542
12 Species Case Studies
season. Boat inspections and close up observations are diffi cult and not welcomed by
fi shers when focusing their fi shing efforts on other species (Kammen Chin, personal
communication 2006). Enforcement efforts during the closures at known aggregation
sites have not proven cost-effective for the Division of Fish and Wildlife and State and
community conservation offi cers. The 2006 modifi cation of the Marine Protection Act
allows seizure of banned fi sh on land or at the markets rather than at sea. Inspections at
fi sh markets during February and March have proven more cost and time effective, but
have done little to stop subsistence fi shing (which does not go to market) on the sites
during the closure. Four village meetings, as well as one meeting with the Governor
and Legislatures of Airai State, were held in 2006 to exchange information and concerns about the aggregations of S. fuscescens . Several chiefs commented that the mangroves have expanded and were displacing seagrass habitats that were good fi shing
habitats in the past. They requested a study to address factors causing the seaward
expansion of mangroves including increased sedimentation (Golbuu et al. 2003 ) .
Aquaculture has been suggested as a means to rejuvenate natural populations.
Rabbitfi sh have proven amenable to culture in tanks and there is considerable interest
in using wild-caught juveniles as the basis of ‘grow-out’ commercial aquaculture of
dusky rabbitfi sh. Current obstacles for fi sh farmers are the lack of consistent supply
of juveniles, predation by birds and lack of protection of farms from poachers.
Moreover, aquaculture will not solve overfi shing of wild populations unless the fi shermen turn from capture fi sheries for the species to their culture and no additional
fi shing pressure is introduced.
Acknowledgements Clarence Liz Bausouch and Mcknight assisted with all the fi eld monitoring for
this paper. Clarence Kitalong, Elizabeth Matthews, Bausouch Ngiramur, and McKnight McArthur
contributed to the overall work. Support was provided by the National Oceanographic and
Atmospheric Agency (NOAA) Habitat Conservation Program, Palau Marine Resources Pacifi c
Consortium, members Ngaremeliwei of Airai, Palau Conservation Society, Coral Reef Research
Foundation, Palau Land and Resource Information Systems (PALARIS), and the Bureau of Marine
Resource. We thank all the fi sherfolk who shared their traditional ecological knowledge about dusky
rabbitfi sh, allowed us to observe their fi shing activities and patiently answered our many questions.
12.23 Yellowmargin Triggerfi sh – Pseudobalistes
fl avimarginatus , with Notes on Other Triggerfi shes
Patrick L. Colin
Coral Reef Research Foundation, PO Box 1765 , Koror , Palau 96940
e-mail: crrf@palaunet.com
12.23.1 General and Reproduction
The yellowmargin triggerfi sh, Pseudobalistes fl avimarginatus , is found from the
Red Sea to the Tuamotus in the central Pacifi c. The family of the triggerfi shes
(Balistidae) has about 40 species in 11 genera distributed throughout tropical and
12 Species Case Studies
season. Boat inspections and close up observations are diffi cult and not welcomed by
fi shers when focusing their fi shing efforts on other species (Kammen Chin, personal
communication 2006). Enforcement efforts during the closures at known aggregation
sites have not proven cost-effective for the Division of Fish and Wildlife and State and
community conservation offi cers. The 2006 modifi cation of the Marine Protection Act
allows seizure of banned fi sh on land or at the markets rather than at sea. Inspections at
fi sh markets during February and March have proven more cost and time effective, but
have done little to stop subsistence fi shing (which does not go to market) on the sites
during the closure. Four village meetings, as well as one meeting with the Governor
and Legislatures of Airai State, were held in 2006 to exchange information and concerns about the aggregations of S. fuscescens . Several chiefs commented that the mangroves have expanded and were displacing seagrass habitats that were good fi shing
habitats in the past. They requested a study to address factors causing the seaward
expansion of mangroves including increased sedimentation (Golbuu et al. 2003 ) .
Aquaculture has been suggested as a means to rejuvenate natural populations.
Rabbitfi sh have proven amenable to culture in tanks and there is considerable interest
in using wild-caught juveniles as the basis of ‘grow-out’ commercial aquaculture of
dusky rabbitfi sh. Current obstacles for fi sh farmers are the lack of consistent supply
of juveniles, predation by birds and lack of protection of farms from poachers.
Moreover, aquaculture will not solve overfi shing of wild populations unless the fi shermen turn from capture fi sheries for the species to their culture and no additional
fi shing pressure is introduced.
Acknowledgements Clarence Liz Bausouch and Mcknight assisted with all the fi eld monitoring for
this paper. Clarence Kitalong, Elizabeth Matthews, Bausouch Ngiramur, and McKnight McArthur
contributed to the overall work. Support was provided by the National Oceanographic and
Atmospheric Agency (NOAA) Habitat Conservation Program, Palau Marine Resources Pacifi c
Consortium, members Ngaremeliwei of Airai, Palau Conservation Society, Coral Reef Research
Foundation, Palau Land and Resource Information Systems (PALARIS), and the Bureau of Marine
Resource. We thank all the fi sherfolk who shared their traditional ecological knowledge about dusky
rabbitfi sh, allowed us to observe their fi shing activities and patiently answered our many questions.
12.23 Yellowmargin Triggerfi sh – Pseudobalistes
fl avimarginatus , with Notes on Other Triggerfi shes
Patrick L. Colin
Coral Reef Research Foundation, PO Box 1765 , Koror , Palau 96940
e-mail: crrf@palaunet.com
12.23.1 General and Reproduction
The yellowmargin triggerfi sh, Pseudobalistes fl avimarginatus , is found from the
Red Sea to the Tuamotus in the central Pacifi c. The family of the triggerfi shes
(Balistidae) has about 40 species in 11 genera distributed throughout tropical and