Trap-induced mortality of the spiny lobster, Panulirus argus, in Florida, USA

2001 ◽  
Vol 52 (8) ◽  
pp. 1509 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas R. Matthews
Keyword(s):  
Spiny Lobster ◽  
Panulirus Argus ◽  
Commercial Fishing ◽  
Fishing Mortality ◽  
Fishing Season ◽  
Fishing Vessels ◽  
Spiny Lobsters ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Lobster Fishery

In Florida’s lobster fishery, sublegal-sized spiny lobsters, Panulirus argus, are commonly placed in traps to attract legal-sized lobsters. Many died from exposure to air during transport before the use of live wells and still die because of confinement in traps. Much of this mortality is not apparent during normal trap-fishing operations, and the magnitude of the unobserved mortality remains the subject of controversy between fishermen and fishery managers. After fishermen began using live wells in the 1987–88 fishing season, the harvest of legalsized lobsters increased. Initially, the increase was smaller than predicted, apparently because the average number of traps in the fishery increased from 576 000 during the 1977–78 to 1986–87 fishing seasons to 854 000 during the 1987–88 to 1992–93 seasons. High numbers of traps in the fishery have been implicated as contributing to increased mortality of sublegal-sized lobsters. When the average number of traps was reduced to 605 000, after the 1993–94 season, the harvest predictions attributed to live-well use were largely achieved. Observations on commercial fishing vessels were used to reevaluate previous harvest predictions and develop additional coefficients for fishing mortality related to exposure and confinement in traps.

Movements of the Spiny Lobster Panulirus argus in South Florida

1986 ◽  
Vol 43 (11) ◽  
pp. 2228-2234 ◽  
Author(s):  
Douglas R. Gregory Jr. ◽  
Ronald F. Labisky
Keyword(s):  
Spiny Lobster ◽  
Patch Reef ◽  
Florida Keys ◽  
South Florida ◽  
Panulirus Argus ◽  
Commercial Fishing ◽  
Dispersal Patterns ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
Deep Reef ◽  
Spiny Lobsters

Long-distance movements of the spiny lobster Panulirus argus were studied in two Gulf of Mexico habitats (Shallows, Mid-depth) and three Atlantic Ocean habitats (Shallows, Patch Reef, and Deep Reef) in the lower Florida Keys during the mid-1970's. Of 6062 spiny lobsters tagged and released at the five sites between June 1975 and August 1976, 465 of the 771 (13%) lobsters recovered yielded usable movement data. Eighty percent of the tags were recovered within the first 3 mo of the 8 mo commercial fishing season (July 26 – March 31). Directions and rates of movements differed significantly (P < 0.05) among sites. Movements from Gulf sites were generally oriented to the west and southwest, toward the Atlantic offshore reefs, at mean displacement velocities of 0.57 km/d (Mid-depth) and 0.24 km/d (Shallows). Movements of lobsters from the Atlantic sites were principally eastward and westward, parallel to the reef line and island chain, at mean displacement velocities of 0.02 km/d (Deep Reef) and 0.05 km/d (Shallows, Patch Reef). The more directed movements of spiny lobsters from Gulf sites may reflect a migration from nursery grounds to the Atlantic reefs, which not only constitute the primary spawning habitat but also exhibit a more stable winter environment than the shallow Gulf. Movements of spiny lobsters within Atlantic waters reflect localized random onshore–offshore dispersal patterns typical within reef environments.

Reproductive potential and stock recruitment of the Caribbean and Brazilian metapopulations of the spiny lobster, Panulirus argus (Latreille, 1804)

Crustaceana ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 87 (11-12) ◽  
pp. 1315-1337 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raúl Cruz ◽  
Katia C. A. Silva ◽  
João V. M. Santana ◽  
Juliana C. Gaeta ◽  
Israel H. A. Cintra
Keyword(s):  
Spiny Lobster ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Reproductive Potential ◽  
Total Surface Area ◽  
Panulirus Argus ◽  
Brazilian Coast ◽  
Commercial Fishing ◽  
Spiny Lobsters ◽  
Stock Recruitment ◽  
Northern Brazil

The spiny lobsterPanulirus argus(Latreille, 1804) is the most important commercial fishing resource in the western central Atlantic and Brazil. Field studies covering the waters off southwestern Cuba and northern Brazil have improved our understanding of the variations in the reproductive potential (number of eggs), stock recruitment and reproductive efficiency of spiny lobsters according to location, depth and size class. Using the spawner-recruitment model, the reproductive potential index was correlated with the index of subsequent recruitment based on field sampling. Spiny lobster habitats in deeper waters need special attention in order to protect the species from overfishing of the recruitment. Considering the longevity and absence of reproductive senility in spiny lobsters, management strategies should ideally include the creation of spawner sanctuaries (marine protected areas) capable of restoring and maintaining the biomass of the spawning stock and the establishment of a maximum catch size of 135 mm (CL) for both sexes along the entire Brazilian coast. Based on our findings, we propose to establish spiny lobster sanctuaries (50-100 m) on the continental shelf off northern Brazil, from Amapá (5°25′N 51°0′W) to the western reaches of the coast of Pará (1°11′N 46°27′W, 0°42′N 46°45′W), covering a total surface area of 64 230 km2.

Current status of the spiny lobster, Panulirus argus, fishery in the Los Roques Archipelago National Park, Venezuela

2001 ◽  
Vol 52 (8) ◽  
pp. 1615
Author(s):  
Mario Yallonardo ◽  
Mario Yallonardo ◽  
Juan M. Posada ◽  
Juan M. Posada ◽  
Daniella M. Schweizer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Size Distribution ◽  
National Park ◽  
Spiny Lobster ◽  
Panulirus Argus ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Total Catch ◽  
Catch Per Unit Effort ◽  
Fishing Season ◽  
Unit Effort ◽  
Lobster Fishery

Los Roques Archipelago National Park traditionally accounts for 95% of the total Venezuelan catch of Panulirus argus. Lobsters are caught in traps and by skin divers, during a 6-month fishing season (1 November to 31 April). The current status of the fishery was evaluated through a comparison of the 1998–99 lobster fishing season with previous studies. Thirty trap licences and 41 skin-diving authorizations were granted in 1998–99. Catch per unit effort was estimated as 2.31 kg/trap/month and 155.66 kg/diver/month, values similar to those from the 1983–1985 and 1986–1988 seasons. Total catch for the 1998–99 season was estimated as 139.31 tonnes (67.1% from traps), 47.78% higher than official reports. Estimated total catch, however, decreased by 40% from previous scientific evaluations. This decline has been attributed to a reduction in numbers of both trap licences and active traps. Size distribution of the 665 lobsters examined was not statistically different from that found in previous studies. The similarities in catch per unit effort and size distribution between the fishing seasons 1983–1985, 1986–1988, and the present study reflect a relatively stable fishery. The spiny-lobster fishery remains the main source of income of the fishers in the archipelago.

Age and growth of the commercial spiny lobsters Panulirus argus (Latreille, 1804) and Panulirus laevicauda (Latreille, 1817) (Decapoda, Palinuridae) in Northeast Brazil: a review

Crustaceana ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 92 (7) ◽  
pp. 767-788
Author(s):  
Ivo S. Orellana Salazar ◽  
Raúl Cruz
Keyword(s):  
Input Data ◽  
Growth Parameters ◽  
Spiny Lobster ◽  
Growth Function ◽  
Age And Growth ◽  
Panulirus Argus ◽  
Northeast Brazil ◽  
Von Bertalanffy ◽  
Spiny Lobsters ◽  
The Subject

Abstract The two spiny lobster fisheries targeting Panulirus argus (Latreille, 1804) and Panulirus laevicauda (Latreille, 1817) have made an important marine resource in Northeast Brazil since 1955. The Von Bertalanffy age and growth parameters of the spiny lobster started being studied in 1960 and the last assessment was performed over 20 years ago. The objective of this review is to analyse the type of input data and the methods historically used to assess age and growth of the spiny lobster stock in Northeast Brazil. Our study reviews and updates the research on the subject and proposes relative values for the Von Bertalanffy growth parameters for P. argus and P. laevicauda as provisional reference. We recommend further age and growth research on spiny lobsters to create a new and updated growth function for commercial lobsters in Northeast Brazil.

Fecundity dynamics of female spiny lobster (Panulirus argus) in a south Florida fishery and Dry Tortugas National Park lobster sanctuary

2001 ◽  
Vol 52 (8) ◽  
pp. 1559 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rodney D. Bertelsen ◽  
Thomas R. Matthews
Keyword(s):  
National Park ◽  
Egg Production ◽  
Size Structure ◽  
Spiny Lobster ◽  
South Florida ◽  
Reproductive Season ◽  
Panulirus Argus ◽  
Chronological Age ◽  
Dry Tortugas ◽  
Spiny Lobsters

Using diver surveys, we compared the size structure, fecundity, and reproductive season of spiny lobsters (Panulirus argus) in the Dry Tortugas National Park lobster sanctuary with those of spiny lobsters in the south Florida fishery. The number of lobsters of both sexes larger than the legal size limit declined sharply in the fishery but not in the sanctuary. Clutch sizes were larger in the Dry Tortugas sanctuary, averaging 0.8 million, than in the fishery, averaging 0.3 million. The reproductive season was shorter and more intense in the sanctuary than in the fishery. In addition, lobsters in the sanctuary begin producing eggs at a larger size and produce more eggs per gram of body mass than lobsters in the fishery. Peak egg production occurs earlier in larger lobsters than in small ones. Establishing a fundamental reason for the differences between lobster reproduction in the sanctuary and that in the fishery is not possible until the chronological age of lobsters can be determined, but one hypothesis consistent with these differences is that, if lobsters reproduce at a certain chronological age, then sublethal fishery practices may account for slower growth for some lobsters resulting in some smaller but older reproductively active lobsters.

scholarly journals ASPEK BIOLOGI DAN MUSIM PENANGKAPAN LOBSTER (Panulirus spp) DI PERAIRAN KUPANG NUSA TENGGARA TIMUR

2018 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 167
Author(s):  
Setiya Triharyuni ◽  
Ngurah N Wiadnyana
Keyword(s):  
Sex Ratio ◽  
Rainy Season ◽  
Spiny Lobster ◽  
Foreign Market ◽  
Market Demand ◽  
Total Catch ◽  
Fishing Season ◽  
Catch Data ◽  
Lobster Fishery ◽  
First Maturity

Lobster merupakan komoditas perikanan andalan yang banyak dieksploitasi di perairan Kupang untuk memenuhi permintaan pasar dalam dan luar negeri. Hal ini menyebabkan kegiatan penangkapan lobster berlangsung sangat intensif. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis aspek biologi dan musim penangkapan lobster. Data dan informasi yang dikumpulkan meliputi ukuran panjang karapas dan berat serta jenis kelamin tiap-tiap jenis lobster yang tertangkap serta hasil tangkapan dan upaya yang dilakukan secara bulanan. Data tangkapan lobster yang dianalisis dicatat selama periode Oktober 2015 - Desember 2016. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa  terdapat empat jenis lobster dari kelompok Palinuridae, yaitu lobster bambu (P. versicolor), lobster batu (P. penicillatus), lobster pasir (P. homarus) dan lobster mutiara (Panulirus ornatus). Berdasarkan jumlah individu, tangkapan lobster bambu mendominasi yaitu sekitar 60 % dari tangkapan total. Secara umum ukuran dari semua jenis lobster sesuai dengan ketentuan yang diatur dalam peraturan perundang undangan. Nisbah kelamin yang seimbang dan ukuran rata-rata pertama kali tertangkap lebih besar dari setengah panjang infinitif dan panjang pertama matang gonad menunjukkan bahwa sumber daya lobster masih layak untuk dieksploitasi. Musim penangkapan losbter di wilayah Kupang ini secara umum terjadi pada periode musim penghujan yang mulai dari September sampai Februari. Pembinaan kepada nelayan perlu ditingkatkan agar nelayan tetap patuh pada peraturan perundangan yang berlaku, bahkan dapat diikuti dengan nelayan di wilayah lainnya. Lobster fishery commodity in Kupang. Many lobsters are exploited in these waters to meet domestic and foreign market demand. This led to lobster fishing activities very intensive. The research on lobster resources was conducted to analyze the biology aspect and lobster fishing season. Data included, length of the carapace, individual weight, sex of lobsters and the monthly catches and efforts. The lobster catch data analyzed were recorded during the period of October 2015 - December 2016. The results show that there were four species of lobster from the Palinuridae group,i.e:the ornate spiny lobster (Panulirus ornatus), pronghorn spiny lobster (P. penicillatus), scalloped spiny lobster (P. homarus) and painted spiny lobster (P. versicolor). The catch was dominated by P. versicolor with 60% of the total catch. Generally the size of all lobster species with the regulation concerning the lobster fishing. The balance of sex ratio and the size of Lc of more than 0,5 of Land more than length at first maturity indicates that the lobster resource in Kupang and surrounding waters  is still exploited. The losbter fishing season is generally in the rainy season period from September to february. The increase of guidance to fishermen is needed to keep the fishermen the law and regulations, even can be followed by fishermen in other areas.

The sensory basis of feeding behaviour in the Caribbean spiny lobster, Panulirus argus

2001 ◽  
Vol 52 (8) ◽  
pp. 1339 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles D. Derby ◽  
Pascal Steullet ◽  
Amy J. Horner ◽  
Holly S. Cate
Keyword(s):  
Feeding Behaviour ◽  
Spiny Lobster ◽  
Panulirus Argus ◽  
Natural Food ◽  
Response Patterns ◽  
Variable Environments ◽  
Spiny Lobsters ◽  
The Caribbean ◽  
Chemosensory Pathways ◽  
Chemosensory Systems

A complex nervous system enables spiny lobsters to have a rich behavioural repertoire. The present paper discusses the ways in which the sensory systems of the Caribbean spiny lobster, Panulirus argus, particularly its chemosensory systems, are involved in feeding behaviour. It addresses the neural mechanisms of three aspects of their food-finding ability: detection, identification, and discrimination of natural food odours; the effect of learning on responses to food odours; the mechanisms by which spiny lobsters orient to odours from a distance under natural flow conditions. It demonstrates that the olfactory organ of spiny lobsters might use acrossneuron response patterns in discriminating odour quality; that the hedonic value of food can be modified by experience, including associative and nonassociative conditioning; that spiny lobsters can readily orient to distant odour sources; and that both chemo- and mechanosensory antennular input are important in this behaviour. Either aesthetasc or nonaesthetasc chemosensory pathways can be used in identifying odour quality, mediating learned behaviours, and permitting orientation to the source of distant odours. Studying the neuroethology of feeding behaviour helps us understand how spiny lobsters are adapted to living in complex and variable environments.

Settlement of Spiny Lobster, Panulirus argus, Pueruli in South Florida: An Evaluation from Two Perspectives

1986 ◽  
Vol 43 (11) ◽  
pp. 2221-2227 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. M. Marx
Keyword(s):  
Shallow Water ◽  
Carapace Length ◽  
Spiny Lobster ◽  
Red Alga ◽  
South Florida ◽  
Panulirus Argus ◽  
Seasonal Trends ◽  
Lobster Fishery ◽  
Mangrove Roots

Settlement of spiny lobster, Panulirus argus, pueruli occurs year-round in south Florida, but seasonal trends are not consistent. Recruitment peaks are common in spring but sometimes occur in other seasons. Postsettlement dynamics of seasonal settlement classes must be determined to establish a relationship between puerulus abundance and subsequent fishery yield. Pueruli settle in various shallow-water habitats, including masses of the red alga Laurencia, algal-covered mangrove roots, and colonies of the bryozoan, Bugula. Settlement habitats of 0.04–2 ha can produce 1906–3913 juveniles (20 mm carapace length) annually. Management must protect these critical habitats to assure productivity of the spiny lobster fishery.

scholarly journals Spiny lobster fisheries status across time and a mosaic of spatial management regimes

2020 ◽  
Vol 77 (3) ◽  
pp. 1002-1016
Author(s):  
Alexander Tewfik ◽  
Elizabeth A Babcock ◽  
Myles Phillips
Keyword(s):  
Spiny Lobster ◽  
Maximum Size ◽  
Fishing Mortality ◽  
Population Status ◽  
Empirical Estimate ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Commercial Harvest ◽  
Spatial Management ◽  
Spiny Lobsters

Abstract In Belize, the commercial harvest of spiny lobsters has occurred for ∼100 years, provides critical livelihoods, and is the primary seafood export. We determined the first empirical estimate of size at maturity in Belize as well as eight fishery status indicators on several fishing grounds. The carapace lengths (CLs) at 50% maturity varied between males (98 mm) and females (86 mm) and are higher than the existing legal minimum of 76 mm. Time series analysis indicated decreasing proportions of mature individuals, decreasing size, and low spawning potential ratios (SPR) as well as high fishing mortality within fishing grounds. The pattern of decline in population status indicators across fishing grounds is consistent with a historical expansion of effort from north to south and offshore. Many indicators of population status within fishing grounds were improved with increasing area of replenishment zone and opposite to the historical expansion. However, overfishing is a problem across all areas examined. An increase in the legal minimum CL to 86 mm and examination of a maximum size limit will likely have significant positive effects on productivity and SPR, respectively, as well as protecting the pivotal role of spiny lobsters within the ecosystem.

Annual juvenile recruitment of spiny lobsters, Panulirus argus (Decapoda, Palinuridae), in a shallow seagrass bed and a deeper hard bottom off western Puerto Rico

Crustaceana ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 91 (2) ◽  
pp. 153-167
Author(s):  
Nilda M. Jiménez ◽  
Ernest H. Williams, Jr. ◽  
Aida Rosario
Keyword(s):  
Puerto Rico ◽  
Natural Habitat ◽  
Spiny Lobster ◽  
Panulirus Argus ◽  
Seagrass Beds ◽  
Caribbean Studies ◽  
Seagrass Bed ◽  
Spiny Lobsters ◽  
Habitat Difference ◽  
Early Recruitment

We found 158 juvenile Caribbean spiny lobsters (Panulirus argus) recruiting over a year into 10 artificial shelters in shallow (2-3 m) seagrass beds, but none recruiting into 10 shelters on deeper (approximately 10 m) hard bottom. Spiny lobster juveniles were observed at 10 m or greater depth in submerged fish cages. They may have been strained out by currents rather than naturally recruiting. A large number of these cages inshore could impede natural lobster recruitment. One of the shallow shelters recruited most (85/158) of the juveniles and two shelters recruited most of all (118/158). With no discernable natural habitat difference, we assume that early recruitment into those shelters and the “guide effect” may have been responsible for these preferences. Previous Caribbean studies found the maximum settling periods of juveniles in August to December. Our results were similar with the exception of having more recruits one month later (August to January). Shelters with covers had more juveniles than those without covers; however, this result was largely due to the preponderance of juveniles in one shelter.

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