Assessing effectiveness of the seasonal closure of the Moonfish Bank of the Saba Bank for two species of concern, the Red Hind and the Queen Triggerfish: the first five years

Debrot, Adolphe O.; Brunel, Thomas; Schop, Jessica; Kuramae, Ayumi; Bakkers, Yosha

doi:10.18174/520362

Cited by 5 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…Several studies from the Caribbean reported that adult B. vetula are associated with coral reef ecosystem habitats that occur in deeper shelf and shelf edge zones (Garcia‐Sais, 2010; García‐Sais et al ., 2007; Shervette & Rivera Hernández, 2022b). Diver surveys in Saba Bank documented adults associated with the whole spectrum of coral reef ecosystem strata, but were most abundant in the outer reef flat zone characterized by hard bottom/pavement and a submerged inner reef flat zone with low relief pavement and scattered rubble (Debrot et al ., 2020; Toller, 2007). B. vetula in the current study were caught as incidental catch in deeper shelf waters (>45 m) and at shelf edge sites where commercial fishers were targeting large groupers, snappers and tilefishes.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Illuminating otoliths: New insights for life history of Balistes triggerfishes

Shervette

Hernández

2022

Journal of Fish Biology

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Our understanding of fish life-history strategies is informed by key biological processes, such as growth, survival/mortality, recruitment and sexual maturation, used to characterize fish stocks (populations). Characterizing the life-history traits of fish populations requires the application of accurate age estimation for managed species. Grey triggerfish Balistes capriscus and queen triggerfish Balistes vetula are important reef-associated species for commercial and recreational fisheries in the Atlantic Ocean. Both species exhibit a unique reproductive strategy for large-bodied fisheries-targeted reef fishes in that they are nesting benthic spawners and invest substantial energy in defence and care of their benthic nests and fertilized eggs. Until recently, our understanding of the life-history strategies of triggerfishes assumed the main method used to obtain age estimates, increments counted from thin sections of the first dorsal spine, provided an accurate characterization of population age-based parameters. However, results from bomb radiocarbon validation studies on the two Balistes species demonstrated that spines do not provide accurate ages, but sagittal otoliths do. The main goal of the current study was to provide an updated understanding for triggerfish life-history strategies by using otolith-based age estimates to characterize population age structure and growth for grey triggerfish and queen triggerfish from waters of the south-eastern U.S. Atlantic. The current study is the first to report on sex-specific age and growth information for grey triggerfish using the Δ 14 C-validated otolith-based age estimation method and the results indicate that the previous characterization of Balistes species as exhibiting moderately rapid growth and as relatively short-lived, based on spine-derived age estimates, are flawed. Otolith-based ages indicated that grey triggerfish and queen triggerfish are moderately slow-growing and long-lived species, attaining maximum ages of 21 and 40 years, respectively. Management efforts for triggerfishes should evaluate these new insights and incorporate the results of otolith-based age estimation into future population monitoring efforts.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Illuminating otoliths: New insights for life history of Balistes triggerfishes

Shervette

Hernández

2022

Journal of Fish Biology

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“…Length-based assessments for the three main reef fish species bycaught in the lobster fishery, namely the Red hind, the Queen triggerfish, and the White grunt, also suggest a fishing pressure at or above the FMSY level. Our recent assessment of measures to protect the Red hind have shown no indication of success within their first five years (Debrot et al 2020).…”

Section: Caricom 2002)mentioning

confidence: 97%

Status and trends in Saba Bank fisheries : Analysis of fisheries data collected over the period 2011-2020

Brunel¹,

Kuramae²,

Debrot³

2021

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“…Several studies from north Caribbean waters have documented habitat attributes for areas where queen triggerfish most commonly occur. Diver surveys in Saba Bank, BVI, documented adults associated with the whole spectrum of coral reef ecosystem strata, but most abundant in the outer reef flat zone characterized by hard bottom/pavement and submerged inner reef flat zone with low relief pavement and scattered rubble [10,11]. Two studies from west Puerto Rico noted adult queen triggerfish were associated with wall habitat of the continental slope at depths greater than 30 m [12,13].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Queen Triggerfish Balistes vetula Age-Based Population Demographics and Reproductive Biology for Waters of the North Caribbean

Rivera Hernández,

Shervette

2024

Fishes

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Queen triggerfish Balistes vetula is an important reef-associated species for commercial fisheries in the U.S. Caribbean. It exhibits a relatively unique reproductive strategy as a nesting benthic spawner, investing substantial energy in territorial defense, building and maintaining nests, and caring for fertilized eggs during the reproductive season. Prior to this study, no comprehensive life history information existed in the literature for queen triggerfish. This study provides the first comprehensive documentation of age, growth, size/age at sexual maturity, reproductive seasonality, and reproductive output for a Balistes species in the Caribbean. From 2013 to 2023, we collected 2190 fish samples from fisheries-dependent and -independent sources from the waters of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Fish ranged from 67 to 477 mm fork length (FL). We documented that queen triggerfish is sexually dimorphic with males attaining larger mean sizes-at-age compared to females and the species is characterized by a moderately young age at median sexual maturity (A50 = 3.3 y). The maximum age for our U.S. Caribbean samples was 23 y based on increment counts from otoliths. Spawning season encompassed the months of December to August in the region, and female spawning frequency ranged from an estimated 2 to 84 times per year; female spawning frequency increased with increasing size and age of fish. We documented that commercial fishers in the U.S. Caribbean mainly target “plate-size” individuals, defined in our study as 235–405 mm FL, which appears to act as a self-imposed slot size range limit and results in the fishery not removing individuals in the smallest and largest size groups at high rates. The percentage of immature fish from fisheries-dependent sources was close to 0 (0.8%). Commercial fishing for queen triggerfish in the region currently appears to be sustainable, but monitoring of the population should continue.

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Assessing effectiveness of the seasonal closure of the Moonfish Bank of the Saba Bank for two species of concern, the Red Hind and the Queen Triggerfish: the first five years

Abstract: Wageningen Marine Research provides no printed copies of reports Wageningen Marine Research is ISO 9001:2015 certified.

Cited by 5 publications

References 15 publications

Illuminating otoliths: New insights for life history of Balistes triggerfishes

Illuminating otoliths: New insights for life history of Balistes triggerfishes

Status and trends in Saba Bank fisheries : Analysis of fisheries data collected over the period 2011-2020

Queen Triggerfish Balistes vetula Age-Based Population Demographics and Reproductive Biology for Waters of the North Caribbean

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