Times of the Islands Winter 2015-16

green pages newsletter of the department of environment & maritime affairs
As each vessel enters the weighing station, a sub-sample
of the catch is collected. Each individual is weighed,
measured by carapace length, and sex, sexual maturity,
molting stage, and reproductive stage are determined.
Fishers are asked where they captured most of their
product and at what depth. The data is provided to all
stakeholders. This in turns acts like a “springboard” for
open discussions between TCI Government, fishers and
processing operators.
In addition to assisting DEMA with commercial catch
information on the spiny lobster, SFS has also monitored
juvenile recruitment that is independent of commercial
catches. After extensive evaluation, one site near South
Caicos was selected for the study. Here, ten juvenile
lobster “condos” have been deployed since 2008 and
monitored for numbers of juveniles to recruit to these
condos. The habitat for this location is that of Larencia
sp., an alga in which juvenile lobsters find safety from
predators and an available supply of food.
Once a month, SFS CMRS staff and students visit the
“condos” and collect all juvenile lobster. Individuals are
measured for carapace length, sex, and stage of molting.
These lobsters are then released to continue their growth
and progression into the fishery. This information can
be used with commercial catch data for comparison and
potential predictions of future commercial catches.
Fishing industries are often prime illustrations of the
universal push-and-pull between economic and preservation
interests. While maintaining this delicate balance
is still difficult for the TCI spiny lobster, South Caicos
stakeholders have assembled the collaboration needed to
monitor, predict, and thereby mitigate potential declines
in spiny lobster stock and recruitment levels. Continued
collaboration between economic and ecological interests
will lead to mutually beneficial marine management
strategies for TCI fisheries. With increasing stakeholder
involvement, DEMA guidance, and research support from
the School for Field Studies, we can be proactive to protect
these economically important species. a
The School for Field Studies (SFS) is a US-based academic
institution that provides multidisciplinary, field-based
environmental study abroad opportunities to undergraduate
university students. Each SFS program (nine in total)
highlights a different region of the world, with its own
distinct cultural and ecological characteristics and unique
From top: SFS interns collect juvenile lobsters from “condos,” measure
them as part of faculty’s ongoing research, then release them
back into the sea.
environmental challenges. Faculty and students at the SFS
CMRS on South Caicos work in close cooperation with local
partners including the TCI’s Department of Environment
and Maritime Affairs (DEMA), TCReef Inc. (www.tcreef.
org), and local fishermen and processing plants to protect
and enhance the management of the island’s coral reefs
and other marine resources. To learn more, go to www.
fieldstudies.org/tci. a
KATHY LOCKHART EVA RAMEY SCHOOL FOR FIELD STUDIES
Times of the Islands Winter 2015/16 27