13. REPORT ON THE LOBSTER FISHERIES OF SAINT LUCIA

Williana Joseph^[28]

Description of the Fisheries

The Caribbean spiny lobster, Panulirus argus (Latreille, 1804) fishery is one of the most important in the nearshore of St. Lucia, second only to the conch fishery in terms of landings (see also Joseph, 2001). However, its socio-economic importance is more wide scale than the conch fishery in which only 20 fishers participate compared to several hundreds in the lobster fishery (Joseph, unpublished).

P. argus is the most abundant and commercially important of the three Panulirus species (P. argus, P. guttatus and P. laevicanda). However, P. guttatus is protected from commercial exploitation since it rarely attains the legal size limit of 95 mm CL (carapace length)^[29]. The majority of Caribbean lobster landings come from traps set in depths in excess of 30 m (Luckhurst and Auil-Marshalleck, 1995). Previously lobsters were fished with trammels nets, which are now banned from the island fishery, however, they are still used illegally on a small scale. Caribbean spiny lobsters are also fished with spear guns by recreational fishers, although this practice is also illegal.

Figure 1. Annual production and value of spiny lobster in St. Lucia, 1991-2001

Note: 1 US$ = $2.67 EC Prices range from EC$ 12-20/lb or US$ 10-16/kg
Source: Department of Fisheries

Despite some annual variability in the transition in terms of time, the fishing year in Saint Lucia is divided into two seasons: a "high" season which extends from December to May, when significant landings of offshore migratory pelagics occur and a "low" season which extends from June to November, when large quantities of demersal species are landed. The fishery for lobster sustains important artisanal fisheries during the "low" fishing season, June to February.

Yield has increased significantly over the past; although the extent of the increase is not reliably known. Fig. 1 gives an indication of the annual production of P. argus between 1991 and 2001 giving an average annual production of 20 tonnes during this period.

To a great extent lobster catches are under-recorded since they tend to be concealed from data collectors, but recent improvements in the data collection system and the implementation of education and awareness programmes in fishing communities, with a main thrust on the importance and need for obtaining reliable fisheries data, will hopefully address this limitation.

Mahon (1990), estimated an annual yield of 1 039 toneladas of lobster resources for the Lesser Antilles region, with Saint Lucia having an annual yield of 26 tonnes based on yield estimates of 0.05 tonnes km² of shelf area. He cautioned the use of this estimate in developing management strategies for this fishery since it is an approximation, but instead, suggested that the value should only be used as a guide in more refined estimation of yields.

From as early as July, during the closed season (1 May-31 August), lobsters caught tend to be stockpiled in holding traps in shallower waters close to shore until the start of the open season. This practice of "stockpiling" is also done during the fishing season until fishers have sufficient lobsters to sell to the middlemen, hotels and restaurants, who are the main purchasers. Despite, it being illegal to harvest berried and undersized lobsters, some fishers keep them in traps as attractants and in the case of berried lobsters until they have spawned, which possibly leads to a high rate of mortality of undersized and berried lobsters (Joseph, 2000).

Management Regulations/Strategies

Fishing in Saint Lucia is still largely open access, and so by extension is the lobster fishery, therefore, the potential effort that can be applied to this fishery is high. The lobster fishery is closed from 1 May to 31 August.

The Department of Fisheries, recognizing the need to reduce effort in the near shore fishery implemented a limited entry system for the pot fishery (the main gear used for lobsters) for 2000. Funding for implementing this management regime was provided by the European Union as part of the Sustainable Fisheries Development Project. The main objectives for implementation of such a management measure were to address the problem of over-fishing plaguing this fishery, due to the continued use of illegal mesh sizes for fish pots, the open-access nature of the fishery, the recurrent problems of theft of gear and catch, incidental ghost fishing and declining catches. A collaborative approach for developing conditions for the management regime was used (Department of Fisheries, 1999).

In 1999, prior to its implementation, consultations were held with resource users, mainly pot fishers, funded by the British Department for International Development through the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States-Natural Resource Management Unit (OECS-NRMU)^[30] (Department of Fisheries, 1999). The benefit of such an approach is that the resource users are directly involved in the identification of a strategy for sustainable use, resulting in greater compliance when implemented. Consequently, this management regime was first implemented in 2000, in the southern half of the island, where the largest pot fishing communities exist and the following year, it was implemented nationally. The following list of requirements and conditions were mandatory in order for fishers to qualify to engage in the fishery:

• Fishing vessels must be registered and licensed.

• Only full time traditional pot fishers will be licensed to engage in this fishery.

• Pot fishers must have at least 15 pots.

• Pots and buoys must be clearly marked with identification tags, i.e. PVC tags with vessel identification number on it to allow for effective enforcement. (Funding covered the cost of supplying PVC for the first year only).

• All pots must have degradable panels and must not be constructed with mesh smaller than 1 1/4 in (3.2 cm).

• No undersized lobsters should be kept in holding pots.

• Pot fishery licenses must be presented during any sale or trade in lobsters.

Further, the Department also adopted a policy of discouraging and denying new entrants to fishing access to pot fishing.

Table 1. Number of pots and vessels issued with permits in two consecutive fishing periods when a limited entry system was implemented

In the first year of its implementation, the response of pot fishers was encouraging, since they believed that the new management regime would solve the chronic problem of pot theft. However, the level of surveillance and enforcement needed to ensure that access was truly restrictive was not realized; but some level of success in enforcement was achieved.

In addition, a system was put in place to verify that persons selling lobster were authorized individuals but given that in its inception the permit system for fishers and middlemen was confined to the south of the island in the first year, this system was challenging to manage. The response from key purchasers was encouraging since they supported the initiative by requesting all persons trading in lobsters to produce identification cards and valid permits.

The following year, although the limited entry system was implemented island-wide, there was a lot of resistance from fishers of the southern part of the island mainly due to unwillingness of fishers to cover the cost of the gear identification (ID) tags combined with their experiences of the previous year regarding surveillance. The ID tags are critical for enforcement. This is clearly illustrated in Table 1 since the number of pots and vessels participating in the system decreased drastically in the second year compared to the first year, because pot fishers had to clearly mark their pots and the Department could only license fishers that complied with all the conditions.

In the third year of its implementation, fishers' response was very poor such that the Department decided to place the limited-entry system on hold whilst exploring other management options. Nonetheless, the information gathered during this short period would guide future management decisions on the pot fishery.

Biology

From September 1996 to April 1999, as part of a subproject jointly funded Government of Saint Lucia and CARICOM Fisheries Resource Assessment and Management Program (CFRAMP), a total of 6469 lobsters, P. argus were sampled at two sites, River Doree in the southwest and Savannes Bay in the southeast, from commercial Antillean Z-traps deployed off the southwest and southeast coasts of Saint Lucia in areas fished by commercial trap fishers, at depths ranging from 5 to 50 m. Traps were set 0.5-1.0 n.mile offshore during the latter period of the fishing season due to strong currents, but at the beginning of the season traps were set up to 2.75 n.miles offshore.

The first component of the subproject, biological data collection programme, involved sampling lobsters landed at the two landing sites during the open season, 1 September to 30 April. Carapace lengths (CL) were measured to the nearest mm with steel vernier calipers. In addition, observations on sex, weight, presence of a spermatophoric mass (tar spot) and associated conditions (intact or eroded) were recorded for females (Anon., 1996a).

The second component of the subproject, the maturity study, involved year-round sampling at sea by fishers, under regular supervision by staff of the Department of Fisheries from the above-mentioned two sites in the south. Data on carapace length, sex and weight were obtained for all lobsters. However, females were further examined for the presence of eggs (ovigerous) or spermatophoric mass (deposition of spermatophores on the sternum). Eggs were described as orange (freshly laid) or brown (ready to hatch) and spermatophores were described as intact (pre-fertilization) or eroded (post-fertilization) (Anon, 1996a). Caribbean spiny lobsters sampled at sea were tagged by perforation of a hole in the telson to avoid double sampling, particularly during the closed season. P. argus less than 95 mm were returned after observation however, during the closed season, all lobsters were returned. In addition, effort data collected included estimation of depths where traps were set, number of traps hauled, soak time and estimated total catch. At least four sampling trips were conducted each month and all lobsters caught in the traps were sampled.

During the closed season, depending on weather conditions, mainly sea current state, traps were moved closer to shore to prevent high pot loss. In 1998 during the closed season, traps were set in a sheltered bay in the southeast, seaward of the second largest mangrove forest, in depths ranging from 2.5 to 5 m in an effort to obtain data on juveniles. Fishers at this site occasionally set their traps at greater depths, but they use shallower depths for storage of traps for "stock piling". All data collected were processed with Trip Interview Program (TIP) software. Data collected were analyzed by fisheries biologist, Williana Joseph, whilst pursuing an MSc. Below is a summary of some her findings.

Size Composition

Joseph (2001) reveals that populations of P. argus exploited in the waters south of Saint Lucia comprised a high proportion of small lobsters, 90-110 mm CL size class. This may be a result of the selectivity of the gear, however, it may also be due to high exploitation levels; the majority of larger individuals have been removed from the population and the fishery is basically dependent on individuals in these size classes. Further, the mean CL of lobsters landed in the southwest was much lower than the mean CL of lobsters landed on the southeast and at both sites, there was a decrease in mean CL to below the minimum legal size, concomitant with an increase in the number of under-sized Caribbean spiny lobsters landed as the fishing season progressed.

In the southwestern site, on average, 44 percent of the landings were of under-sized^[31] lobsters, whilst on the southeastern site, on average 20 percent of the landings were undersized. Results of the maturity study, however, indicated that the mean CL of lobster in the southeastern fishing area was lower than the southwestern fishing area (both sexes combined), and the average proportion of undersized lobsters was higher in the southeast (62%) than the southwest (45%). A decrease in CL as the fishing period progressed confirms this trend observed in landings during the fishing season for both sites.

The main factors that influence the size composition of the landings are the availability of spiny lobsters of different size classes, selectivity of the gear and adherence to management measures. On the other hand, the main factors that influence size composition of the catch are the availability of individuals of different size classes and the selectivity of the gear. At the southwestern site, the occurrence of undersized lobsters in the landings was considerable, particularly, towards the end of the fishing period possibly due to disregard by fishers of the minimum size regulation. Although undersized lobsters in the maturity study in the southeast were high, the landings did not reflect this trend. One could then reasonably conclude that the fishers in the southeast either adhere more to the fisheries regulations by not landing high proportions of undersized lobsters or effectively concealed such landings.

Joseph (2001) concluded that the high proportion of under-sized lobster found in the landings in the southwest and in the maturity study in both areas has serious implications to the long term sustainability of the population such as: increased mortality of juveniles; decreased yield and potential economic returns compared to if the lobsters were allowed to remain longer in the fishery; the effect on spawning biomass if the undersized lobsters caught are below the size of sexual maturity. In addition, this trend also indicates a strong recruitment of juveniles into the population despite the high mortality of the undersized lobsters.

Basically, three factors can contribute to a decrease in mean carapace length during the fishing season - the arrival of new recruits, the migration of larger berried lobsters offshore to spawn in more favourable environments and the avoidance of the gear by larger berried females. Also an increase in the monthly mean size could be as a result of growth, movement of larger lobsters to this area. Generally, the results of the maturity study showed a decrease in mean carapace length and an increase in the proportion of undersized lobster in the catch towards the end of the fishing season, thus it is reasonable to conclude that the end of the fishing season, January to April coincided with the period of recruitment into the fishery (arrival of new recruits into the fishery).

These findings have serious implications for the management of the spiny lobster fishery in Saint Lucia, since management strategies are general implemented to reduce mortality of undersized lobsters, as defined by the Management Plan, by possibly implementing measures, which would allow in the first instance, the proportion of undersized lobsters retained by the gear to be greatly reduced. Second, to strictly enforce the regulations to limit the landing of undersized lobsters and third, to consider a closed season that includes the months January to April, when the proportion of undersized spiny lobsters in the catch is quite high. Such an extended closed season would be effective in allowing the undersized lobsters to grow to larger sizes, which would then contribute to higher yields.

Seasonality of Reproduction

Analyses of reproductive activity of Caribbean spiny lobsters at two sites in Saint Lucia (Joseph, 2001) strongly suggest a year round activity, which supports traditional ecological knowledge, since fishers encounter breeding or berried females all year round. However, peak periods of breeding were also identified, which were dissimilar at the two sites.

The analysis also revealed annual variability in reproductive activity of P. argus based on the presence of berried females, which was more pronounced in southeast than the southwest. A similar trend in breeding activity was obtained with peak breeding periods being February, August-December and an absence of breeding females, in March to July. A different picture of reproductive activity in the southwestern area emerged with at least 20 percent of females being berried all year round, but with an extended period of high activity from March to July. Similar year round trend for breeding was found at this site.

Joseph (2001) states that based on the evidence, trends in reproductive activity are dissimilar at the two sites, and if two different populations are assumed, then it may be appropriate to consider that periods of peak reproductive activity for P. argus are in February and August to December for the southeast, whilst in the southwest, reproductive activity is year round, with a peak from March to July. Joseph (2001) further states that this evidence has serious implications for management, particularly, in the timing of the closed season, since the main objectives of implementation of seasonal closures in fisheries are to protect the breeding adults and prevent disturbance at a crucial time in their life cycle. Thus, for effective management, seasonal closure should at least coincide with the peak periods of spawning or breeding activity. However, results from this analysis indicate the contrary, that is, the current closed season (May-August) coincides with a period when very few or no berried spiny lobsters were encountered in the catches (maturity study) in the southeast.

In order to protect the breeding adults in the southeast, management would have to consider revision of the closed season to August-December, which coincides with the periods of peak reproductive activity for the southeast. This is in contrast to the results from the southwest (Joseph, 2001), which suggest both year round breeding and spawning for female P. argus, with peaks in January, and from March to August when more than 20 percent of the females are berried.

The year round breeding and spawning of P. argus is in keeping with the studies of reproductive activity of P. argus in the Caribbean (Peacock, 1974; FAO, 1968; Munro, 1974; Feliciano, 1958). This continuous reproduction is due to the stable environments of the tropics (Cushing, 1975). The prolonged peak period of activity (berried females) occurred within part of the legal closed season and therefore affords some protection to spawning individuals during this critical time in their life history.

Joseph (2001) proposes a possible explanation for the dissimilarity in reproductive activity observed at the two sites: the southeast and southwest are different habitats for the same population of P. argus. The southeast fishing area is in close proximity of a nursery habitat (mangrove forest) and it has a shallower depth profile than the southwest. This, combined with results from the maturity study, which found high proportions of undersized lobsters in the catch at this site and low incidence of breeding and berried females, all support the possibility of the southeast area being mainly a juvenile habitat.

Conversely, evidence from the study indicates that the southwest is a breeding habitat due to its greater depths, combined with considerable high proportions of breeding and berried females that were found all year round.

Joseph (2001) recommends further research to validate the period of reproductivity and to determine true causes for the differences in reproductive activity at these sites.

Size at First Maturity

Berried lobsters were observed in all class ranges between 71 and 145 mm CL. The size at first maturity for the southwest was undetermined due to low sample numbers and unrepresented size classes. Using the size that corresponded to 50 percent of berried lobsters in the peak spawning periods, the size at first of maturity in the southeast was 102 mm CL. This size at first maturity is higher than values reported for the region, which ranged from 45-90 mm CL. For heavily fished populations such as in Saint Lucia the size at first maturity should be much lower, which would support results of research conducted on heavily fished populations (Joseph, 2001).

If 102 mm is considered as the size of sexual maturity of P. argus in the southwest, then the present legal size limit (95 mm) is below it and thus a large proportion of immature lobster are not allowed to spawn at least once before capture. The fishery could then be seriously affected if exploitation levels led to a significant reduction in the population of the egg-producing individuals. In such a situation, the theoretically simple solution for management is increasing the size limit to above the size of sexual maturity. Implementing such a measure would be challenging.

However, several authors (Chittleborough, 1974, 1976; Peacock; 1974; Kanciruk and Herrnkind, 1976; Aiken, 1977; Gregory et al., 1982; MacDonald, 1982) have adopted the approach of determining size at first maturity from mated, but non-berried lobsters combined with berried females and proposed that it is best for providing management advice. Consequently, in the same southwest area Joseph (2001) also applied that criterion and found that the size at first maturità at which 50 percent of the individuals were breeding (mating = mature) to be 65 mm CL. This value is within the range of sizes obtained for the size at first maturity of P. argus in the region.

Closer examination of the two data sets revealed that mated females were between 42 and 165 mm and berried females between 71 and 145 mm. Therefore, 65 mm is the better estimate of the size of maturity of female P. argus in the southwest. It is well below the legal minimum size (95 mm), which thus affords considerable protection to females and allows for sufficient reproduction to replenish the (population) stocks.

During this workshop the size at first maturity was also estimated using a maximum likelihood model with data from the maturity study. The size at which at least 50 percent female lobster would have mated at least once was estimated to be 90-95 mm CL.

Figure 2. Plots of proportion of female spiny lobsters with tarspot at various mid-size (CL) class intervals. Mid-size class at which 50 percent were found with tar spot is 92.5 mm and 40 percent is 82.5 mm

Available Data and Recent Developments

In addition to several years of catch data and annual length frequencies during the open season, Table 2 gives an indication of available lobster data. After 1998, the collection of maturity data was terminated. The Department was awaiting the results of the two studies in order to guide and develop a monitoring regime for spiny lobsters in Saint Lucia.

Recent developments include implementation of a limited entry system for the pot fishery for two consecutive fishing periods, followed by open access in 2002. However, although management policy discouraged new entrants into the fishery, lack of surveillance and enforcement negates the effectiveness of such a policy (see above).

Table 2. Summary of data collected on spiny lobsters, 1996-1998

Two surveys were conducted to obtain fisher's and purchaser's perceptions of the status of lobster fishery, the timing of the fishing period, management measures and awareness of these measures, product preference and preferred time of purchase. Preliminary analyses of the data have been conducted, however results of the survey have not been finalized.

Catch Rates

Data from the maturity study (Joseph, 2001) were used to give preliminary estimates of catch rates, since previously this could not be determined from information gathered from the landings due to the practice of stockpiling by fishers. Increased catch rates occurred at different times for the two sites under consideration. In the southwest an increase in catch rates at the end of the season (December-April) corresponded to an increase in the occurrence of juvenile lobsters. In contrast, increased catch rates observed for the southeast occurred at the beginning of the fishing period (August-December).

Joseph (2001) reports that greater effort was deployed in the southeast than the southwest and during the first three months of the fishing season, effort in the southeast was almost three times more than in the southwest. Trends in catches followed a similar pattern with high catches during the first three months of the fishing period and low catches thereafter. There was a general trend of increased effort immediately preceding and during the first three to four months of the fishing season (July-December) at both sites. This increased effort, however, did not necessarily result in increased catch. A decrease in catch and effort was also found during the second half of the fishing season. The mean catch (or catch rate) was considerable greater in the southwest (0.94 kg/trap) than the southeast (0.58 kg/trap). Annual variability in catch rates was observed and indicated higher catch rates from November to April of each year for the southwestern area compared to the southeastern area, where greater catch rates were observed from August to December.

Joseph (2001) identified the following issues that impact on the lobster fishery based on the current fisheries policies, knowledge of the fishery, fishing practices, current management action plan and the results of her study in an effort to rationalize the continued exploitation of the spiny lobster resource and ensure its sustainability. She advised that these issues are critical and must be adequately addressed for the sustainability of the spiny lobster fishery:

• High incidence of undersized P. argus in the landings means that fishers are not adhering to the minimum size regulation.

• A high proportion of lobsters captured is undersized, which indicates that the current mesh size is not large enough to allow for the escape of undersized lobsters. Also, if these undersized lobsters are retained in the traps as attractants then they would still be subjected to a higher level of mortality than would be normally expected in the wild, as a result of injury, starvation and predation.

• A high proportion of undersized lobsters is captured towards the end of the fishing season, which may indicate movement of new recruits into the fishing area.

• The practice of confinement of berried females in traps until they have spawned and the removal of eggs have serious implications for the future of the resource whether recruitment is local or regional.

• Lack of enforcement of the regulations at sea. Enforcement is a very difficult and expensive task, since most times fishing takes place in isolated areas and potential perpetrators would not be breaking the law in the presence of the enforcement team.

• Continued increased fishing pressure on the already overexploited inshore resources due to the increase in artisanal fishers. In the low period of fishing for offshore pelagic species many fishers resort to inshore resources to service their financial commitments due to the unavailability of alternative employment. A survey carried out in 1990 revealed that of the 92.5 percent full time fishers, 62.7 percent were not engaged in alternative employment as a result of lack of alternative employment opportunities (Tabor, 1990). In addition, a lack of occupational mobility of fishers was observed by Murray and d'Auvergne (1994) and Mc Goodwin (1989). If this were still true, then any increase in the fleet would, in effect, translate to an increase fishing pressure on the already over-exploited inshore resources.

• The current management plan proposed the development of a fishery for P. guttatus, imposing a minimum size limit and a closed season, but biological information on the population is critical to allow for its sensibly exploitation. The following questions need to be answered with some measure of certainty before one could rationalize the exploitation of this population: What is the standing crop and sustainable yield? What level of fishing can it support? The current mesh size excludes P. guttatus from the catch, will a new gear be introduced for this fishery or would the present gear be modified by decreasing the mesh size to allow for its capture?

• Lack of information on the current levels of effort employed or catch rates to determine optimum fishing levels. Fishers have complained that more traps are needed to sustain the level of catches. Therefore, at what level of effort are these catches being maintained?

• How to limit entry into a subcomponent of a non-selective gear fishery without limiting entry to the entire pot fishery causing socio-economic hardship to the already economically-marginalized coastal communities? Pot fishing has been a major component of the fishing industry, in addition to it being carried out all year round from small landing sites by fishers who cannot muster the capital to invest in other fisheries and experienced fishers who can no longer go offshore to fish. It also supplements the income of offshore pelagic fishers during the "low" season.

• An issue that has surfaced in recent times, as a result of conch harvesters from the north of the island expanding their operation to the south is that lobster fishers from the south have reported reduction in catches coinciding with the increased activity of the conch harvesters. The lightly exploited conch population in this area previously provided a refuge for juvenile lobsters. Therefore, is substrate the limiting factor? If this is the case then management could consider setting up puerulus collectors to enhance the population biomass.

• The beginning of the fishing season for lobsters does not coincide with the beginning of the pot fishing season, therefore fishers practice "stockpiling"of lobsters before the beginning of the lobster fishing season. This practice leads first, to excessive mortality and malnourishment and translates to loss of potential earnings by fishers. Second, it extends the actual fishing season by at least two months. So in reality there is a foreshortened closed season. In assessment of the resource, management will have to include this extension in order to obtain an accurate picture of the performance of the fishery. Incidence of illegal landings during this period has been noted but the extent and scale are unknown. Poaching has also evolved with this practice resulting in increased pot theft and loss of investment by fishers. Therefore fishers may be faced with a situation of having to make a choice between loss of investment and flaunting the law.

• Peak periods of spawning in the southeast were in February, and September to December, which is during the fishing season, therefore spawning individuals are not protected during this critical time in their life cycle and the effects of fishing on the population during this time. In the southwest, although breeding and spawning were year round, peak periods of spawning were found in January, and March to July. Therefore, peak periods of spawning span the end of the fishing season and the closed season. The current closed season therefore affords some level of protection to the spawning population. Changing the closed season to coincide with the pot-fishing season would not result in any further protection of the spawning stock than the current closed season. However, it may reduce pot theft, high mortality of adults and juveniles that occur during stock piling and protect new recruits into the fishery during the period of high incidence of juveniles at the fishing grounds.

• To effectively manage any fishery, and to assess the effectiveness of management measures, the collection of appropriate data is essential. However, although a data collection system was first implement in 1989, little, if any, reliable information has been collected on the lobster fishery prior to this three-year study, to assess its status and to determine the effectiveness of management measures. The need to devise, incorporate and sustain data collection on the lobster fishery is vital for the long-term management and for achieving sustainability of the resources.

• The size at first maturity estimated for the P. argus population in the southwest is 65 mm CL and that is below the minimum legal size, which is the ideal for management. However, from a fishery perspective, has the size limit been set too high above the size at first maturity? What is the ideal minimum size that would ensure adequate recruitment and allow fishers to economically exploit them? If the size limit is set too high then protection may be too great, resulting in unnecessary enforcement, reduction of catch and loss of earnings by fishers.

• Inadequate knowledge of existing habitats of spiny lobsters and migration patterns within the island's EEZ.

• Lack of scientific and economic information to rationalize and support implementation of difficult management strategies to ensure the sustainability of the fishery.

• Lack of information on circulation and currents patterns in the Caribbean with regards to the supply of larvae, their distribution and settlement is one of the major issues to be considered in management of this resource (Mahon, 1993) in order to guide the development and implementation of management strategies regionally or nationally.

Status of the National Spiny Lobster Resource

Caribbean spiny lobster populations are heavily exploited and increased exploitation has been observed over the past five years. Concerns in this regard have been expressed by both management and fishers, however efforts by management to curtail or keep the level of effort constant have not been successful due to both financial and technical resource limitations and failure of pot fishers to unanimously sustain the limited entry system. Local studies have given strong indications of issues that urgently need to be considered with regard to implementing key management measures. Given the socio-economic significance of the lobster fishery, the Government has to continue regulating the fishery.

Social and Economic Status and Importance of the Fisheries

Fishing, although still artisanal in nature, is an important social and economic activity in Saint Lucia and supplies fish for the increasing tourism industry, local consumption and more recently, the export market. The main fisheries of the island are large migratory pelagics (tunas, dolphin, wahoo, bill fishes and shark), small coastal pelagics (jacks and flying fish), molluscs (conch), demersal fish (snapper and other reef species) and crustaceans (spiny lobster).

Table 3 indicates a steady increase in overall landings during the eleven-year period (1991-2001); however, although there was an overall increase in lobster landings during the same period, landings increased by almost 100 percent in 1998 but decreased in 1999 and 2000, followed by an increase in 2001 (Fig. 3).

Table 3. Total landings by species group, Saint Lucia, 1991-2001 (tonnes)

Figure 3. Annual landings of spiny lobsters, 1991-2001

The majority of lobster landings occur during the first four months of the fishing period, therefore, the lobster fishery is economically significant to the livelihood of pot fishers of coastal communities, particularly during the low fishing period, since there is not much opportunity for alternative employment during this period.

Conclusions

Management of any fisheries is a dynamic and information-intensive undertaking in order to be effective and relevant to the current biological, economical, social and cultural environment.

To enable the effective management of the spiny lobster population in the waters of Saint Lucia the following recommendations proposed by Joseph (2001) are being considered:

• Implementation of a revised closed season, which extends from January to May and a fishing season from June to December.

• Carrying out additional research to determine the reasons for the difference in periods of reproductive activity between the southeast and southwest.

• Conducting further research in situ to determine and verify the size at first maturity using other indicators such as the presence of developed ovaries or the presence of ovigerous setae, because two significantly different values were obtained. It is critical that the accurate size at first maturity be determined for the effective management of the resource. If the accurate size at first maturity is 102 mm then the minimum size is set below the size at first maturity which could lead to recruitment overfishing. On the other hand, if the size at first maturity is 65 mm then it would be possible to consider decreasing the minimum size limit to say 80 mm (from 95 mm), which is still above the size at first maturity-the ideal case for the effective management of the resource.

• Continue to collect length frequency and tar spot data during the fishing season. During this workshop a reference point was developed as an indicator, at least in the short term, for managing the lobster resources. This reference point is: At least 40 percent of females within the 85-90 mm CL should be reproductive. If during monitoring this value falls below 40 percent then it becomes critical for management to implement stock recovery measures.

• Implementation of a mechanism for limiting entry to the near shore fisheries resources, because of the non-selective nature of traps and the multi-species nature of the near shore fisheries and by extension the potential for over exploitation. Reducing effort on the spiny lobster resources can only be addressed within management of the entire near shore fishery. A possible mechanism could be licensing the existing fleet and immediately imposing a moratorium on new entrants into this fishery, then gradually reducing the number of license holders. However, the most acceptable method for restricting the number of users would be determined through consultation with fishers. In addition, conditions should stipulate a limit on the number of traps, and specifications for type of traps allowed, since limiting the number of entrants into this fishery would not necessarily limit the fishing pressure. Restrictions on fishing in the near shore area on the southeast coast since findings of the study confirmed that it is a nursery habitat for juvenile spiny lobsters.

• Implementing measures to reduce the retention of undersized lobster in the catch such as: modification of the design and size of the escape gap or vent that would retain other economically valuable species, but not undersized lobsters; increasing the mesh size of traps. It is critical that serious consideration be given to this issue in the short term since current practices of fishing communities do not decrease the fishing mortality on spiny lobsters below the legal size limit. In addition, implementing awareness programmes informing both the public and the fishers of the benefits of adhering to the minimum size regulations.

• Economic and fiscal incentives which would encourage fishing cooperatives and potential fishers to invest in semi-industrial vessels which would exploit off shore resources.. These vessels from the onset would be restricted from harvesting the near shore resources. In addition, disincentives should be implemented to discourage new entrants exploiting the near shore resource. (With the Government's current policy for the fishing sector, a continued increase in the number of artisanal vessels should be expected.)

• Improvement of the data collection system to incorporate adequate data collection on the spiny lobster fishery to allow for detailed, and continued assessment and monitoring of the resource.

• Conducting further assessment of the fishery to determine exploitation levels, fishing mortality and age of the exploited population to refine management options so as to ensure the long-term sustainability of the fishery.

  Revision of the management plan to integrate the management of the entire near shore resources as a single entity, rather than management of the near shore resources on a species by species basis. This is in keeping with the fact that most of the resources are exploited with the same gear and are considered over-exploited.

Regional Recommendation

• The Caribbean region should continue to adopt a collaborative approach to management of the lobster resources due to the long planktonic life of spiny lobster larvae and the close proximity of the islands significant interchange of larvae between them that may occur. Therefore, all countries that exploit this resource should be included at regional forums such as this.

• FAO and CFRAMP continue to collaborate in assisting countries to effectively manage spiny lobster resources of CARIFORUM countries.

References

Aiken, K.A. 1977. Jamaica spiny lobster investigations. Symposium on progress in marine research in the Caribbean and adjacent regions II, July, 1976, FAO Fishery Report. 200. 11-22.

Aiken, D.E. & Waddy, S.L. 1980. Reproductive Biology. pp. 215-276 In: J.S. Cobb and B.F. Phillips (eds), The Biology and Management of Lobsters, Vol. I: Physiology and Behaviour. Academic Press, New York.

Anon. 1996a. Maturity Study for Spiny Lobsters in Saint Lucia: Project proposal and Implementation Plan. CARICOM Fisheries Resource Assessment and Management Unit. Belize City.

Anon. 1996b. Logical Framework Approach. NORAD, 42 p.

Chittleborough, R.G. 1974. Western rock lobster reared to maturity. Australian Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research. 27: 499-519.

Cushing, D. 1979. Fisheries Resources of the Sea and their Management. Oxford University Press. Oxford. 87 p.

Department of Fisheries. 1999. Report on the implementation of pot fishery licence in St. Lucia. (Unpublished)

FAO. 1968. Report to the Government of Belize on investigations into marine fishery management, research, and development policy for spiny lobster fisheries. Based on the work of W. H. L. Allsopp. FAO Development Programme Technical Assistant Report 2481. 95 p.

Feliciano, C. 1958. The lobster fishery of Puerto Rico. Proceedings of the Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute 10: 147-156.

Gregory, D.R.; Labisky, F. & Combs, C.L. 1982. Reproductive Dynamics of the Lobster Panulirus argus in South Florida Transactions of the American Fisheries Society. 111: 575.

Joseph, W.B. 1990. Assessment of the status of the Caribbean spiny lobster (Panulirus argus, Latrielle, 1804) fishery in St. Lucia and proposals for sustainable management. a Dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Masters of Science in Fisheries Science in the University of Hull.

Joseph, W.B. 2001. Saint Lucia country report. FAO Fisheries Report No. 619: 255-257.

Kanciruk, P. & Herrnkind, W.F. 1976. Autumnal reproduction in Panulirus argus at Bimini, Bahamas. Bulletin of Marine Science, 26: 417-432.

Luckhurst, B. & Auil-Marshalleck, 1995. Subproject Initiation Mission report and Background Review for Spiny Lobster and Conch. CFRAMP Research Document No. 17. 54 p.

MacDonald, C.D. 1982. Catch Composition and reproduction of the spiny lobster Panulirus versicolor at Palau. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society. 111. 694-9.

Mahon, R. 1990. Fishery Management Options for Lesser Antilles Countries. FAO Fisheries Technical Paper No. 313. FAO. Rome.126 p.

Mahon, R. 1993. 1993. Marine Fishery Resources of the Antilles: Lesser Antilles, Puerto Rico and Hispanola, Jamaica, Cuba. FAO Fisheries Technical Paper. No. 326, FAO. Rome. 235 p.

McGoodwin, J.R. 1984. Study on the socioeconomic and cultural aspects of the fishing industry in St. Lucia. FAO Project Report GCP/STL/004/NOR. 118 p.

Munro, J.L. 1974. The biology, ecology, exploitation, and management of the reef fishes. Part V. 1 Scientific Report of the ODA/UWI Fisheries Ecology Research Project. 1969 1973. University of the West Indies. Zoology Department Research Report: 3. 1-57.

Murray, P.A. and d'Auvergne, C. 1994. The Fisheries of St. Lucia: some socio-economic considerations. Proceedings of the Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute 43. 216-219.

Peacock, N.A. 1974. A Study of the Spiny lobster Fishery of Antigua and Barbuda. Proceedings of the Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute 26: 117-130.

Tabor. C. 1990. The Bioeconomic Effects of Low Catches of Pelagic Fishes in 1989 in Grenada, St. Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. FAO Project Report (FAO: TCP/RLA/8963) FAO. Barbados.

Walters, H.D.; Murray, P.A. & Pierre, W. 1990. Preliminary Study on the Economic and Social Aspects of Small-Scale Fisheries in Saint Lucia. Prepared for Session of WECAFC Committee for the Development and Management of Fisheries in the Lesser Antilles. WECAFC/LA/90/3/C. St. Vincent.

SAINT LUCIA - FISHERIES MANAGEMENT DECISION MAKING MECHANISM

The numbers 1, 2 and 3 represent the paths of various decisions. For example, certain decisions are made by the Chief Fisheries Officer (CFO), whilst other decisions with national implications must be made by the Cabinet of Ministers.