ENS747 Marine Resources Management

Spiny Lobster Fishery in Honduras

A review of the fisherys state
The Caribbean spiny lobster (Panulirus argus) is one of the commercial fished
invertebrates in Honduras. This fishery represents an important income for the country
through its exports to the United States. However, besides the revenue and
employment opportunities this fishery produce, the environmental and social effects
of the fishery cannot be dismissed.
P. argus is fished in Honduras by artisanal and industrial fleets using traps and by
diving with the use of casitas and/or SCUBA gear (Sullivan, 2013; WWF, 2004).
Artisanal fishing practices are performed and owned by the Miskito1 people; while the
industrial fleets are usually owned by fishing companies that hire Miskito fishermen (El
Heraldo, 2013). Most of the fishery stock is fished, processed, and exported to the
United States by the industrial fleets. In 2013, this fishery produced a total of 3.6
million pounds with a value of about 42.2 million dollars in exports, mainly to the US
market. In addition, it generated 3,840 direct jobs in a total of 121 fishing boats (La
Tribuna, 2014).
Regulations for this fishery follow the bylaw from OSPESCA2. Regulation OSP-02-09
establishes the catch-size, catch practices, and moratorium period, for the spiny
lobster fishery in the six Central American nations (La Tribuna, 2014; USAID, 2011). The
government body in charge of monitoring the fishery and enforcing its regulations in
Honduras is DIGEPESCA3 (regulations applicable to Honduras are shown in Table 1).
However, DIGEPESCA has shown weaknesses in the fulfillment of its duties; for which,
as in many developing countries, international cooperation agencies (e.g. WWF,
USAID, Global Fish Alliance, etc.) have had to provide support with the aim of achieving
sustainability. DIGEPESCA has had difficulties on being efficient in controlling and
managing: 1) the catch of juveniles, 2) the catch of female with eggs, 3) fishing
practices (e.g. size and number of traps per boat, fishing techniques, SCUBA diving and
decompression accidents), 4) stock assessments, and 5) marine protected areas
important for the life-cycle of the species (Beltrn, 2011; El Heraldo, 2013; SosaCordero, 2010; Sullivan 2013; US Department of Justice, 2011).

Miskito is one of the ethnic groups of Honduras.

OSPESCA - Agency of Fisheries and Aquaculture Sector of the Central American Isthmus
3
DIGEPESCA - Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture
2

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Table 1. Regulations for the spiny lobster fishery in Honduras

Adapted from USAID (2011)

Regulation aspects
Prohibitions
Moratorium period from March 1
Capture, possession, and trade of
to June 30.
spawning females
Catch size >145mm tail length
Removal of eggs from females
Boats dimensions (artisanal and
Commercialization of processed meat
industrial)
Traps dimensions and materials
Transport and handling of catch

One of the main issues faced by the spiny lobster fishery in Honduras is the illegal
catch of juveniles and spawning females (WWF, 2006). Previous stock assessments
(e.g. Chvez, 2001; Sosa-Cordero, 2010) have found that in Honduras juvenile lobsters
are being over-exploited. Likewise, cases of lobster smuggling into the United States
where juveniles and spawning females are the largest percentage of the shiploads are
common (US Department of Justice, 2011). These practices lead to an imbalance in the
spiny lobster life-cycle (Figure 1) which later on can cause negative effects on the
population dynamics of the species and the fishing industry (Pandolfi et al, 2005;
WWF, 2006). For instance, Sosa-Cordero (2010) reports that for the years 2009-2010
big adult lobsters (7-8 years) were absent. This is significantly important when
compared to Maxwell et al. (2013) findings in which age and size of lobsters are
positively correlated to egg production. As younger/smaller females are producing
fewer eggs, the future population numbers could be expected to decrease.

Figure 1. Life-cycle of Panulirus argus

Adapted from Miller, Ohs & Creswell (2007) and Dunhar & Sjoboen (2005)

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Consequently, the current decline in the spiny lobster fisherys productivity,

particularly in terms of overall lobster catches and the performance of the fishing
industry (El Heraldo, 2013; WWF 2004) are not a surprise. For instance, fishermen
reports that now they are catching smaller numbers of lobsters while making bigger
efforts (i.e. longer trips and more/deeper dives) (El Heraldo, 2013). As a result,
concerns about the fisheries sustainability, productivity and ecosystem health have
risen (Sosa-Cordero, 2010; WWF, 2004).
While it is clear that the countrys conditions (e.g. poverty, corruption, lack of
knowledge, institutional weakness, limited resources, etc.) are not the best to provide
an adequate and sustainable management of the spiny lobster fishery; efforts for
increasing stock assessments, reducing fishing effort, monitoring of species recovery
and management of species habitat should be enforced if fishery decline is to be
avoided (Dunhar & Sjoboen, 2005; Linnane, Sloan, McGarvey, & Ward, 2010). Lessons
from other fishing sites in the Caribbean and Australia can be applied in Honduras (e.g.
Ley-Cooper et al., 2014; Linnane et al. 2010; Maxwell et al., 2013).
Habitat management through the use of no-take marine reserves has proven that
species recovery can be attained without compromising the industry. Ley-Cooper et al.
(2014) and Maxwell et al. (2013) state that no-take reserves present greater lobster
size and higher egg production than fishing areas. Particularly important is the fact that
a percentage of the lobster from no-take reserves usually migrate to fishing areas (LeyCooper et al., 2014); providing the industry with higher value product. However, while
the declaration of no-take reserves in Honduras may not be embraced by the public
and especially by the Miskito people (Agardy et al., 2003); the prohibition of fishing
with SCUBA diving gear leads to the subtle establishment of no-take reserves in deeper
waters (Ley-Cooper et al., 2014). This can also be a social improvement for the Miskito
fishermen who are exposed to decompression accidents due to unregulated diving
practices (Beltrn, 2011; El Heraldo, 2013); and a boost to the artisanal fishermen who
compete against the industrial fleets.
On the other hand, Linnane et al. (2010) states that the lack of management actions
aiming at reducing fishing efforts is associated to fishery decline. In this context,
DIGEPESCA could modify the current regulations applicable to the spiny lobster fishery.
For example, an extension of the moratorium period from 4 to 5 months would not
only reduce the fishing effort and pressure on the species population but also the
likelihood of fishing ovigerous females.
In conclusion, the current status of the spiny lobster fishery in Honduras does not fit as
sustainable fishery. However, while the fishery is not yet depleted signs of overexploitation (particularly for juvenile lobsters) are widely present. Enforcement of
regulations for a better habitat management and fishing practicesincluding control

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of fishing effortsare needed to improve the current state of the fishery and to
achieve sustainability.

References
Agardy, T. et al. (2003). Dangerous targets? Unresolved issues and ideological clashes
around marine protected areas. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater
Ecosystems 13, 353-367.
Beltrn, C. (2011). Value-chain analysis of international fish trade and food security in
the Republic of Honduras. Fisheries And Aquaculture Department Products,
Trade And Marketing (FIPM). El Salvador: FAO.
Chvez, E. A. (2001). Policy Design for Spiny Lobster (Panulirus argus) Management at
the Meso-American Barrier Reef System. Crustaceana, 74(10), 1119-1137.
Dunhar, S. & Sjoboen, A. (2005). Roatn Rapid Assessment for the Caribbean spiny
lobster , Panulirus argus. Roatn, Bay Islands, Honduras: USAID/MIRA.
El Heraldo. (2013, July 14). Buzos langosteros de La Mosquitia desafan a la muerte
para sobrevivir, El Heraldo. Retrieved from
http://www.elheraldo.hn/Secciones-Principales/Al-Frente/Buzos-langosterosde-La-Mosquitia-desafian-a-la-muerte-para-sobrevivir
La Tribuna. (2014, July 1). Fin de la veda de langosta en el Caribe Hondureo, La
Tribuna. Retrieved from http://www.latribuna.hn/2014/07/01/fin-de-la-vedade-langosta-en-el-caribe-hondureno/
Linnane, A., Sloan, S., McGarvey, R., & Ward, T. (2010). Impacts of unconstrained
effort: Lessons from a rock lobster (Jasus edwardsii) fishery decline in the
northern zone management region of South Australia. Marine Policy, 34(5),
844-850.
Ley-Cooper, K., De Lestang, S., Phillips, B. F., & Lozano-lvarez, E. (2014). An unfished
area enhances a spiny lobster, Panulirus argus, fishery: Implications for
management and conservation within a Biosphere Reserve in the Mexican
Caribbean. Fisheries Management and Ecology, 21(4), 264-274.
Maxwell, K. et al. (2013). Age and size structure of Caribbean spiny lobster, Panulirus
argus, in a no-take marine reserve in the Florida Keys, USA. Fisheries Research,
144, 84-90.
Pandolfi et al. (2005, March 18). Are U.S. Coral Reefs on the Slippery Slope to Slime?
Science Magazine 307, 1725-1726. AAAS
Sosa-Cordero, E. (2010). Evaluacin del recurso langosta Panulirus argus en la
plataforma de Honduras y Nicaragua, a partir de datos del programa de
observadores colectados en dos temporadas 2007-2008; 2009- 2010. USAID &
WWF: Mxico.
Sullivan, M. (2013). Caribbean Spiny Lobster. Bahamas, Belize, Brazil, Honduras, and
Nicaragua - Traps, Diving with Use of Casitas. Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood
Watch
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USAID. (2011). Good Fishing Practices Manual. Retrieved from

http://digepesca.sag.gob.hn/assets/display-anything/gallery/1/522/BuenasPracticas-Pesqueras.pdf
US Department of Justice. (2011). US v. David Henson McNab et al., 324 F.3d 1266,
amended and superseded on rehearing by 331 F.3d 1228 (11th Cir. 2003), cert.
denied, 540 U.S. 1177 (2004). Retrieved from
http://www.justice.gov/enrd/3326.htm
WWF. (2004). Spiny Lobster Marketing Chain. Costa Rica: WWF Central America.
WWF. (2006). Cmo lograr mayores ingresos pescando de manera sustentable. Manual
de Prcticas Pesqueras de Langosta en el Arrecife Mesoamericano. WWFMxico/Centroamrica. 97 pp.

Evelyn H. Rodrguez