The Crustacean and Molluscan Fisheries of Honduras
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The Crustacean and Molluscan Fisheries of Honduras Item Type article Authors MacKenzie, Jr. , Clyde L.; Stehlik, Linda L. Download date 26/09/2021 21:22:36 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/1834/26454 The Crustacean and Molluscan Fisheries of Honduras CLYDE L. MACKENZIE, Jr., and LINDA L. STEHLIK Introduction trial-scale vessels may be 21-27 m long, tuary in Central America. Rivers run constructed of steel or fiberglass; most into all the lagoons, except Laguna de Honduras, bordered by Nicaragua in are made in the State of Louisiana. Fish Alvarado. In early March, surface sa the south and Guatemala and EI Salva ermen harvest spiny lobsters (Phillips linity in Laguna de Brus was 14%0 at dor on the west, has fisheries for crus et al., 1994) and queen conchs (Appel its south shore, 18%0 mid-bay, and 32%0 taceans and mollusks along its 575 km doom and Rodriguez, 1994) through inside the bay opening to the sea, while north coast and in the Gulf of Fonseca out the Caribbean region, but few de surface salinity in Laguna de Caratasca (70 km across) in the south (Fig. 1). tails depicting gear and methods in Hon was 5.5%0 at the south shore, 9.5%0 in Along the northern coast, artisanal fish duras are described in the literature. Pre mid-bay, and 4.5%0 at Caukira on its ermen land Caribbean spiny lobsters, viously published articles on Caribbean north shore. After a 3-day period of in Panulirus argus; white shrimp, Penaeus fisheries for blue crabs, clams, and termittent rains, the salinity was 4.5%0 schmitti; blue crabs, Callinectes sp.; shrimp are scarce. at the south shore of Laguna de queen conchs, Strombus gigas; coquina We gathered the information for this Caratasca. During the rainy season, clams, Donax denticulata; and marsh paper during a survey from 29 Febru April-November, the salinity probably clams, Polymesoda placans, while in ary to 13 March 1996 along the north is much lower in the lagoons. The la dustrial-scale fishermen land pink coast, observing and photographing goons have firm sandy edges, but are shrimp, P. notialis, white shrimp, spiny fishing gear and interviewing some 40 mostly muddy in their main regions; lobsters, and queen conchs. In the Gulf government officials, fishermen, man waters are turbid. of Fonseca, a few mollusk species are agers of fishing co-operatives, gear sup Lying 27-52 km off the north coast landed, and extensive shrimp farming pliers, and boat owners. Information are the Bay Islands: Utila, 14 km long; is practiced. Mollusks are gathered by regarding mollusks in the Gulf of Roatan, 52 km long; and Guanaja, 17 hand, and no rakes or dredges are used. Fonseca was provided by government km long. They are generally surrounded The artisanal boats are almost entirely officials. by coral reefs. The tidal range around wooden dugout canoes!, while indus Roatan Island is 30-35 cm, and water Habitats temperatures usually range from 26° to 1Dugout canoes are made of soft, light-weight wood, and they are very buoyant. Paddles are The northern Honduras coast, which 29°C. About 10 km from the north coast made from the same wood. The canoes last about lies in an east-west direction and is of Honduras are the tiny Cayos Cochi 15 years if painted and taken out of water when not in use. Small holes in them can be repaired. slightly curved, usually is washed by a nos islands. gentle surf of the Caribbean Sea. The The broad shelf extending off north coast has four small, shallow lagoons eastern Honduras and Nicaragua is and one large lagoon. Laguna de where the principal fisheries for lob Clyde L. MacKenzie, Jr., and Linda L. Stehlik are with the James J. Howard Laboratory, North Alvarado, Laguna de Los Micos, La sters, shrimp, and conchs are conducted. east Fisheries Science Center, National Marine guna de Guaimorte, and Laguna de Brus Lobsters commonly are associated with Fisheries Service, NOAA, Highlands, NJ 07732. are 2-17 km across and mostly 0.9-1.2 rocky or spongy bottoms, but can be m deep. Laguna de Los Micos appeared found on sand and in holes, whereas ABSTRACT-Honduras has many com munities of artisanal fishermen who land to be closed to the sea in March 1996. conchs associate with sandy bottoms various species of crustaceans and mol The status of another small lagoon, La commonly with seagrasses. Inshore lusks, using hands, nets, traps, and free div guna de Ibans, was not determined. near Puerto Cortes, artisanal fishermen ing from shore and from dugout canoes. It Laguna de Caratasca is located in the find lobsters on bottoms having large also has industrial fisheries for spiny lob Miskitia area in the east and is, by far, rocks and trenches. The government ster, Panulirus argus; queen conch, Strombus gigas; and mainly pink shrimp, the largest lagoon, 50 km long and 11 considers artisanal fishermen as those Penaeus notialis, using traps, scuba divers, km wide; it is mostly 2.4-2.7 m deep. who land less than 3 metric tons (t) per and trawl nets. Laguna de Caratasca is the largest es year, are independent, with fishing as 58(3),1996 33 -- 37 M depth contour CARIBBEAN SEA 100 Miles 1 i I 100 Km Principal Lobster, Shrimp, and Conch Grounds Roatan Guanaja \ I Utila r P Cabo Camaron • cochin0S \ cayo~s~~ --:r------r trY oS'~ '.. ,.::/<...... "'f'f . t;:~~~;~J":r:;~''''':''~~ '~~" ~~ .:(::.1/:" .. Tr LGuaimorte " . i L.Micos L.Caratasca SPS Gracias aDios Honduras ;. '".: .".:. .. :-: M depth Nicaragua contour Figure I.-The Honduras coastline with the lagoons, coastal cities, and villages mentioned in the text. Also included is the approximate 37 m depth contour off the north coast. L. Alvarado = Laguna de Alvarado, SPS = San Pedro Sula, PC = Puerto Cortes, L. Micas = Laguna de Los Micas, Te = Tela, LC = La Ceiba, Co = Corozal, NA = Nueva Armenia, Tr = Trujillo, L. Guaimorte =Laguna de Guaimorte, L. Caratasca =Laguna de Caratasca, L. Ibans =Laguna de Ibans, L. Brus =Laguna de Brus, PL = Puerto Lempira, Ca = Caukira. their only business. Artisanal fishermen except where it is 22 cm for those to be Table 1,-Numbers of fishing boats and fishermen and landings of fish products in Honduras In 1995, Source: must follow the same regulations and exported. The government will confis Department of Natural Resources, Tegucigalpa, cate undersized catches. seasons as industrial fishermen. Item Number Honduras Government Historical Molluscan Fishing Vessels or fishermen Administration Lobster trap and dive vessels 1 200 Mollusk shells are present in the Shrimp vessels 113 Conch dive vessels 15 The Honduras government sets sev Mayan ruins located in several places Finfish vessels 23 eral regulations to conserve its fisher in the country. The shells are of fresh Small artisanal boats 4,855 ies, including closed seasons (Table 1). water and marine origin, with the ma Artisanal fishermen 5,936 It requires artisanal fishermen to pay a rine shells coming from both the Car Aquatic production Landings (t) Wild shrimp 2,743 license fee of $1.00/year; licenses for ibbean and Pacific coasts of Honduras. Farmed shrimp 9,028 industrial corporations are $lO/year. It Most shells are associated with burials, Lobster tails 1,830 Conch meats 291 has set a minimum lobster size: Its tail while shells of the Caribbean helmet, Finfish 359 must measure at least 5.5 inches. No Cassis tuberosa, were used as horns and 1 Data from J. Rukin, president of fishermen's cooperative, minimum length is set for queen conchs, musical instruments, and part of the Oak Ridge, Roatan Island. 34 Marine Fisheries Review queen conch shells were used as spoons bean Sea origin, but those of Busycon tempting to grab it with a free hand. He (Pastor2). The Museo DeAnthropologia sp. probably come from Mexico's Gulf then came to the surface (Miller3). An E Historia in San Pedro Sula has a col of Mexico area. other method used more sparingly to lection of shells from various Hondu The authors made several inquiries catch lobsters at night was to drift across ras Mayan ruins and illustrations of in to people around every lagoon about a bottom in water 0.9-1.5 m deep in a digenous peoples with shells of Busycon whether ancient shell middens are dugout canoe holding a torch at the and other species (Fig. 2, 3). The shell present. Few apparently exist as they do water surface to reflect light from the of the horse conch, Pleuroploca on the shores of Bahia de Bluefields in eyes of a lobster. The fisherman then 4 gigantea, could be of Honduras Carib Nicaragua (MacKenzie, In Press). descended to catch it (Galind0 ). By free diving, fishermen also caught Fishing for Lobsters 2Teresa Pastor, Director, Museo De Anthro conchs which were so abundant in and Conchs pologia E Historia, San Pedro Sula. Personal places some could be seen from shore commun., 1996. Earlier Artisanal Fishing in clear waters (Miller3). As a conse' quence of organized industrial fishing Before the mid-1980's, artisanal fish Table 2.-Honduras· closed seasons lor crustaceans in the 1970's and early 1980's, lobsters and conchs. ermen around the bay islands of and conchs became much scarcer in Species Guanaja, Roatan, and Utila used to 4 Months shallow coastal waters (Galind0 ). catch lobsters near shore by free diving Lobster' March 16--July 31 Shrimp February 1-June 30 without mask or tank. Each carried a Current Artisanal Fishing Queen conch March 16-August 31 stick with a fork at the end to hold a An estimated 50 fishermen from the 1 Lobster tails must measure at least 5 inches long.