. . . Atlantic/Gulf of Mexico/Caribbean Reef Fish Fisheries 



44 



Table 8-1.— Recent average, 

 current potential, and long-term 

 potential yields in metric tons (t), 

 and status of utilization of 

 Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and 

 Caribbean reef fishes. The LTPY, 

 CPY, and RAY for the unit equals 

 the sum of the species' LTPY's, 

 CPY's, and RAY's. Where the 

 species' LTPY is unknown, the 

 species' CPY is substituted in the 

 sum. If the species' CPY is 

 unknown, the species' RAY is 

 substituted. 



'LTPY is probably greatly understimated and CPY overestimated, although potential production estimates are not available for most 



species groups, many are probably overutilized 



2 1988-90 average. 



3 A total fishing prohibition has been imposed or is being considered 



SPECIES AND STATUS 



more than 20 million angler-trips annually. 



The reef fish management unit includes 

 about 1 00 species (excluding those for the 

 marine aquarium trade). In the southeast- 

 ern (J.S. region, the unit is managed by 

 three councils for Federal waters, eight 

 states, the (J.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto 

 Rico. 



Reef fishes are vulnerable to overfishing 

 owing to their long lives, slow growth, ease 

 of capture, large body size, delayed repro- 

 duction, and other factors. Most are prob- 

 ably fully- and overutilized (Table 8-1 ). Red 

 snapper, traditionally the most important 



Gulf reef fish, is overutilized in part as a 

 result of its incidental catch by the shrimp 

 fishery. Eight of the ten major species in 

 the Atlantic headboat fishery show signifi- 

 cant size declines since 1972. In the Carib- 

 bean, such traditional fishery mainstays as 

 Nassau grouper have practically disap- 

 peared, and total landings of species of 

 more recent importance like the red hind 

 have declined since the late 1970's (Fig. 

 8-3). Landings of amberjack, lane snapper, 

 vermilion snapper, and similar species 

 have increased as catches of traditional 

 species have declined. 



