Betancourt 2009), Samaná (Sang and Lysenko 1994; Sang 1996), Punta Cana,
Bávaro (CURPOB 2000; Brandt et al. 2003), National East Park (Vega et al. 1997)
and Isla Saona in La Altagracia, Catalinita in La Romana, La Caleta in Santo
Domingo (Williams et al. 1983), Haina in San Cristóbal (Herrera-Moreno et al.
2009), Las Calderas Bay in Peravia (Almonte 1976), Puerto Viejo in Azua
(González et al. 1978) and Jaragua National Park in Pedernales (Weil 2006).
In Haiti, inventories with echinoderm species include Lamentin (Beebe 1928), Les
Arcadins reefs (FoProBIM 1985; Wilcox et al. 1989) and Navassa (Miller 2003).
Due to the dramatic reduction of black sea urchin Diadema antillarum in the
Caribbean in the 1980s, the presence of this species is always highlighted in all
inventories and some abundance surveys have been done. In the Dominican reefs,
Chiappone (2001) estimated an average density of D. antillarum of 0.03 ind
50 m
-2 for the coral reefs in the National East Park, between 9 and 17 m depth.
He also estimated 9.15 ind 50 m
-2 in the Boca Chica reefs between 4 and 20 m
depth. Brandt et al. (2003) reported a maximum density of 5.4 ind 10 m
-2 in the
reefs of Punta Cana and Bavaro with the highest average values in the deep forereef (1.2 ind 10 m
-2
) in relation to the shallow areas of the back-reef (0.5 individuals/10 m
2 ). For Caracol Bay in Haiti, Hay (1984) reported 20 ind m
-2 ,
between 3 and 10 m depth. FoProBIM (FoProBIM 1985) found densities of D.
antillarum up to 14.5 ind 100 m
-2 at 5 m depth in the area of Les Arcadines. More
recently, abundance values from 0 to 1.5 ind 10 m
-2 have been reported in the
same area by Linton (2003).
However, ecological studies at the level of echinoderm populations or communities seem to be scarce. In the Dominican Republic, Chiappone (2001) conducted a study measuring density and size distribution for five species of echinoids
(D. antillarum, Echinometra viridis, Echinometra lucunter, Eucidaris tribuloides
and Tripneustes ventricosus) in the National East Park and Boca Chica. Tewfik
et al. (2005) studied the impact of anthropogenic enrichment on the seagrass food
web at two locations in southern Dominican Republic (Pedernales and Barahona),
involving several species of echinoderms, categorized by them as three consumer
functional groups: (a) generalists (regular urchins: Lytechinus variegatus, T.
ventricosus, D. antillarium); (b) subsurface deposit feeders (red heart urchin
Meoma ventricosa and sand dollars) and (c) surface deposit feeders (cushion sea
star Oreaster reticulatus and sea cucumbers). Hay (1984) compared the activity of
grazing fish and sea urchins in the Bay of Caracol in Haiti, on an overexploited
coral reef including density data of Diadema antillarum and its rate of consumption of Thalassia testudinum.
13.5 Aquaculture and Fisheries
Commercial fishing of sea cucumber takes place in the Dominican Republic.
According to the Dominican Council of Fisheries and Aquaculture CODOPESCA
in 2002 there was an export of 57.6 MT, equivalent to 9 % of seafood exports. The
13 Recent Echinoderms from Hispaniola
431
Bávaro (CURPOB 2000; Brandt et al. 2003), National East Park (Vega et al. 1997)
and Isla Saona in La Altagracia, Catalinita in La Romana, La Caleta in Santo
Domingo (Williams et al. 1983), Haina in San Cristóbal (Herrera-Moreno et al.
2009), Las Calderas Bay in Peravia (Almonte 1976), Puerto Viejo in Azua
(González et al. 1978) and Jaragua National Park in Pedernales (Weil 2006).
In Haiti, inventories with echinoderm species include Lamentin (Beebe 1928), Les
Arcadins reefs (FoProBIM 1985; Wilcox et al. 1989) and Navassa (Miller 2003).
Due to the dramatic reduction of black sea urchin Diadema antillarum in the
Caribbean in the 1980s, the presence of this species is always highlighted in all
inventories and some abundance surveys have been done. In the Dominican reefs,
Chiappone (2001) estimated an average density of D. antillarum of 0.03 ind
50 m
-2 for the coral reefs in the National East Park, between 9 and 17 m depth.
He also estimated 9.15 ind 50 m
-2 in the Boca Chica reefs between 4 and 20 m
depth. Brandt et al. (2003) reported a maximum density of 5.4 ind 10 m
-2 in the
reefs of Punta Cana and Bavaro with the highest average values in the deep forereef (1.2 ind 10 m
-2
) in relation to the shallow areas of the back-reef (0.5 individuals/10 m
2 ). For Caracol Bay in Haiti, Hay (1984) reported 20 ind m
-2 ,
between 3 and 10 m depth. FoProBIM (FoProBIM 1985) found densities of D.
antillarum up to 14.5 ind 100 m
-2 at 5 m depth in the area of Les Arcadines. More
recently, abundance values from 0 to 1.5 ind 10 m
-2 have been reported in the
same area by Linton (2003).
However, ecological studies at the level of echinoderm populations or communities seem to be scarce. In the Dominican Republic, Chiappone (2001) conducted a study measuring density and size distribution for five species of echinoids
(D. antillarum, Echinometra viridis, Echinometra lucunter, Eucidaris tribuloides
and Tripneustes ventricosus) in the National East Park and Boca Chica. Tewfik
et al. (2005) studied the impact of anthropogenic enrichment on the seagrass food
web at two locations in southern Dominican Republic (Pedernales and Barahona),
involving several species of echinoderms, categorized by them as three consumer
functional groups: (a) generalists (regular urchins: Lytechinus variegatus, T.
ventricosus, D. antillarium); (b) subsurface deposit feeders (red heart urchin
Meoma ventricosa and sand dollars) and (c) surface deposit feeders (cushion sea
star Oreaster reticulatus and sea cucumbers). Hay (1984) compared the activity of
grazing fish and sea urchins in the Bay of Caracol in Haiti, on an overexploited
coral reef including density data of Diadema antillarum and its rate of consumption of Thalassia testudinum.
13.5 Aquaculture and Fisheries
Commercial fishing of sea cucumber takes place in the Dominican Republic.
According to the Dominican Council of Fisheries and Aquaculture CODOPESCA
in 2002 there was an export of 57.6 MT, equivalent to 9 % of seafood exports. The
13 Recent Echinoderms from Hispaniola
431