Caribbean Spiny Lobster Panulirus Argus
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Caribbean Spiny Lobster Panulirus argus ©Scandinavian Fishing Yearbook Bahamas, Belize, Brazil, Honduras, and Nicaragua Traps, Diving with Use of Casitas June 24, 2013 Meghan Sullivan, Consulting Researcher Disclaimer Seafood Watch® strives to ensure all our Seafood Reports and the recommendations contained therein are accurate and reflect the most up-to-date evidence available at time of publication. All our reports are peer- reviewed for accuracy and completeness by external scientists with expertise in ecology, fisheries science or aquaculture. Scientific review, however, does not constitute an endorsement of the Seafood Watch program or its recommendations on the part of the reviewing scientists. Seafood Watch is solely responsible for the conclusions reached in this report. We always welcome additional or updated data that can be used for the next revision. Seafood Watch and Seafood Reports are made possible through a grant from the David and Lucile Packard Foundation. 2 Final Seafood Recommendation A portion of the fisheries covered in this report are engaged in a Fishery Improvement Project (FIP). Impacts Impacts on Manage- Habitat and Stock Fishery on the Overall other Species ment Ecosystem Stock Rank Lowest scoring species Rank Rank Recommendation (Score) Rank*, Subscore, Score Score Score Score Caribbean Spiny Bahamas - Diving No other main species Lobster - Bahamas with Casitas Green Red Yellow GOOD ALTERNATIVE caught 3.83 2 3.12 3.31 Green, 5,5 Caribbean Spiny Bahamas - Trap Unknown Finfish, Lobster - Bahamas Green Red Yellow GOOD ALTERNATIVE Unknown Invertebrates 3.83 2 3.12 2.78 Green, 3.32,2.49 Caribbean Spiny Belize - Trap Lobster - Belize Red Unknown Finfish Red Yellow AVOID 1.41 Green, 3.32,2.49 1.41 3.12 1.98 Caribbean Spiny Belize - Diving with No other main species Lobster - Belize Casitas Red Red Yellow AVOID caught 1.41 1 3.12 2.17 Green, 5,5 Caribbean Spiny Brazil - Trap Lobster - Brazil Red Unknown Finfish Critical Yellow AVOID 1.41 Green, 3.32,2.49 0 3.12 0 Caribbean Spiny Honduras - Trap Lobster - Honduras Red Unknown Invertebrates Critical Yellow AVOID 1.73 Green, 3.32,2.49 0 3.12 0 Caribbean Spiny Honduras - Diving No other main species Lobster - Honduras with Casitas Red Critical Yellow AVOID caught 1.73 0 3.12 0 Green, 5,5 Caribbean Spiny Nicaragua - Trap Lobster - Nicaragua Red Unknown Finfish Critical Yellow AVOID 1.73 Green, 3.32,2.49 0 3.12 0 Caribbean Spiny Nicaragua - Diving No other main species Lobster - Nicaragua with Casitas Red Critical Yellow AVOID caught 1.73 0 3.12 0 Green, 5,5 Scoring note – scores range from zero to five where zero indicates very poor performance and five indicates the fishing operations have no significant impact. 3 Table of Contents Final Seafood Recommendation ................................................................................................................... 2 Executive Summary ....................................................................................................................................... 4 Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 6 Analysis ....................................................................................................................................................... 11 Criterion 1: Stock for which you want a recommendation ...................................................................................... 11 Criterion 2: Impacts on Other Retained and Bycatch Stocks ................................................................................... 17 Criterion 3: Management Effectiveness .................................................................................................................. 20 Criterion 4: Impacts on the Habitat and Ecosystem ................................................................................................ 30 Overall Recommendation ........................................................................................................................... 32 Acknowledgements ..................................................................................................................................... 34 About Seafood Watch® ............................................................................................................................... 38 Guiding Principles ....................................................................................................................................... 39 4 Executive Summary The spiny lobster is a commercially fished marine invertebrate. There are several distinct species of spiny lobster located in various areas of the world. This report provides information and recommendations for the Caribbean spiny lobster (Panulirus argus) fished in the waters of the Bahamas, Belize, Brazil, Honduras, and Nicaragua and fished with traps and by diving with the use of casitas and/or SCUBA gear. The spiny lobster is moderately vulnerable to fishing pressure. They tend to mature fairly quickly (between 2 to 3 years), compared to their life span (approximately 20 to 30 years). Recently matured spiny lobsters tend to spawn once a year, while older lobsters can spawn multiple times per year and females produce upwards of 50,000 eggs which can disperse widely. Regular stock assessments for Caribbean spiny lobster are rare. Some of the fisheries seem to be experiencing steady landing rates, while others are experiencing a decline in landings. While there is no definitive information about abundance, the information does suggest that the stock is overfished in most countries. Fishing mortality follows a coherent pattern to that of stock abundance and appears to indicate overfishing is occurring. The impact of the commercial fishery on the Caribbean spiny lobster in the Bahamas is ranked green while the fisheries in Belize, Brazil, Honduras, and Nicaragua are ranked red. The most common non-targeted species caught in the Caribbean spiny lobster trap fishery include various fin fish and crab species. The total discard rate for lobster fisheries is generally between 8% and 15%, but that includes a large number of invertebrates, such as stone crabs, which are generally returned alive. As such, it is unlikely any one species comprises more than 5% of the catch. Cormorants are known to be caught in similar fisheries in the Gulf of California. The impact on cormorants from the Caribbean spiny lobster fishery in Caribbean, Central and South American fisheries is unknown but is believed to not be a limiting factor in this fishery. No species of concern are caught in the spiny lobster fishery. The impact on other species is ranked green. Similarly, the free-dive and hand-harvest fisheries, including those that use casitas for lobster shelter do not result in large numbers of non-targeted species. Even in the areas in which casitas are used, animals move freely and are still harvested by hand with the use of nets and/or hooks. As a result, the Caribbean spiny lobster fishery is extremely selective and results in very little incidental catch. Occasionally, fishermen capture stone crab species for domestic consumption. Management of spiny lobster in all countries has not been effective at maintaining a stable, abundant population. The lack of readily available, current information about stock abundance and fishing mortality are concerns. Additionally, while all the countries mandate a minimum legal size and a closed season, both vary from country to country. Most countries also regulate the type and number of fishing gears in efforts to control the fishing effort. Despite the regulations in place, all countries seem to have difficulties enforcing the regulations, leading to 5 high incidences of illegal, unregulated and unreported (IUU) fishing. Overall, the management of the spiny lobster fisheries in the Bahamas and in Belize is ranked red. Brazil, Honduras, and Nicaragua are considered critical due to the high levels of IUU. The spiny lobster fisheries in the Bahamas, Belize, Brazil, Honduras, and Nicaragua are trap based or dived based and utilize casitas as shelters to attract lobsters (although Honduras and Nicaragua do not allow casitas). Both traps and casitas result in some damage to the benthic habitat but each country has regulations protecting some portion of habitat in reserves. The ecosystem impacts from the trap and casita based fisheries are considered moderate. The spiny lobster fisheries in the Bahamas, Brazil, Honduras and Nicaragua are engaged in Fishery Improvement Projects (FIPs). Engagement in a FIP does not affect the Seafood Watch score as we base our assessments on the current situation. Monterey Bay Aquarium is a member organization of the Conservation Alliance for Seafood Solutions. The Alliance has outlined guidelines for credible Fishery Improvement Projects. As such, Seafood Watch will support procurement from fisheries engaged in a FIP provided it can be verified by a third party that the FIP meets the Alliance guidelines. It is not the responsibility of Monterey Bay Aquarium to verify the credibility or progress of a FIP, or promote the fisheries engaged in improvement projects. 6 Introduction The spiny lobster is a commercially fished marine invertebrate. There are several distinct species of spiny lobster located in various areas of the world. This report will provide information and recommendations for the Caribbean spiny lobster (Panulirus argus) fished within the Bahamas,