Abstract

Monitoring of large pelagic fishes in the Caribbean Sea and adjacent waters from Venezuelan ports started in 1987 with the support of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) Enhanced Research Program for Billfish (ERPB). The purpose of the ERPB was to aid in determining the status of the billfish stocks in the western Atlantic Ocean. In the early years of the ERPB in Venezuela (1987 - 1990), effort was concentrated on port sampling and moni1Oring recreational fisheries targeting billfish, at-sea-observer covered trips on commercial longlines were limited to an average of 3 trips/year, comprising on average 30 sets/year. In 1991, ICCAT's ERPB sponsored a pelagic loogline observer program in Venezuela on vessels targeting tuna and swordfish, and on artisanal longliners targeting billfish. Efforts were made to increase port sampling by monitoring key localities where billfish and swordfish were being landed by artisanal fishers. The program trains scientific observers to record detailed information concerning gear characteristics, position and time the gear is set and hauled, status and action of the specimens caught (alive or dead, kept, discarded or tagged), length and weight measurements, and sex identification of specimens. In addition, observers collect biological samples to support research studies directed to answer questions about the species life history (age, growth, reproductioo, etc.). Interaction of sea turdes, marine mammals and sea birds is also recorded. Since 1991, the observed covered trips showed a steady increase, from 16 covered trips (99 sets) in 1991 to leveling around 35 trips/year since 1993 (320 - 488 sets). After seven years, the overall program has provided information on shifts in fishing strategy (use of live bait and elimination of target species trips). The biological data provided information on the reproductive strategy of swordfish in the western central Atlantic, information on stock distribution and reproductive biology on dolphinfish, movement direction on billfish from and to Venezuelan waters. In addition, a shark database was developed from by-catch associated with swordfish catches. None of this information would have been possible to collect without the support of the integrated monitoring program for large pelagic fishes in Venezuela.

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