Abstract

The Caribbean region contains a high diversity of fish and a large part of them are associated with coastal ecosystems, including coral reefs, despite the loss of coverage and coral species and the lack of management, the structure of the fish community is changing. Therefore, it was proposed to assess the structure of the fish community associated with the reef areas with different management actions in the San Andrés y Providencia Archipelago - Seaflower Biosphere Reserve. Visual censuses were carried out by diving, in 15 transects of 100 m2 band, in three areas during the year 2019, on San Andrés Bajo Bonito Island (SBB) and Providencia Island Pináculos Norte (PPN) and Pináculos Parque (PPP), this last in the MacBean National Natural Park AMP (PNNMB). The results present a spatial gradient and direct relationship from lowest to highest, according to management actions. Thus in SBB the results show the lowest figures, in abundance (1548 individuals), richness (32 species), biomass (16,553 g / 100 m2), while in PPP the highest abundance (3717 individuals), richness (136 species ) and biomass (112,023 g / 100 m2). Likewise, it is highlighted that the PPP area has several species that were categorized as threatened, which in other areas are decimated or absent, such as fish of commercial interest (groupers and chernas) and ecologically (parrotfish). In San Andrés there is greater overfishing and loss of habitat, which requires more effective management and on the island of Providencia the purpose of the PNNMB to conserve ecosystems and key species is contributing to fishing productivity and environmental sustainability.

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