Luckhurst, Brian E.

Aquatic Commons

Evaluation of Fisheries Management and Conservation Measures Taken to  
Protect Grouper Spawning Aggregations in the Wider Caribbean:   
Case Studies of Bermuda, Belize and Cayman Islands  
 
BRIAN  E.  LUCKHURST 
Marine Resources Division, Department of Environmental Protection, 
P.O. Box CR 52 
Crawl CR BX, Bermuda 
 
ABSTRACT 
 In recent years, there has been a considerable increase in the human and financial resources devoted to the study of 
reef fish spawning aggregations in the wider Caribbean.  The results from most studies suggest that spawning aggregations 
of commercially-important species such as groupers and snappers are highly vulnerable to directed fishing effort and that 
population abundance can be significantly reduced after only a few years of exploitation.  High levels of fishing mortality at 
spawning aggregation sites can have important ecological effects on reef ecosystems as well as socio-economic impacts on 
fisheries. 
Following studies which demonstrated serious degradation of spawning aggregations of Nassau grouper (Epinephelus 
striatus), several countries in the wider Caribbean have taken decisive steps to protect and conserve these aggregation sites.  
The fishery management measures which have been put in place in various countries in the past five years will be discussed 
with particular emphasis on Belize and the Cayman Islands. 
 
KEY WORDS:  Spawning aggregations, Resource management, Caribbean, Nassau grouper 
 
La Evaluación de la Gerencia de la Pesqueria y las Medidas de Conservación  Tomado para  
Proteger  Agregaciones de Desove de los Peces Arrecifales en el Caribe más Ancho 
 
En años recientes, ha habido un aumento considerable en los recursos humanos y financieros dedicados al estudio de 
las agregaciones de desove de los peces arrecifales en el Caribe más ancho. Los resultados de la mayoría de los estudios 
sugieren que las agregaciones de desove de especies comercial-importantes tales como los meros y los pargos sean altamen-
te vulnerables al esfuerzo de pesca dirigido y esa abundancia de la población se puede reducir perceptiblemente después 
solamente de algunos años de la explotación. Los altos niveles de la mortalidad de la pesca en los sitios de la agregación de 
desove  pueden tener efectos ecológicos importantes en ecosistemas arrecifale así como impactos socioeconómicos en 
industrias pesqueras. 
Siguiendo estudia que demostraron la degradación seria de agregaciones de desove del mero de Nassau (Epinephelus 
striatus), varios países en el Caribe más ancho han tomado medidas decisivas para proteger y para conservar estos sitios de 
la agregación. Las medidas de la gerencia de la industria pesquera que se han puesto en lugar en varios países en los últimos 
cinco años serán discutidas con énfasis particular en Belice y las islas de Cayman. 
 
PALABRAS CLAVES:  Agregaciones de desove, gerencia de recurso, el Caribe, mero de Nassau 
OVERVIEW 
Most scientific studies of spawning aggregations 
which have been conducted in the wider Caribbean have 
focused on groupers.  There is a growing body of evidence 
that spawning aggregations are highly vulnerable to 
overfishing and that, in general, fisheries management and 
conservation measures have not been implemented in a 
timely manner to stop the demise of these aggregations.  In 
particular, the Nassau grouper (Epinephelus striatus), 
which has been prominent in the fisheries of the region, has 
been studied more than any other grouper species although 
several studies on the red hind (E. guttatus) have also been 
conducted.  
Nassau grouper spawning aggregations appear to be 
particularly at risk and large declines have been docu-
mented.  It has been estimated that at least one-third of all 
known Nassau spawning aggregations in the Caribbean 
have disappeared due to overfishing.  There is also growing 
recognition that spawning aggregations are critically 
important in the health of reef ecosystems and that fishing 
down the spawning biomass of high level trophic species 
e.g. groupers at aggregations may have cascading ecologi-
cal effects.   
An examination of three different case studies 
(Bermuda, Belize, Cayman Is.) of fisheries management 
and conservation of spawning aggregations from the wider 
Caribbean provides a perspective on the different mecha-
nisms which have been used to achieve a measure of 
management success.  The earliest fisheries management 
measure to conserve spawning aggregations was in 
Bermuda in 1974.  This involved the seasonal closure (4 
months) of two red hind aggregation sites.  This manage-
ment action was called for by commercial fishermen and 
the regulation was enacted by the Fisheries Department.  
Page 269  58th Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute  
 
Following this measure, catches continued to decline but 
then stabilized in the longer term.  The effectiveness of 
area closures often depends on enforcement of regulations 
to achieve high levels of compliance.  Nassau grouper 
aggregations seaward of these red hind sites were not 
protected under the regulations and were heavily fished.  
As a result, Nassau grouper landings declined 95% from 
1975 - 1981 and all known aggregations disappeared.  
There has been no demonstrable recovery to date.  The 
seasonal closure of the  red hind aggregation sites is still in 
effect 31 years later although there have been some 
modifications of boundaries and the size of the protected 
areas.    
In recent years, there have been significant examples 
of management/ conservation action in both  Belize and the  
Cayman Islands.  In Belize, Nassau grouper spawning 
aggregations have been exploited for decades.  Information 
from fishermen and others indicated that there had been 
marked declines at most sites.  As a result of mounting 
concern about Nassau groupers, a National Spawning 
Aggregations Working Committee was formed which was 
made up of NGOs and the Belize Fisheries Department.  
An assessment was conducted of 11 known spawning 
aggregation sites in 2000 - 2001 and the results presented a 
bleak picture of the future of Nassau groupers.  Following 
discussions with all main stakeholders including fishermen, 
the Belizean Government permanently closed these 11 
aggregation sites in 2003.  There was also a closed season 
for Nassau groupers imposed during spawning months.  As 
most of these  sites were multi-species aggregation sites 
with other groupers and snappers, the closure of these sites 
provided protection for all of these species during the 
period of highest catchability.  Alternative economic 
activities have been provided to displaced commercial 
fishermen to help their transition from dependence on 
aggregation fishing.  The two main alternatives which have 
been developed are those of  a sport fishing guide and 
diving tourism.  
The recognition that aggregation fishing is not 
sustainable in the longer term and that the fish can be more 
valuable economically if left on the reef has helped in the 
transition process.  The key to this success story has been 
the involvement of all stakeholders and the political will to 
act based on sound information.   
The Cayman Islands has also acted to protect its 
Nassau grouper population in recent years but the path it 
followed was somewhat different.  There were five known 
Nassau grouper sites which were fished historically for 
decades.  Declines in landings were first reported in the 
1980s and research on Nassau groupers began by the 
Department of the Environment (DOE) in 1987.  The first 
attempt to manage these aggregation sites was through 
seasonal closures in 1995.  Although proposed by the 
Marine Conservation Board (MCB), this measure was not 
supported by the Government  due to political lobbying by 
fishermen.  Continued fishing of these aggregations led to 
the disappearance or commercial extinction of three sites.  
The remaining two sites were still fished but catches 
continued to decline.   The “rediscovery” of a Nassau  
grouper site at the west end of Little Cayman in 2001 led to 
heavy fishing again.   Monitoring of this site began in 2002 
with  REEF’s Grouper Moon Project conducted in 
conjunction with the Department of the Environment.    A 
combination of fishery-dependent and fishery-independent 
sampling documented the severe impact of continued 
fishing by only 15 boats – almost 4,000 Nassau groupers 
were removed during only two spawning seasons.  Based 
on the data obtained, a projection was made in 2003 that if 
fishing continued at the same level that the aggregation 
would be gone within two years.  The MCB is empowered 
to make fisheries regulations but they must be ratified by 
Government.  There was continued resistance by fishermen 
and appeals were made to politicians to leave the site open.   
Meetings were held with fishermen and other stakeholders 
to explain the situation and the need for a site closure.  The 
DOE solicited support for closure from outside organiza-
tions including SCRFA (Society for the Conservation of 
Reef Fish Aggregations).   Ultimately, the MCB acted 
unilaterally and effected an eight year closure of all Nassau 
grouper sites.  This was implemented in December 2003.  
An active monitoring program has continued at the site 
since the closure to provide the data necessary to extend 
the closure permanently.   
In conclusion, it is possible to achieve protection/
closure of spawning aggregation sites by different means 
but mechanisms involving all stakeholders have the 
greatest probability of long term success.  In addition, post-
closure enforcement costs will most likely be higher if 
there is not broad acceptance of the measure by fishermen 
because disaffected fishermen will be more inclined to 
poach.  Socio-economic factors are very important in 
determining success – is aggregation fishing at subsistance 
level or is it to generate income ? 
Are there acceptable economic alternatives to aggrega-
tion fishing if sites are closed? The principal users of the 
resource must be provided with information concerning the 
proposed management measure and should be encouraged 
to be a part of the management process.   


Evaluation of fisheries management and conservation measures taken to protect Grouper spawning aggregations in the wider Caribbean: case studies of Bermuda, Belize and Cayman Islands

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Evaluation of fisheries management and conservation measures taken to protect Grouper spawning aggregations in the wider Caribbean: case studies of Bermuda, Belize and Cayman Islands

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