Abstract

The Guantánamo Bay has unique geographical and ecological values: it is one of the only two large bays in the most southeastern end of Cuba: the exuberant mangroves that fringe great part of the Guantánamo river and the bay, pateh and well-developed high-relief fringing reefs, and extensive shallow-water seagrass beds and muddy bottoms combine to provide a diverse and relativelyextensive-for-the-region mosaic of habitats for coastal fauna. In July-August, 1996, the research team of The Nature's Conservancy Marine Conservation Science Center conducted a rapid ecological assessment of the marine resources of the Naval Station area after the Navy recognition of the biological and conservation values and this unique region of Cuba.\Recreational fisheries is the most popular entertainment among military and civilian personnel. As part of the marine ecological assessment, juveniles fish surveys were conducted in the hay nearshore area (with a seine) and reefs (visual transects and RDT). In addition, creel surveys were done as spear and hook-andline fishing are the main recreational activity in the base. A species checklist, and distribution of the hay nearshore fish were obtained. Snapper juveniles were found in fairly large numbers in all stations. In the reef sites, no large grouper species were observed at all in the high-relief reef transects. Creel surveys yielded 25 fish species (q-32 cm length); the number of fishermen per site was 15 (within one boat or a site in the hay shore). Snappers dominated in the catches (60% of the total fish surveyed) and were fished mostly in the middle channel (Bay Entrance area). Lane snapper (33%), and mutton snapper (19%) were the most fished species; jacks followed with 6%. Mutton snapper of varied size (1849cm) was the only species fished in all sites. Changes in fisheries regulations were recommended, such as fish spearfishing and lobster fishing han, snappers' seasonal closures during reproduction period, ete. A coastal management plan in progress will include the data collected in the RAE.

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