Abstract

In April 2010, there was a scientific expedition to collect biological data to remote areas to the north of the Archipelago of San Andrés, Providencia and Santa Catalina Seaflower Biosphere Reserve, which by its very condition of isolation don’t have bio- ecological basic information. Data were collected from the fish community (richness and abundance of reef fish with important ecological and economic), macro-invertebrates, coral communities, turtles and other species of the region's biodiversity. We used different methodologies (Atlantic and Gulf Rapid Reef Assessment AGRRA, Reef Environmental Education Foundation REEF, Reef Rapid Assessments ERA, among others). Eighty-two stations were sampled: 26 in Serranilla, 14 in Alicia Shoal and 42 in Nuevo Shoal, results showed a total of 154 species of reef fishes. Nuevo Shoal was observed 126 species, followed by Serranilla with 106 species, and 74 species in Alice Shoal. The ten most common species between stations visited were Acanthurus coeruleus, Chromis cyanea, Balistes vetula, Holocentrus rufus, Halicho-eres garnoti, H. maculipinna, Stegastes partitus, Sparisoma aurofrenatum, A. bahianus, and Thalassoma bifasciatum respectively. In all stations, the five most abundant species were H. garnoti, C. cyanea, A. bahianus, S. partitus and T. bifasciatum. In contrast to some of the uncommon or rare species, there appears to be new records for the Archipelago (N. B-C et al. Unpubl. data). Monitoring abundance, showed for example that S. partitus, Haemulon album, H. melanurum, Scarus vetula, S. taeniopterus, Caranx ruber, B. vetula, Sphyraena barracuda, A. coeruleus, Mellichthys niger, and Gynglimostoma cirratum are very abundant in these areas.

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