Abstract:
When conducting fishery assessments of demersal species it is essential to have habitat information that relates to the associated fishing grounds. Over the last decade there have been a number of research projects that addressed this issue for coastal areas around Anguilla. Until recently however, no habitat data existed for deeper offshore fishing areas, with such information crucial for the future management of demersal fisheries in these regions. A methodology was tested using an underwater video array around Sombrero Island in September 2015, which yielded the first offshore fishing ground data collected in Anguilla. The results of this study were used to modify the video array design so that it may better suit underwater habitats of variable complexity. The current work built on this, using a modified underwater array to conduct habitat video transects on the inner Anguilla Bank and in the area north of the Seal Island reef system. These areas are known to be historical fishing grounds. Results from this work confirmed the viability of the new video array design, and suggested that it could also be used to survey demersal fish population during habitat transects with only minor further modifications. The results also confirmed that these historical fishing grounds are in a poor state of health with high plant/algae cover, low coral cover, and a paucity of other invertebrate species groups. Indirect data collected while surveying further suggests that fish populations are low in the areas surveyed. This likely explains why although fishing occurred in these areas historically, today most activities, aside from fishing for Spotted Spiny Lobster (Panulirus guttatus) via fish-traps, have moved to more distant regions offshore. Prior to this study, it was suspected that these areas were in a poor state of health because, aside from the migration of fishing activities, decreases in habitat health have recently been confirmed in all coastal areas surveyed to date. It is hoped that the results presented here will be used as a foundation over subsequent years to build a complete picture of habitat health over all Anguilla’s offshore demersal fishing grounds. A current priority for the continuance of this work is the outer Anguilla Bank, an area known locally as Old England frequently visited by local fishers, and a full assessment of the Caribbean Spiny Lobster (Panulirus argus) fishery in all suitable offshore areas. The proposed future assessments, together with subsequent informed managerial decisions, are essential if Anguilla is to maintain these important demersal fisheries sustainably for use by future generations.
