DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES Final Report to the National Marine Fisheries Service NOAA Entitled Puerto Rico/NMFS Cooperative Fisheries Statistics Program April 2007 – September 2012NA07NMF4340039 by Daniel Matos-Caraballo Principal Investigator DRNA Fisheries Research Laboratory 1 Submitted by Hon. Daniel Galán Kercadó Secretary of Department of Natural and Environmental Resources December 2012 2 SUMMARY The Fisheries Research Laboratory (FRL) of the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources (DNER) monitors the commercial landings of fish and shellfish in Puerto Rico. The Commercial Fisheries Statistics Program (CFSP) was implemented in 1967 under the Commercial Fisheries Research and Development Act of 1964 (PL 88-309) to collect data on the commercial fishery. Currently, this project is funded by the NOAA/National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) through the State/Federal Cooperative Fisheries Program, the Interjurisdictional Fisheries Program (IJ) and the DNER. The CSP started in April 1, 2007 and finished in September 30, 2012. This project funded Job 1, entitled, Collection of Fisheries Statistics Data, during the mentioned period. This job included the following objectives: receive commercial fisheries landings reports, collect and process biostatistics data, enter the collected data in computer format, estimate the under reported landings (correction factor), and estimate catch per unit effort. The project reached all the objectives. A total of 1.24 million pounds was reported in 2007, 1.26 million pounds were reported in 2008, 1.15 million pounds were reported in 2009, 1.11 million pounds were reported in 2010, and 1.34 million pounds were reported in 2011. The CFSP determined a correction factor to estimate the non-reported or under-reported landings. Using the correction factor of 59% for 2007, it has been estimated that a total of 2.10 millions of pounds was landed in Puerto Rico. In 2008, the correction factor was 55%, and a total of 2.30 million pounds was landed. In 2009, correction factor was 45% and a total of 2.56 million pounds were landed, in 2010 the correction factor was 45%, and an estimated 2.48 million pounds were landed pounds, and in 2011 the correction factor was 74%, and an estimated total of 1.81 million pounds was landed. The CPUE for landings and biostatistics data were estimated and are presented in this report. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I wish to express my deepest gratitude to all the people who contributed to the completion of this report. First, I want to acknowledge NOAA Fisheries (Cooperative Statistics and Interjurisdictional Fisheries Programs) and Puerto Rico’s DNER for providing the funds that made possible this project. The contribution of the port samplers Jesús León, Héctor Y. López, and Luis A. Rivera, whom worked the whole project period, during 2007-12. They collected data and helped in the data entry process. Thanks to port samplers Kathleen Flynn, Diane M Santos, and Aixa Tolentino, who worked with CFSP during 2011-12. Statistic clerks Lucía T. Vargas (2007-12) and Albaliz Mercado (during 2007-2009), entered the data and helped in many ways during this project. To Aida Rosario, Director of the Fisheries Research Laboratory during 2007-10, for her valuable helps and support of this project even though when she worked in other position. Also thanks to Miguel A. García, Chief of the DNER Fish and Wildlife Bureau, for his support in many administrative tasks in this project. In particular, I wish to acknowledge the cooperation of the commercial fishers for assisting the Fisheries Statistics Project: without their help, this report would not have been possible. 3 Table of Contents SUMMARY ..................................................................................................................................................... 3 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ................................................................................................................................... 3 LIST OF TABLES .............................................................................................................................................. 5 LIST OF FIGURES ............................................................................................................................................ 6 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................. 7 PROCEDURES ................................................................................................................................................. 7 Commercial Fishery Landings Data ........................................................................................................... 7 Commercial Fishery Landings Data ........................................................................................................... 8 RESULTS ........................................................................................................................................................ 9 Historical events that affected the commercial fisheries landings reported in Puerto Rico during 2007- 12. ............................................................................................................................................................. 9 Commercial Landings Data ..................................................................................................................... 11 Commercial Biostatistics Data ................................................................................................................ 12 DISCUSSION ................................................................................................................................................. 13 Commercial Landings Data ..................................................................................................................... 13 Commercial Biostatistics Data ................................................................................................................ 14 CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................................................... 14 LITERATURE CITED ...................................................................................................................................... 15 4 LIST OF TABLES Table 1A. Landings Reported by Species and by Coast in Puerto Rico During 2007 Table 1B. Landings Reported by Species and by Coast in Puerto Rico during 2008 Table 1C. Landings Reported by Species and by Coast in Puerto Rico During 2009 Table 1D. Landings Reported by Species and by Coast in Puerto Rico During 2010 Table 1E. Landings Reported by Species and by Coast in Puerto Rico During 2011 Table 2. Total Tickets Collected in Puerto Rico by Month During January 2007 - December 2011 Table 3. List of Fish and Shellfish Reported in Puerto Rico's Landings Data during 2007-12. Table 4. Landings Reported by Municipality and by Coast in Puerto Rico during 2007-11. Table 5A. Landings Reported by Species and by Gear in Puerto Rico During 2007 Table 5B. Landings Reported by Species and by Gear in Puerto Rico During 2008 Table 5C. Landings Reported by Species and by Gear in Puerto Rico During 2009 Table 5D. Landings Reported by Species and by Gear in Puerto Rico During 2010 Table 5E. Landings Reported by Species and by Gear in Puerto Rico During 2011 Table 6A. Landings Reported by Species and by Month in Puerto Rico During 2007 Table 6B. Landings Reported by Species and by Month in Puerto Rico During 2008 Table 6C. Landings Reported by Species and by Month in Puerto Rico During 2009 Table 6D. Landings Reported by Species and by Month in Puerto Rico During 2010 Table 6E. Landings Reported by Species and by Month in Puerto Rico During 2011 Table 7. Average Catch per Unit Effort from Commercial Trip Tickets Landings During 2007-11 Table 8A. Biostatistics Individual Measured by Puerto Rico's Commercial Fishery Landings during 2007 Table 8B. Biostatistics Individual Measured by Puerto Rico's Commercial Fishery Landings during 2008 Table 8C. Biostatistics Individual Measured by Puerto Rico's Commercial Fishery Landings during 2009 5 Table 8D. Biostatistics Individual Measured by Puerto Rico's Commercial Fishery Landings during 2010 Table 8E. Biostatistics Individual Measured by Puerto Rico's Commercial Fishery Landings during 2010 Table 9. Interviews of Biostatistics Data Collected in Puerto Rico by Month by CFSP during 2007-11. LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. Coastal municipalities of in Puerto Rico Figure 2. Landings data collection ticket. Figure 3. Commercial landings reported in Puerto Rico during 1971-2011. Figure 4. Estimate of Commercial landings Using Correction factors in Puerto Rico during 1971- 2011. Figure 5. Species Most Reported by Weight during 2007-2011. Figure 6. Landings Reported by Coast in Puerto Rico during 2007-2010. Figure 7. Percentage of Puerto Rico Commercial Landings Reported by Gear during 2007-2010. 6 INTRODUCTION The objective of the Puerto Rico/NMFS Interjurisdictional IJ is to maintain reporting services on the commercial finfish and shellfish resources of Puerto Rico, as well as manage and disseminate the fisheries statistics through coordination of activities between NMFS and the Commercial Fishery Statistics Program (CFSP) of the Department of Natural and Environmental Resources (DNER). This includes the processing and summary of monthly landings (by species or species group,