Monitoring the Saba Bank Fishery

F. Dilrosun
October 2000

 

Executive summary

From April 23, 1999 to May 30, 2000 a comprehensive survey was undertaken of the fishery of the Saba Bank. This catch assessment and monitoring program was initiated by the Environmental Division of the Department of Public Health and Environment of the Government of the Netherlands Antilles in Willemstad to determine the degree of exploitation of the fisheries resources of the Saba Bank. The objective of the program was to collect fishery dependent data on the different target species of the Saba Bank.
The survey found that the Saba Bank fishermen engage in two types of fisheries: a spiny lobster (Panulirus argus) fishery, and a snapper fishery targeting mainly: silk snapper (Lutjanus vivanus) and blackfin snapper (Lutjanus buccanella). The main fishery activity on the Saba Bank was the lobster fishery; snappers were targeted less frequently.

The total lobster catch per year amounted to about 90 tons and the total red snapper catch came to 12 tons per year. During the study it became clear that a high percentage of lobsters landed were under the legal size limit and a substantial percentage of berried lobsters were landed. Furthermore a considerable number of traps were lost, due to ship traffic and hurricanes. None of these traps were fitted with a biodegradable panel, so the lost traps may be extremely damaging to the ecology and consequently the fish stock of the Saba Bank.

Snapper catches were considered fairly good, although the targeted specimens were relatively small in size.

About 50 fishermen were active in the fishery and the Saba Bank fishery sector generated a gross economical value of 2 million Guilders (1.1 million US$) over 1999.
As result of the program the following regulations are now being strictly enforced:

As average length of the main snapper species of the Saba Bank is relatively small, it is recommended not to increase the total fishing effort for snappers, until more data are available.

Despite the fact that catches and average lengths of the lobsters seem to be good, the maximum sustainable yield calculations available in literature dealing with the Saba Bank, although admittedly very rough, seem to indicate that the present day fishing effort may be close to the limit of sustainable levels of exploitation. Until further research is completed and maximum sustainable yield can be calculated no further fishing permits should be issued.

It is urgently recommended that either the Central or Saba Island Government appoint a body to follow up on this study and collect the necessary fishery dependent data.

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