“Reef Fish Spawning Aggregations of the Puerto Rican...
Transcript of “Reef Fish Spawning Aggregations of the Puerto Rican...
“Reef Fish Spawning Aggregations of the Puerto Rican Shelf”
by: Edgardo Ojeda, Ph.D. (Marine Advisor)
Sea Grant College Program, UPR &Richard Appeldoorn, Ph.D. Department of Marine Sciences, UPR
Objectives
• This study will identify and document fish spawning aggregations in Puerto Rico, with the collaboration and participation of local fishermen (Commercial and Sport fishermen using Skin Diving).
Methods
• Fisher Survey Interview format general guidelines (Society for the Conservation of Reef Fish aggregations) Nov., 2003.
• Reef Fish Spawning Aggregation Monitoring Protocol for the Wider Caribbean. (Will Heyman et al., 2002)
Work Done:
*Bibliography revision.*Development of the SPAG-Interview tool. *Interview sampling design (Careful selection of fishers by zones).*More than 40 interviews (from 60 planned all aroundPuerto Rico including Vieques and Culebra islands).
Working on:
*Final interviews (Culebra and Northeast).*Data entry (SPSS for multiple possible answers).*Data entry (Excel for all other information)*Mapping all SPAG’s information using Mapsource Garmin Navigation Program.*Conversion to ARCGIS using “Maptech” as nautical base maps.
Next Steps:
* Finish interviews (By March)* Finish all data entry (June)* Write the Final Report (July/August)
Interview tool
• Introduction
• Interview– 23 Questions (Main information wanted)
• Past and Present spawning aggregations.• Change in species composition in time and space.• Site fidelity.• Spawning time.• Specific Spawning sites for multiple species.
– NOAA Navigation Maps– Marine Fish Aggregating fish list
• Outreach on SPAG’s information: * Why is important to protect Spawning Aggregations during reproduction season?* How to avoid over-fishing?
12 artificial fishers interview zones and fishing areas
Punta cucharasFaro de Cabo Rojo
Rio Añasco
Quebradillas
Guayama
Punta Guayanés
Punta Puerca
Vieques
Culebra
Río Grande de Loiza
Río La PlataDorado
Río Grande deManatí
1
2
3 45
6
78910
11
12
Longitude West
Lat
itud
eN
ort
h
-68 -67.5 -67 -66.5 -66 -65.5 -65
17.8
18
18.2
18.4
18.6
18.8
Fish Schools
Fishing Boats
Hydro-acoustic Survey of Puerto Rico 2002-2003 and Aerial sightings of fishing boats during a Red Hind spawning season
Johnston et al., (in press, Fisheries Bulletin)
• Thanks
Catch trends of Nassau grouper (Epinephelus striatus ) in Puerto Rico
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
4000
4500
J F M A M J J A S O N D
Month
Po
un
ds
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2002
Commercial fishing Catch trends 1996-2002 Epinephelus striatus
Prepared by Alfonso Aguilar, Ph.DSea Grant Seed project granted to Alfonso Aguilar, Ph,D. and Edgardo Ojeda, Ph.D.
Catch trends of Red Hind (Epinephelus guttatus ) in Puerto Rico
0
2000
4000
6000
8000
10000
12000
14000
J F M A M J J A S O N D
Month
Po
un
ds
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2002
Commercial fishing Catch trends 1996-2002 Epinephelus guttatus
Prepared by Alfonso Aguilar, Ph.DSea Grant Seed project granted to Alfonso Aguilar, Ph,D. and Edgardo Ojeda, Ph.D.
Commercial fishing Catch trends 1996-2002 Lutjanus synagris
Catch trends of Lane Snapper (Lutjanus synagris) in Puerto Rico
0
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
30000
35000
J F M A M J J A S O N D
Month
Po
un
ds
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2002
Prepared by Alfonso Aguilar, Ph.DSea Grant Seed project granted to Alfonso Aguilar, Ph,D. and Edgardo Ojeda, Ph.D.
Catch trends of Yellowtail Snapper(Ocyurus chrysurus ) in Puerto Rico
0
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
30000
35000
40000
45000
J F M A M J J A S O N D
Month
Po
un
ds
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2002
Commercial fishing Catch trends 1996-2002 Ocyurus chrysurus
Prepared by Alfonso Aguilar, Ph.DSea Grant Seed project granted to Alfonso Aguilar, Ph,D. and Edgardo Ojeda, Ph.D.
Catch trends of Mutton snapper (Lutjanus analis ) in Puerto Rico
0
2000
4000
6000
8000
10000
12000
14000
16000
18000
20000
J F M A M J J A S O N D
Month
Po
un
ds
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2002
Commercial fishing Catch trends 1996-2002
Lutjanus analis
Prepared by Alfonso Aguilar, Ph.DSea Grant Seed project granted to Alfonso Aguilar, Ph,D. and Edgardo Ojeda, Ph.D.