Results of the Surveys of 2015 in PR, by the Seamap Program, of Juvenile Caribbean Spiny Lobster (Panulirus argus)
Edited and Presented by Ricardo López Prepared by Aida Rosario and Verónica Seda
Puerto Rico Department of Natural & Environmental Resources Seamap-Puerto Rico-Spiny Lobster Survey Results 2015 Purpose Collect data of planktonic to se ling postlarval puerulus and shelter-restricted juvenile stages Phyllosomes are transparent and morphologically adapted for long planktonic existence being transported on oceanic currents for 6-12 months before metamorphosis to the postlarval puerulus stage
Pictures adapted from: h p://www.virtualcoralreefdive.com/FILES/RECRUITMENT/surv.php and h p://www.lobsters.org/tlcbio/biology7.html Overview of the Pueruli stage
• Pueruli usually persist for several weeks, as nonfeeding and oceanic before returning to coastal waters, swimming at night, and tending to remain within a few cen meters of the water surface. Pueruli enter estuarine habitats and upon encountering suitable inshore substrates, pueruli se le to the benthos, typically in vegetated areas of algal beds, mangrove, seagrasses, small holes, and sand-mud bo oms. Several days before the molt to the first juvenile stage, they begin to show signs of pigmenta on, turning a red-brown color. • h p://www.bio.fsu.edu/herrnlab/ lifehistory_pdf.pdf • h p://www.poseidonsciences.com/lobster.html Seamap-Puerto Rico-Spiny Lobster Survey Results 2015 Objec ves and methods
• Collect data about the juvenile stage of Spiny Lobsters se led in Casitas – (Dec. 2014 to Dec. 2015) • Collect data about the larval stages of Spiny Lobsters se led in larvae collectors – (April 2015 to March 2016) Seamap-Puerto Rico-Spiny Lobster Survey Results 2015 Data collec on of juvenile stage of spiny lobsters se led in Casitas (Dec. 2014 to Dec. 2015)
Sampled area and Casitas’ sites Seamap-Puerto Rico-Spiny Lobster Survey Results 2015 Monthly detec on of Juvenile spiny lobsters per sites Months with the highest detec ons
60
50
40
30 Number juveniles 20
10
0 Dec 14 Jan Feb Mar April May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec 15 Months
El Combate Bramadero El Negro El Ron Fanduca Pnt Aguila
Correc on: Combate in Dec 14 should not be a zero. Was not sampled un l January Northern sites with the highest detec ons Seamap-Puerto Rico-Spiny Lobster Survey Results 2015 Total juvenile Spiny lobsters detected in 2015 at the Casitas Combate surveys started in January with 5 casitas
100 90 90
80 71 70 66 56 N 60 u m b 50 e r 40 31 31 28 27 30 19 17 18 16 20 13 10
0 Dec 14 Jan Feb Mar April May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec 15 Months Total number of juvenile lobsters detected in a (1) monthly visit to all the casitas Highest detec ons (N=65; 10 casitas/site + 5 casitas in Combate), in seagrass habitat (Mostly sand, Thalassia and Syringodium) Seamap-Puerto Rico-Spiny Lobster Survey Results 2015 Monthly detec on of juvenile Spiny lobsters in the Casitas, compared between surveyed years
Pearson’s correla on: R = 0.89634, p = 7.90 E-5 140 123 118 120
100 2008, n = 671 95 2015, n = 483 84 80 71 68 66
Numbers 60 56 53 51 46 39 40 35 31 33 31 27 24 20 19 17 18 16 20 13
0 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Months 2008 2015
Note: How this compare to other studies? Seamap-Puerto Rico-Spiny Lobster Survey Results 2015 Juvenile spiny lobster carapace size classes/sites Most detected carapace size classes (inches)
Sizes 0.25 0.5 0.75 1 1.25 1.5 1.75 2 2 .25 2.5 2.75 3 Total Sites
Bramadero 2 14 20 33 14 13 4 4 1 1 1 107 Sites with highest El Negro 4 27 28 16 33 5 14 3 2 2 134 detec ons El Ron 5 29 26 19 9 10 3 2 103
Fanduca 1 2 5 4 1 6 4 2 1 26
Pnt Aguila 8 23 26 20 2 1 80
El Combate 8 11 11 1 2 33
Grand Total 16 80 115 115 43 65 16 22 4 3 4 483
Note: Do they differ in depths, water turbidity, temperatures or changes in some of these or other habitat variables? Are we interested in these kind of ques ons? Seamap-Puerto Rico-Spiny Lobster Survey Results 2015 Juvenile spiny lobster most detected carapace size classes and two predators /sites
Most detected carapace size classes (inches) Depredate Depredate
Size classes 0.5 0.75 1 1.25 1.5 Total Moray Juvenile Octopus eels Sites Lobsters
Bramadero 14 20 33 14 13 107 13 27
El Negro 4 27 28 16 33 134 17 26
El Ron 29 26 19 9 10 103 9 23
Fanduca 2 5 4 1 6 26 27 152
Pnt Aguila 23 26 20 2 1 80 18 4
El Combate 8 11 11 1 2 33 12 57
Grand Total 80 115 115 43 65 483 96 289 Seamap-Puerto Rico-Spiny Lobster Survey Results 2015 Correla on among size classes, total number of juvenile lobsters and two predators Depredate Most detected size classes Depredate
0.5 0.75 1 1.25 1.5 Lobsters Octopus Morays 0.5 0.208 0.172 0.75 0.287 0.016 1 0.327 0.080 1.25 0.479 0.349 1.5 0.936 0.691 Lobsters 0.388 0.104 Octopus -0.600 -0.523 -0.487 -0.363 -0.043 -0.436 0.100 Morays -0.640 -0.895 -0.759 -0.468 -0.209 -0.724 0.729
Significant nega ve correla on between the numbers of moray eels and juvenile lobsters of ~ .75 inches Nearly significant nega ve correla on between the numbers of moray eels and juvenile lobsters of ~ 1 inches Nearly significant nega ve correla on between the numbers of moray eels and total juvenile lobsters Nearly significant posi ve correla on between the numbers of moray eels and octopus of ~ 1 inches
Note: How important is the octopus fishery in PR and USVI? Do you know that, contrary to many other marine species, Cephalopods are increasing in number worldwide? ( h p://www.sciencemag.org/news/2016/05/world-octopus-and-squid-popula ons-are- booming) Octopus detec on in Casitas in 2008 and 2015
Sites Months
50 25 45 40 20 35 O c 30 t O o c 15 p 25 t u o s p e 20 u s s e 15 s 10 10
5 5 0
0 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Sites Months
2008 2015 2008 2015
Meca of octopuses in both years Below average in both years Seamap-Puerto Rico-Spiny Lobster Survey Results 2015 “Post hoc” comparison of juvenile spiny lobsters detected in Casitas per moon phases Detec ons/carapace size Detec ons/sites/moon phases classes/moon phases
160 140
140 Verónica believes this high 120 number, is a species 120 aggrega on response to bad 100 100 weather N u m 80 N 80 b u e m r b 60 e r 60 40 40 20
0 20
0 0.25 0.5 0.75 1" 1.25 1.5 1.75 2 2 .25 2.5 2.75 3 Sites Size (inches)
First quarter Full moon Last quarter New moon First quarter Full moon Last quarter New moon
Most detec ons in these moon phases Almost all size classes were Note: How this compare to other years and other studies? detected in these moon phases Data collec on of larval stages of spiny lobsters se led in larvae collectors (April 2015 to March 2016) 2008 2015
Sampled area and larvae collectors sites Monthly larvae detec on results
Total larvae detec on Larvae stages detected
400 Highest abundance? 160
350 140
300 120 Second pick? All stages appear to 100 250 L a decline in autumn L r a v 80 r a v 200 e a e 60 150 40
100 20
50 0 April May June July Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Feb. Mar. Months 0 April May June July Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Feb. Mar. Months Transparent Trans. Pigmented Puerulli Juveniles
The least detected stage The most detected stage “Post hoc” comparison of spiny lobsters
larvae detected in collectors per moon offshore phases and depths
Higher detec on in deep water collectors Further
Deep collectors (30-60 feet) Shallow collectors (15-20 feet)
140 140
120 120
100 100
L L a 80 a 80 r r v v a a e 60 e 60
40 40
20 20
0 0 A1D A2D B1D B2D C1D C2D D1D D2D E1D E2D F1D F2D A1S A2S B1S B2S C1S C2S D1S D2S E1S E2S F1S F2S Collector Id Collector Id
First quarter Full Moon Last quarter New moon First quarter Full Moon Last quarter New moon
As with juveniles, most detec ons in these moon phases Most detec on in first quarter moon phase were in the further offshore collectors Comparison of spiny lobsters
larval stages detected in offshore collectors per depths Higher detec on of all larval stages in Further deep water collectors
Deep collectors (30-60 feet) Shallow collectors (15-20 feet) 140 140
120 120
100 100
L 80 L 80 a a r r v v a a e 60 e 60
40 40
20 20
0 0 A1D A2D B1D B2D C1D C2D D1D D2D E1D E2D F1D F2D A1S A2S B1S B2S C1S C2S D1S D2S E1S E2S F1S F2S Collector ID Collector ID
Transparent Trans. Pigmented Puerulli Juveniles Transparent Trans. Pigmented Puerulli Juveniles
Highest detec ons in further offshore collectors Issues brought by Aida Rosario to be considered • Our records of the Casitas in 2003 does not have coordinates. With those coordinates we can compare the 2003 data with the new one. Do NOAA have that informa on? • Collector sta ons in 2009 does not coincide with the 2015 sites. Can NOAA help wi h this data? • Should we consider to increase the study area to sample the east coast of PR? – UPR Humacao teacher is interested to cooperated with this survey Update in Commercial Fisheries Interven ons
Marine habitat interven ons
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0 Land crab Fishing in Undersize Queen conch Tarpon fishing Undersize Queen conch Ilegal gear Red hind Shark fishing Queen conch undersize, protected (lobster & in excess Queen conch in federal closure closure offseason or areas snook) waters without permit
Oct-Dec 2014 Jan-Mar 2015 Jan-Apr 2016 May-Jul 2016 What can the diet of seabirds tell us about the ocean? • Disserta on 2009. The Diet of Masked, Brown and Red-footed Boobies (Sulidae: Pelecaniformes) In the Mona Passage, Puerto Rico. Ph. D. Thesis. Oceanography, University Of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez. • Part of the disserta on provide inferences of the preys also consumed by important pelagic fishes. • Teherfore, can the study of seabird’s diets provide informa on of the ocean health, or the availability of food sources for important comercial fishes? Method: Stomach content
Sample collec on Sample processing • Sulids regurgitate easily when • Samples iden fied to the confronted with a poten al predator (me). lowest possible taxonomic • 4 nights each one in June, August, level using FAO guides. September and October. • 2003 (opportunis cally but Data analysis aiming to sample the breeding season of each Sula species). • Biometrics. • Sampled were carried in a cooler • with blue ice and move to the Power regression formulas freezer in Mona Island ASAP, then were used to calculate in another cooler to the DNER biomass. Fisheries Research Lab. • Comparison with other studies Monito Island
• ~5 kilometers northwest of the much larger Mona Island. • Only place in the Puerto Rico archipelago where the three Sula species can be found res ng and nes ng. • A dry forest island • Considered the most inaccessible island in the Puerto Rico archipelago: no beaches for landing, just jump from the boat and climb the wall, stay in a cave and save your water. • Difficult environment to keep and carry regurgita on samples General facts, results and conclusions
• Prey sample size 984 organisms (all fishes and squids); 34 species of fish • Food appears abundant in every sampled month, no empty stomachs or inorganic items were detected. • In average the popula on consumed 17 organisms/bird/day Masked Bobby (Sula dactylatra) • Largest pelagic • Least generalist • Rarest • Mostly feed from big flyingfishes • ~6 preys/day or 2 average regurgita ons • Main prey Family: Exocoe dae • Main prey species: clearwing flyingfish (Cypselurus comatus) • Pictures from: FAO and h p://www.arkive.org/ Red-footed Bobby (Sula sula) • Smallest pelagic • Nest in shrubs and trees • Rare • Mostly feed from small flyingfishes and flyingsquids • ~16 preys/day or 3 average regurgita ons • Main prey Family: Exocoe dae • Main prey species: sailfinflyingfish (Paraexocoetus hillianus)
• Pictures from: FAO and h p://www.arkive.org/ Brown Bobby (Sula lucogaster) • Medium size • Least pelagic • Most generalist • Common • Feed from a greater range of fish and squids sizes and species • ~19 preys/day or 3 average regurgita ons • Main prey Family: Carangidae • Main prey species: mackerel scad (Decapterus macarellus)
• Pictures from: FAO and h p://www.arkive.org/ Feeding associa on with subsurface predators (available data) Many of these species are seasonal, therefore associa ons should be temporal Most landed Sula species • Wahoo • Masked booby – (Acanthocybium solandri) – 3% of the prey families also regurgitated – 24% of the prey families also regurgitated by Masked reported in Wahoo Booby – 47% of the prey families also regurgitated by Brown – 88% of the prey families also regurgitated Booby reported in Dolphinfishes – 47% of the prey families also regurgitated by Red- – 46% of the prey families also regurgitated footed Booby reported in Yellowfin Tunas • Common Dolphinfishes • Brown booby – (Coryphaena hippurus) – 47% of the prey families also regurgitated – 17% of the prey families also regurgitated by Masked Booby reported in Wahoo – 48% of the prey families also regurgitated by Brown – 48% of the prey families also regurgitated Booby reported in Dolphinfishes – 45% of the prey families also regurgitated by Red- – 26% of the prey families also regurgitated footed Booby reported in Yellowfin Tunas • Yellowfin tuna • Red-footed booby – (Thunnus albacares) – 18% of the prey families also regurgitated by Masked – 9% of the prey families also regurgitated Booby reported in Wahoo – 26% of the prey families also regurgitated by Brown – 58% of the prey families also regurgitated Booby reported in Dolphinfishes – 26% of the prey families also regurgitated by Red- – 32% of the prey families also regurgitated (also in Hawaii) footed Booby reported in Yellowfin Tunas
sulids (Reported in Eastern Caribbean; North and to Tunas with lowest affinity (Reported in Western PR) Tropical Atlan c Ocean; Offshore Brazil)