A. Medina Valmaseda, A.

Chapman Stable, S.

Cobián Rojas, D.

Fajardo Veloso, R.

Figueredo Martín, T.

Martínez Fernández, J.

Nuñez Acosta, Y.

Paz Rodríguez, Y.A.

Pina Amargós, F.

Pupo Sánchez, A.

Rodríguez Cueto, Y.

Tamayo Fonseca, J.

Ventura Díaz, Y.

English

Aquatic Commons

Preliminary Evaluation of Goliath Grouper (Lichtenstein, 1822)  
Populations in the Cuban Archipelago 
 
Evaluación Preliminar de las Poblaciones de Guasa (Lichtenstein, 1822)  
en el Archipiélago Cubano 
 
Evaluación Preliminar de las Poblaciones de Guasa (Lichtenstein, 1822)  
en el Archipiélago Cubano 
 
FABIÁN PINA AMARGÓS1*, TAMARA FIGUEREDO MARTÍN1*,  
YUDISLEYVIS VENTURA DÍAZ1, YANDY RODRÍGUEZ CUETO1,  
DORKA COBIÁN ROJAS2, JORGE MARTÍNEZ FERNÁNDEZ3,  
SANDRA CHAPMAN STABLE4, JORGE TAMAYO FONSECA5,  
YOENDRY A. PAZ RODRÍGUEZ5, ALEXIS MEDINA VALMASEDA6,  
ROBERTO FAJARDO VELOSO6, YUSNIEL NUÑEZ ACOSTA7,  
ALEXANDER PUPO SÁNCHEZ7, and RACHEL T. GRAHAM8 
1Centro de Investigaciones de Ecosistemas Costeros, Cayo Coco.  
2Parque Nacional Guanahacabibes, Pinar del Río.  
3Centro de Investigaciones de Medio Ambiente Camagüey.  
4CATEDES, Guantánamo.  
5BIOECO, Santiago de Cuba.  
6CSA, Sancti Spíritus.  
7UMA, Las Tunas.  
8Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS). 
*fabian@ciec.fica.inf.cu. tamara@ciec.fica.inf.cu.  
 
EXTENDED ABSTRACT 
Goliath grouper (Epinephelus itajara Lichtenstein, 1822) is listed as Critically Endangered by IUCN. Overfishing of 
large adults on spawning aggregation sites is the main cause of its populations reduction. An increase in information on this 
species has been generated in the past decade, yet only one published study focusing on the movement of adult fish exists 
for Cuba. The aim of this study was to use traditional ecological knowledge to assess Goliath grouper distribution and status 
throughout Cuba. To accomplish this objective structured interviews were applied. The sample was set as at least five 
interviews per fishing ports and diving centers throughout Cuba. Years of experience were the selection criterion for 
fishermen and dive masters interviewed. Cartographic schemes of each particular region were used as a support material, 
just to assist the localization of the sites. ArGis 9.3 software was used for the cartographic representations. Results from 128 
interviews with traditional fishers and divers, conducted in nine of Cuba’s 15 provinces revealed that Goliath grouper are 
more frequent along the southern coast with the highest abundance recorded in the Jardines de la Reina archipelago (Figure 
1). Response rate was 90 %. Goliath grouper are targeted primarily by spearfishermen and commercial hook and line fishers 
operating close to identified spawning corridors and spawning aggregation sites target the species during spawning season 
(July-September). Interviewees related that abundance and size of Goliath grouper has decreased in the last few decades 
with overfishing of large adults in spawning aggregation sites as a cause of population decline. Currently, largest specimens 
average is around 300-pound. Fishers suggest that there are at least 10 spawning aggregation sites for Goliath grouper in 
Cuba. Nursery habitat supporting a relatively high abundance of juveniles remains poorly known; Jardines de la Reina and 
Canarreos archipelagos were cited as possible recruitment and nursery sites. Currently, tourism focusing on Goliath grouper 
encounters on takes place in the Jardines de la Reina archipelago. Expansion of questionnaire-based data collection to other 
provinces in Cuba is proposed to provide a country-wide baseline for the species and to underpin the development of a 
national management plan for Goliath grouper. 
 
KEY WORDS: Goliath grouper, Critically Endangered species, interviews, traditional ecological knowledge. 
 
 
Proceedings of the 65th Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute                  November 5 – 9, 2012   Santa Marta, Colombia 
   Pina Amargos, F.  et al.    GCFI:65   (2013) Page 127 
 
 
Figure 1. Sightings records of goliath groupers in the Cuban archipelago. 


Preliminary Evaluation of Goliath Grouper (Lichtenstein, 1822) Populations in the Cuban Archipelago

http://aquaticcommons.org/21451/1/GCFI_65-24.pdf

Preliminary Evaluation of Goliath Grouper (Lichtenstein, 1822) Populations in the Cuban Archipelago

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