Using lessons learned from a multidecadal intercept survey of Puerto Rico spear fishers to improve data collection in the U.S. Caribbean

Abstract

Spearfishing is a common activity used to harvest coastal marine species worldwide and can be a significant contributor to landings of ecologically and economically relevant species. As such, it is important to monitor spearfishing catch and effort. Spearfishing is commonly practiced throughout the Caribbean, yet characteristics of this gear's fishery remain understudied in the region. Thus, the objectives of this study were to provide a description of the Puerto Rico spearfishing fishery utilizing a long-term MRIP APAIS data set, examine the data set quality of this survey, and provide suggestions to improve MRIP implementation in the U.S. Caribbean.