Abstract

Puerto Rico's fishery has been monitored through the Statistics Project uninterrupted since 1967. The objective of this project is to provide data to know the conditions of the fishery resources found in the Territorial Sea of the Cornmonwealth of Puerto Rico and contiguous Federal Fishery Conservation Zone waters. When it's necessary, the scientific data will help to implant management plans to protect the fishery resources. Statistics data shows that during the decade of the seventies, landings of fish and shellfish increase gradually from 4.5 millions of pounds in 1970 to 7.2 millions of pounds in 1979. On the other hand, statistics data during the decade of eighties shows a gradually decrease of landings. In 1980, total landings of fish and shellfish reported amounted to 6.7 millions pounds, decreasing to 2.3 millions pounds in 1989.\Analysis of statistics data during 1990-93 shows that the reported total landings was an average of 2,300,775. For the same period data analysis shows fishermen changing patterns of gear use (Le. decline the use of fish traps and increase the use of nets). Biostatistics data shows a decline in the size of capture of some species (Le. silk snapper, spiny lobster and red hind). The status of fishery resources in Puerto Rico from 1990- 93 shows to be declining but not exhausted. Fishery resources should be protected through effective management plans as soon as possible.

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