Abstract

As a result of a mesh-size selectivity study comparing the effect of three wire mesh sizes (3.8 cm2, 3.8 cm hexagonal, 5.1 cm2) on the catch characteristics of Antillean fish traps at the southwestern shelf of Puerto Rico, the recent status of the Puerto Rican reef fish fisheries was assessed. There was a clear size-selection effect on mesh size. Number of individuals declined with increasing mesh size, while average size of individuals increased with mesh size, however, these results were not showed or discussed in the present paper. Catch rate for hexagonal mesh observed in the mesh size selectivity study was compared with those from Puerto Rico in the 1970s and from under and overfished areas elsewhere in the Caribbean. The comparison indicated that the Puerto Rico resource is heavily exploited.

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