Fish spawning aggregations (FSAs) are large gatherings of fish
for breeding purposes
The aggregations are highly predictable in space and time which makes them important sites for fishers and associated communities. Their predictability also makes them highly susceptible to overexploitation, to the point that many FSAs around the world have disappeared entirely, and the species that used to aggregate have become endangered. Despite their ecological importance, information on their status especially in reef ecosystems remains sparse and poorly understood which limits their effective management in developing nations.
The RMP has a multi-year program focusing on three different spawning sites for grouper and snapper around the island of Roatan. These sites are kept secret in order to protect them and fishing in those general areas is forbidden during peak spawning times, just after the full moon.
Create a baseline calendar of peak spawning months.
Estimate population sizes and trends
Protect the aggregations from illegal fishing
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Groupers are mostly monandric protogynous hermaphrodites, they mature only as females and have the ability to change sex after sexual maturity. Some species of groupers grow about a kilogram per year and are generally adolescents until they reach three kilograms when they become female.
Photo Credits - Patric Lengacher