410
12 Species Case Studies
rapidly increasing fi shing effort driven by the lucrative export market for live reef
food fi sh (this is an international trade in live fi sh, mainly groupers with major
demand centres in Hong Kong and mainland China, Sadovy et al. 2003 a ) . Measures
included commercial catch quotas (3,061 tonnes, of which 1,011 tonnes is for reef
fi sh species excluding leopard coral grouper and red throat emperor), seasonal
spawning closures, size limits and revised recreational bag limits. Between 2004
and 2008 the seasonal closure of the fi shery was for 9 days around each new moon
in October, November and December, chosen mainly to encompass the peak spawning period for leopard coral-grouper and some other reef fi shes. In December 2008,
the legislated 9-day closure was removed, and for 2009–2013, the seasonal closure
period was reduced to 5 days around the new moons in October and November, in
response to socio-economic concerns following the near-global fi nancial crash of
2008. An exemption was also provided to allow eligible offshore charter operators
to operate under permit during the closure periods.
The vast majority of the fi shery operates within the GBR Marine Park and World
Heritage Area, where, in 2004 protection of reef and shoal habitat was increased to
30% no-take areas, and all individuals of the genus Epinephelus over 100 cm in
length are protected.
In December 2003, minimum and maximum size limits were introduced for
brown-marbled grouper at 50 and 100 cm respectively. However, recent research
indicated that the main reproductive individuals of the population were not well protected, since the fi shed component still included most of the active spawning stock
and all of the males (Pears et al. 2006 ) . To address this, the Queensland Government
reduced the maximum size limit to 70 cm for this species in 2009. For brown-marbled grouper, only limited protection is likely from the seasonal closures since
spawning events only partly coincide with the closure periods (Pears et al. 2007 ) .
Remote artisanal fi shery at Farquhar Atoll in the Seychelles, western Indian
Ocean – The Seychelles contain several reported aggregation sites for brownmarbled grouper, including a site well-known to fi shers at Farquhar Atoll shared
with camoufl age grouper. The history of this site is interesting because it still seems
to be functional, despite a long history of targeted aggregation fi shing and a season
of heavy exploitation for the Hong Kong-centred live reef food fi sh trade.
Groupers are part of the demersal reef fi sh catch of the Seychelles artisanal fi shery, which in 2006 caught 123 tonnes of grouper, mainly for domestic consumption.
The Islands Development Company (IDC) manages the outer islands of the
Seychelles, including Farquhar Atoll. IDC operates a commercial fi shery for salted
fi sh on Farquhar Atoll, and groupers, including brown-marbled grouper are targeted,
with high catches (e.g. many tonnes of groupers) from periodic targeting of the aggregation site (Robinson et al. 2004 ; Aumeeruddy and Robinson 2006 ) . There is also
some subsistence fi shing of grouper at Farquhar Atoll, including from the aggregation site, and commercial vessels from the main Seychelles islands are permitted to
fi sh the outer reef, away from the aggregation site.
Groupers were also targeted at various island groups in the region during trials
for a live reef fi sh fi shery in 1998–1999, with approximately 26.4 tonnes exported
12 Species Case Studies
rapidly increasing fi shing effort driven by the lucrative export market for live reef
food fi sh (this is an international trade in live fi sh, mainly groupers with major
demand centres in Hong Kong and mainland China, Sadovy et al. 2003 a ) . Measures
included commercial catch quotas (3,061 tonnes, of which 1,011 tonnes is for reef
fi sh species excluding leopard coral grouper and red throat emperor), seasonal
spawning closures, size limits and revised recreational bag limits. Between 2004
and 2008 the seasonal closure of the fi shery was for 9 days around each new moon
in October, November and December, chosen mainly to encompass the peak spawning period for leopard coral-grouper and some other reef fi shes. In December 2008,
the legislated 9-day closure was removed, and for 2009–2013, the seasonal closure
period was reduced to 5 days around the new moons in October and November, in
response to socio-economic concerns following the near-global fi nancial crash of
2008. An exemption was also provided to allow eligible offshore charter operators
to operate under permit during the closure periods.
The vast majority of the fi shery operates within the GBR Marine Park and World
Heritage Area, where, in 2004 protection of reef and shoal habitat was increased to
30% no-take areas, and all individuals of the genus Epinephelus over 100 cm in
length are protected.
In December 2003, minimum and maximum size limits were introduced for
brown-marbled grouper at 50 and 100 cm respectively. However, recent research
indicated that the main reproductive individuals of the population were not well protected, since the fi shed component still included most of the active spawning stock
and all of the males (Pears et al. 2006 ) . To address this, the Queensland Government
reduced the maximum size limit to 70 cm for this species in 2009. For brown-marbled grouper, only limited protection is likely from the seasonal closures since
spawning events only partly coincide with the closure periods (Pears et al. 2007 ) .
Remote artisanal fi shery at Farquhar Atoll in the Seychelles, western Indian
Ocean – The Seychelles contain several reported aggregation sites for brownmarbled grouper, including a site well-known to fi shers at Farquhar Atoll shared
with camoufl age grouper. The history of this site is interesting because it still seems
to be functional, despite a long history of targeted aggregation fi shing and a season
of heavy exploitation for the Hong Kong-centred live reef food fi sh trade.
Groupers are part of the demersal reef fi sh catch of the Seychelles artisanal fi shery, which in 2006 caught 123 tonnes of grouper, mainly for domestic consumption.
The Islands Development Company (IDC) manages the outer islands of the
Seychelles, including Farquhar Atoll. IDC operates a commercial fi shery for salted
fi sh on Farquhar Atoll, and groupers, including brown-marbled grouper are targeted,
with high catches (e.g. many tonnes of groupers) from periodic targeting of the aggregation site (Robinson et al. 2004 ; Aumeeruddy and Robinson 2006 ) . There is also
some subsistence fi shing of grouper at Farquhar Atoll, including from the aggregation site, and commercial vessels from the main Seychelles islands are permitted to
fi sh the outer reef, away from the aggregation site.
Groupers were also targeted at various island groups in the region during trials
for a live reef fi sh fi shery in 1998–1999, with approximately 26.4 tonnes exported