Abstract

Trap fishing is common near coral reefs in Florida and the U.S. Caribbean but the effects of traps on reefs or reef-associated habitats have not been well documented. A cooperative study between NOAA Fisheries, local resource agencies, academic researchers, and the fishing industry has completed its first year investigating such effects in the Florida Keys (lobster and stone crab traps) and in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands (fish and lobster traps). The project design includes: 1) mapping the distribution of traps, 2) quantifying trap densities by habitat, and 3) quantifying damage to corals and other structural organisms. Preliminary findings suggest that a relatively small percentage (<20%) of the traps set in shallow water (<30 m) actually contact hard corals. More are found in contact with gorgonians or sponges. In this preliminary analysis, patchy damage was documented mainly on hard corals, at a scale less than the total trap foot print. Continued research will assess whether these preliminary findings are representative of coast-wide trap fisheries and wiIl provide more precise data on trap fishing intensity by habitat type, seasonal movement of traps among habitats, and the potential for gear impacts to associated habitat components such as seagrasses, macroalgae, and sponges. Understanding trap-fishing effects on essential fish habitats like coral reefs at larger than local scales will improve resource management and lead toward more sustainable fisheries.

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