Volume 55
Current Status of Conservation and Management of Reef Fish Spawning Aggregations in the Greater Caribbean
Authors
Luckhurst, B.E. Download PDF Open PDF in BrowserOther Information
Date: 2004
Pages: 530-542
Event: Proceedings of the Fifty Fifth Annual Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute
City: Xel Ha
Country: Mexico
Abstract
A total of 35 species in ten families are known to form spawning aggregations in the greater Caribbean. The current status of reef fish spawning aggregations by country and species is presented for the region. There appears to be a general declining trend in the landings from most spawning aggregation sites. Principally in the past 10 years, several countries in the region have implemented conservation measures to protect spawning aggregation sites. The majority of these measures involve seasonally closed areas and there have been positive effects demonstrated from active management of spawning aggregations. A number of sites (principally Nassau grouper) have disappeared in the past 25 years and urgent management action is requiredto addressincreasing fishing pressure. The elements of a regional conservation andmanagement strategy for spawning aggregations are presented as are suggestions for the dissemination of information about spawning aggregations in the region.