Abstract

In view of promoting the deployment of the fishery on the open sea pelagic resources, the IFREMER Fisheries Laboratory of « Le Robert » has moored twelve fish aggregating devices (FADs) all around the island in November 1993. These light built devices are anchored at the four geographic areas (Atlantic, Caribbean, St. Lucia Channel and Dominica Channel), at different depths (500 to 2000 meters).\Since January 1994 (up to February 1995), fishing activity around FADs as well as in the open sea are regularly monitored. Thanks to data given by the fishermen, it is possible to monitor on a monthly basis the compositions of catches, and the whole and specific yields around each FAD and farther in the open sea.\Thus, between January and June 1994, 1650 fishing trips (near and away from FADs) are studied, representing 80 metric tons of fish. Dolphin (Coryphaena hippurus) is the most important species (in weight) caught by surface trolling lines near and away from FADs on the Atlantic coast. For the same period, large yellowfin tunas (Thunnus albacares) of about 30 kg, caught more deeply by baited drifting handlines, are the main species noticed around FADs of the Caribbean coast. Small tunas of about 2 kg and less, caught by surface trolling lines, represent approximately 70% of the catches around FADs in the St. Lucia Channel.

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