Abstract

A report detailing the status of fisheries management in Puerto Rico was presented at the 1988 meeting of the Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute. That report stated that fisheries management was not responding to the clear decline in marine resources and identified seven impediments to Puerto Rico’s ability to respond adequately to this situation. The report also identified a number of new initiatives with potential for productive change. Here we review the successes and failures of the past six years and express our concerns over the direction and consequences of these events. Local government reorganization and the availability of new funding programs have enhanced the potential scope, flexibility and strength of fisheries programs. Nevertheless, progress toward fishery management has been minimal. In highlighting examples of the above, we suggest where improvements can be made.

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