Koslow et al.: Catch and effort analysis of reef fisheries 



743 



1? 



CPUE- 1 02-0.00015(0 

 r 2 - 0.38. p - 0.06 



3 4 5 6 



Effort (1.000 hook h/km 2 yr) 



CPUE - 2 74 - 69 log (() 

 r 2 - 0.56. p < 05 



Log effort (hook h/km 2 yr) 



Discussion 



Differences in catch composition between the two 

 countries largely arose from the greater abundance 

 of lutjanids and serranids in Belize. However, there 

 may be several contributing factors. The Belizean 

 fishery largely targets fishes for export, and only a 

 narrow range of species, primarily lutjanids and ser- 

 ranids, are marketable overseas. In Jamaica, there 

 is a large domestic market, in which a wide range of 

 fishes may be sold. Furthermore, the predominant 

 fishing gear in Belize is hook-and-line, which selec- 

 tively catches piscivorous fishes, whereas the pre- 

 dominant gear in Jamaica is the Antillean fish trap, 

 which catches a greater diversity of fishes. Less de- 

 sirable species may be discarded in Belize, whereas 

 in Jamaica, virtually all species are marketed locally. 

 However, lutjanids and serranids are also considered 

 prime commercial species in Jamaica, and local hook- 

 and-line fisheries target lutjanids in particular. Thus 

 if these groups were more abundant, they would rep- 

 resent a greater proportion of the catch. Historical 

 records show that they were formerly caught in quan- 

 tity by fish traps off south Jamaica (Gosse, 1851). 



Figure 3 



The fit of total catch of reef fish per unit of effort (CPUE) 

 in relation to fishing effort (/") for fishing grounds in Belize 

 (B) and Jamaica (J). (A) Fishing effort on an arithmetic 

 scale; (B) fishing effort on a logarithmic scale. 



