Assessing potential protection effects on commercial fish species in a Cuban MPA

Abstract

Cuba has been leading marine protected area (MPA) designation in the Caribbean region to ensure conservation of its valuable marine ecosystems. Yet, an efficient monitoring program for MPAs is still to be implemented and will benefit from pre-existing information. The highly regulated MPA of Punta Francés National Park is one of the first Cuban MPAs and was established mainly to protect species and ecosystems for tourism purposes. Monitoring of protection effects on commercial fish species was lacking in this MPA. This study aimed at increasing local scientific knowledge by providing a baseline study about the most commercially fished families (Haemulidae, Lutjanidae and Serranidae) around Punta Francés MPA. Data collected represent only a limited period but can be used as a base point to support future monitoring. Fish abundance in number and biomass, and size were collected to test for differences between inside and adjacent areas outside the Punta Francés MPA, in different coral reef types. The main result of this study was the significantly larger size and biomass of snappers and groupers outside the MPA where intense fisheries occur. An observation consistent with a large spawning aggregation was also recorded outside the MPA. Even with a limited set of data, these results suggest that, at least temporarily, the most targeted species [and sizes] are still highly vulnerable to fisheries. Relevant habitats in the adjacent area, that are apparently missing within the MPA, may support some of the results found. Extending the limits of the Punta Francés MPA to include those habitats outside may be critical to ensure the effectiveness of this MPA in contributing to protect the most commercial species of the region. This should be done together with efficient fisheries management measures in the region, such as the significantly increase of minimum legal sizes and temporal closures during spawning migrations.