SCRFA update Feb 2008

Many initiatives in the pipeline promise more effective management of reef fish aggregations, and, by extension, hold hope for a greater focus on reef-associated fisheries. Unfortunately, we also see repeats of the same old problems. Little progress has been made, for example, in curbing declines in the Nassau grouper in the Caribbean, despite initiatives in several countries and a growing list of regulations. The same appears to be true, with a possible exception in Florida, for the Goliath grouper, also a Caribbean species. On the positive side, interest in aggregation work continues to expand with excellent sessions on aggregations and aggregating species becoming a regular annual event at meetings of the Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute, new initiatives in both Belize and Mexico and the development of a Goliath grouper network by an excellent group of young and enthusiastic workers. The need to incorporate aggregation management into fishery management thinking and regional ecosystem-level approaches is becoming ever more apparent, and urgent.

SCRFA continues to be busy with projects developing in Fiji and Palau, and our new membership of ICRI. Our collaboration with the Fisheries Centre of the University of British Colombia on a valuation of Fiji's inshore fishery is another direction for us, with one focus being on aggregating species. The assigning of a meaningful monetary value to this fishing sector is important for attracting government interest in management; currently much of the worth of inshore tropical fisheries goes unacknowledged. We continue efforts in the Caribbean to get a higher profile for the threatened Nassau grouper through our collaboration with the Caribbean Fishery Management Council, and others. SCRFA was proud to be formally recognized for its contributions in the region at the last meeting of the Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute. Finally, we produced our first calendar (2008) which has been very popular. We are most grateful for photo donations from Pat Colin, Philippe Bush and Rachel Graham. [Erratum: Note that March 2008 aggregating fish should be labelled Lutjanus cyanopterus.]

Yvonne Sadovy University of Hong Kong
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Director, SCRFA