THE CARIBBEAN AREA 



The dominant types of fish in this habitat are more or less wandering. Nutriment for 

 fish is usually low from local production, but there may be considerable food arganisms swept 

 in from deeper water and from the land and lagoon areas. The beach areas are supplied with 

 fish from both lagoon and estuary areas and from deeper waters, depending upon the conditions. 

 Many species spawn on or near the surf. The fisheries in such regions are dependent upon the 

 productivity of adjoining areas. Increased fishing is possible in many streas of the Caribbean, 

 but the yield will fluctuate greatly from season to season depending upon the concentrations 

 of the fish themselves. 



Coral reefs and heads: — 



Salinities are almost always normal and temperatures are quite caistant. The water 

 is usually clear except with unuaual surf conditions. The bottom is of coral, coral mud, 

 coral sand, and usually overlaid with flocculent detritus in sheltered spots. The food con- 

 ditions are better than in open areas but there is more competition for it. There is good 

 shelter in cracks cind crannies. The depths range to about 15 fathoms. Quiet areas are to be 

 found to leeward and heavy surf on exposed faces. 



Principal types 



wrasses holocentrida barracuda porkfish 



moray eels demoiselles jacks goatfish 



groupers angel fish cardinal fish croakers 



hinds trumpet fish seabass ribbon fish 



tangs comet fish grunts blennies 



corvina chaetodons scorpiaifish threadfins 



(Odontoscion) 



triggerfish filef ish trunkfish spiny lobsters 



Coral reefs and heads occur widely in the inshore area to depths of about 15 fathoms, and 

 offshore banks and r«efs, also, support coral growths. These coral habitats form a very dis- 

 tinctive environment and there are many fish species which are found nowhere else. Popularly, 

 the coral reefs are supposed to abound in fish, for casual observers can observe great numbers 

 of highly-colored fish in reef areas. As a basis for conmercial fisheries, however, coral- 

 reef areas have considerable limitations. TShile there are many species present, the number 

 of each species is small. Many do not grow to sizes usable as food for man. They are all 

 dependent on the coral structure for existence. In spite of the fact that reef areas are more 

 productive of food organisms, the actual amount available to commerciaily-fishable species is 

 relatively low, for there are many canpetitors, unusable to man, taking their share of nutri- 

 ments. The rate of growth and replacement is generally low due to the generally poor con- 

 ditions as regards food. Even though good protection for small fish is present, predators 

 are able to take considerable numbers. Coral-reef areas, available to fishermen, are, in 

 many localities, depleted. This is evidenced by poor catches per unit of effort and by the 

 small average size of the fish caught. 



Since each of the isolated coral reefs may be regarded as almost a unit in itself, there 

 is limited chance for increments fran other coral-i^ef areas. IJhere there are extensive reef 

 areas, such as off the coast of Nicaragua, there may be movements from one raef to another. 

 In this area, localized fishing operations may draw on fish which have moved from other un- 

 fished reefs. The presence, therefore, of unfished reefs does not necessarily argue that 

 catches can be greatly increased over a period of time by using these reefs. There may be a 

 temporary enlargement of the catch, but as soon as the population is brought down to a 

 certain level, the replacement rate will be the basic factor influencing catches. As has 

 been stated above, the natural replacement rate by reproduction and growth is low and, there- 

 fore, the yield will drop or will include smaller and smaller fish until it is no longer 

 economically feasible to continue fishing. In summation, then, it can be stated that in- 

 creased yields may be obtained over a relatively short period of time but that the total 

 possible yield is so limited that there is virtually no hope of establishing great fishery 

 industries based on coral-reef populations. Even if there were large available populations 

 of fish, the very nature of the coral makes mass-production of fish in^ossible, so that 

 coral-reef fishing must remain an individual hook and line or pot fishery. Moreover, the 



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