FishTraps&CoralDamage

Fri Jul 20 20:33:42 EDT 2001

******************************************
*        R E E F  D I S P A T C H        *
*             JULY 27, 2001              *
* _____________________________________  *
* SHOULD FISH TRAPS BE ALLOWED TO KEEP   *
* CRUNCHING UP AMERICAN CORAL REEFS?     *
******************************************

A Monthly Inside Look at a Coral Reef Issue from
Alexander Stone, ReefKeeper International Director
__________________________________________________

Dear ReefDispatch Reader:

Over 40,000 fish traps are putting American coral reefs off West
Florida, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin islands at daily risk of
serious damage.  At two meetings set for mid-August and mid-September,
federal regulators will evaluate ReefKeeper proposals to reduce the risk
of fish trap damage to American coral reefs.  But it's going to be a
very uphill battle to overcome fish trapper influence on these
regulatory agencies and get the right thing done.  Maybe, if you  stand
up for reefs along with us,  together we can make the difference. Read
on to see.

DO FISH TRAPS DAMAGE CORAL?
Fish traps are 2-foot-by-4-foot wire mesh cages used to catch snappers,
groupers and other edible reef fish. (They also have a totally
unacceptable 66% bycatch of tropicals, but I'll leave that horror story
for a future ReefDispatch). To catch reef fish, fish traps need to be
set near coral reef habitat. That's logical.  What's NOT logical is that
a large proportion of those traps are slamming down on coral!  That
needs to stop. But federal regulators are downplaying the damage and
resisting our request to prohibit the setting of fish traps on coral.  I
don't understand that.  You see what you think.

Two recent scientific studies prove that over 40% of fish traps set in
U.S. coral reef areas off Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands land
directly on coral (Appeldoorn et. al.  2000, Quandt 1999). Based on
government estimates of 20,000 fish traps in use in the U.S. Caribbean,
that works out to more than EIGHT THOUSAND traps smashing up coral off
Puerto Rico and the USVI every day.  But a May 2001 "scoping report" by
the U.S. Caribbean Fishery Management Council summarizes those findings
by simply stating that "most traps in the studies were not placed on
coral reefs."  With no more details or numbers given. If that's not
putting a spin on an issue, what is?

The 2 scientific studies also found that large amounts of coral are
being damaged by fish traps. One study gauged damage at 10 square
centimeters PER WEEK for every trap on coral (Quandt 1999).  The other
study calculated weekly damage per trap at 70 square centimeters of
"complete removal of coral tissue" (Appeldoorn 2000).  Average those
numbers and multiply by 8,000 traps per week landing on coral and the
result is 160,000 square meters (40 acres) of coral damaged (destroyed,
really) each and every year! Not counting more damage from hauling up
the traps. Or infection and death of the damaged coral colonies. But the
federal spin doctors are downplaying that, too.

WHAT IS BEING DONE TO STOP FISH TRAP CORAL DAMAGE?
Regulators go ballistic if a boat anchor damages one single coral
colony.  But the May 2001 preliminary Amendment to the U.S. Caribbean
Reef Fish Management Plan discounts the ANNUAL destruction by traps of
the equivalent of 40 acres of coral as "little direct impact."  I don't
see how that can be. I very much doubt that you do either.  But you can
see what a tough fight we have on our hands (off West Florida, also) to
put a stop to this wanton destruction of American coral.

ReefKeeper has petitioned the responsible federal agencies to adopt 3
very simple measures.  Prohibit setting of fish traps directly on
coral.  Require 100-foot buffer zones between coral reefs and traps. 
Limit trap strings to 2 traps to prevent most hauling damage.  (And off
West Florida, implement an electronic Vessel Monitoring System to track
where  fish trap boats go -- something which was given "final" agency
approval 18 months ago.)

We've documented the need for these measures. We've testified at
meetings.  We've argued the issue one-on-one with agency
representatives.  And now, after 2 years of campaigning, our requests
are up for decision at meetings in mid-August and mid-September.  I'll
be at those meetings to speak up for our coral reefs.  You can speak up
too, via a letter or a petition.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?
If you don't think fish traps should continue crunching American coral
reefs, let the federal regulators know.

If you can make the time, write and fax or mail your own individual
letter to the agencies listed below (they don't accept email public
comment).

If that's not possible, sign onto a petition at
http://www.reefkeeper.org/REEFALERTS/RA-FTrapUSC/PetitionFTrapUSC.html.

But please try to do something before August 14th.  Your help could make
a crucial difference.

Thanks a lot,

Alexander Stone
Director
REEFKEEPER INTERNATIONAL
Protecting Coral Reefs and Their Marine Life
**********************************************
visit our website at http://www.reefkeeper.org
**********************************************

REFERENCES CITED
Appeldoorn R. S., M. Nemeth, J. Vasslides, M. Scharer. February 2000. 
The effect of Fish Traps on Benthic Habitats off La Parguera, Puerto
Rico.  Department of Marine Science, University of Puerto Rico,
Mayaguez, PR  00681. 29 pages.

Quandt, A. 1999.  Assessment of fish trap damage on coral reefs around
St. Thomas, USVI.  University of the Virgin Islands, St. Thomas USVI. 
14 pages.

FEDERAL AGENCIES TO CONTACT
Caribbean Fishery Management Council
268 Munoz-Rivera Ave # 1108, San Juan PR 00918
Attn: Miguel Rolon, Exec. Director
FAX (787)766-6239

Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council
3018 U.S. Hwy 301 North # 1000, Tampa, FL  33619
Attn: Wayne Swingle, Exec. Director
FAX (813) 225-7015

National Marine Fisheries Service
9721 Exec Center Dr North, St. Petersburg FL 33702
Attn: Dr. Joseph Powers, SE Region Administrator
FAX (727) 570-5583
***********************************************

PLEASE HELP COVER THE COSTS OF OUR END TO FISH TRAPS CAMPAIGN
http://www.reefkeeper.org/REEFALERTS/RA-FTrapUSC/DonateFTrapUSC.html

FOR MORE INFO ON FISH TRAPS, GO TO
http://www.reefkeeper.org/Campaigns/FishTraps/FtrapsUSC.html
and
http://www.reefkeeper.org/Campaigns/FishTraps/ftrapsGOM.html

____________________________________________

TO RECEIVE REEFDISPATCH DIRECTLY EACH MONTH
(OR TO UNSUBSCRIBE), GO TO
http://www.reefkeeper.org/ReefDispatch.html
____________________________________________
~~~~~~~
For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the
digests, please visit www.coral.noaa.gov, click on Popular on the
menu bar, then click on Coral-List Listserver.