CFMC
UPDATES
FEBRUARY 2025
The Caribbean Fishery Management Council (CFMC) newsletter contains activity announcements, facts on various marine species, and valuable information on fishing and the regulations that govern this activity in federal waters around Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
A FEW WORDS ABOUT GROUPERS Groupers along with snappers are among the most requested fish in local fish markets and restaurants in the Caribbean. To achieve a sustainable grouper fishery and protect their spawning aggregations, seasonal closures prohibit fishing during the peak of their reproductive season. For groupers whose numbers have been significantly reduced, fishing is permanently prohibited, as is the case of Goliath grouper (Epinephelus itajara) and Nassau grouper (Epinephelus striatus). According to the publication "A Glimpse into the World of Fishermen in Puerto Rico”, “during the years 1950 to 1980, the Nassau grouper was the main species landed in pounds and number of individuals in Puerto Rico. This grouper was, in 1970, the fourth species with the highest volume of landings, and nearly fifteen years later, in 1986, it was considered commercially extinct, since its catches were a minimal fraction of the total
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