Abstract

Very little is known on the fish spawning aggregations in Mexico, and the information available stems on groupers (Epinephelidae) mainly from the Pacific and Caribbean. More scientific information is needed to provide better management options and reach proper conservation alternatives. The present work aims to elucidate the current situation on the grouper spawning aggregations off the Yucatan Peninsula in terms of fishing, management, and conservation. In the Campeche Bank and the Mexican Caribbean, at least 17 grouper species are commercially exploited but only five species (Epinephelus striatus, E. guttatus, Mycteroperca bonaci, M. venenosa, M. tigris) are known to form spawning aggregations. With the exception of aggregations of M. bonaci, all aggregation´s species have been scientifically validated for few locations. Unfortunately, management approaches in Mexico have not incorporated aspects of aggregating behavior of groupers yet. Thus, there is a need to use scientific approaches to identify and describe grouper aggregations and monitor those aggregations known already. In Mexico, fishing on grouper aggregations is a common practice since 1960s. The only management measure currently available is one-month ban year-round. The fishery status of various aggregations is unknown and some aggregations (e.g., E. striatus) have showed evidences of serious problems to the level of disappearance. Conservation initiatives on studying grouper aggregations from the Yucatan Peninsula have been promoted by The Nature Conservancy and helped to identify linkages between government and academia to begin addressing the importance of protecting them.