and then deeper reef areas as they mature. Most grouper species are thought to be protogynous hermaphrodites, meaning that juveniles mature as females, which later change sex, so that the largest animals in the population are all male. It is not clear what triggers sex change; it could be one or a combination of physiological or behavioural features. It is also not really known whether Nassau grouper follows this pattern; there is some evidence to suggest that it is at least partially gonochoristic (males and females develop separately, as in mammals). However, it is also possible that a mixture of both patterns are followed22. Protogyny in theory makes species more vulnerable to fishing pressure, in that selective fishing for larger individuals will alter the population sex ratio by removing more males than females. This does seem to be happening with Nassau grouper in some areas: a study of sex ratios of grouper species in heavily and lightly fished areas of Jamaica showed a male:female ratio for Nassau grouper of 1:0.72 on lightly fished offshore banks compared to 1:5.6 at a heavily fished area23. A key element of Nassau grouper ecology is the formation of spawning aggregations. Across the Caribbean, Nassau groupers are known to aggregate year after year at certain specific areas on the reef, perhaps corresponding to outcrops where current flow is strong and will disperse the larvae widely. The aggregations last about 8-10 days around the full moon in December and January (except in Bermuda where they are (were) during the summer). In the past, Nassau grouper numbers at these aggregations have been estimated in the 100,000s (e.g. at Cat Cay, Bimini in 1970), and a tagged grouper caught during the aggregation at Long Island was found to have travelled 150km to the aggregation24. It is not known whether spawning occurs outside the aggregation, but it has not been recorded in the scientific literature.
2.7 Nassau grouper conservation status Table 2.3 shows the status of Nassau grouper and grouper spawning aggregations in the other parts of the Caribbean / western Atlantic for which data is available25. There has been a decline or collapse in Nassau grouper populations for all countries for which data is available, except for the Cayman Islands where fishing on spawning aggregations is very strictly controlled.
21
Sadovy Y and Colin PL 1995: Sexual development and sexuality in the Nassau grouper. Journal of Fish Biology. 46pp. 22 Sadovy and Colin 1995 23 Thomson and Munro 1983, cited in Jennings S and Lock JM 1996: Population and ecosystem effects of reef fishing, in Polunin and Roberts (eds.) 1996: Reef Fisheries. Chapman and Hall. 24 Dr. Tim Turnbull pers. comm. 25 Data from Sadovy Y 1997: The case of the disappearing grouper: Epinephalus striatus, the Nassau grouper, in the Caribbean and western Atlantic. Proceedings of the Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute 45: 5-22.
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BREEF / MacAlister Elliott & Partners Ltd. Table 2.3: Status of Nassau grouper and Nassau grouper spawning aggregations Location
Status
Decline?
Belize
Most landings from aggregations. 6 aggregation sites known: one disappeared, 1 very much reduced, others heavily fished but status not known. Landings 1984: 91 tonnes, 1991: 21 tonnes
Yes. Management recommended
Bermuda
Commercial landings 1975: 29.1 tonnes (16% of grouper catch), 1989: 1.8 tonnes (
