Carlos Martin
Fisheries Research Center
5 Ave.
248 Barlovento, Sta.Fé; Playa
Havana City
Tel: 209 8055
Fax: 537
249 827
email: [email protected]
I. Description of the Fishing Fleets for Pelagic Fisheries
Based on economic reasons the Cuban pelagic fleet was reduced in the last 10 years, at present, 42 vessels are dedicated to the pole and line and long line (Cuban type) fisheries.
The main type of boat is the Cayo Largo (fig. 1), wooden made, which is18 metres in total length. It has an inboard engine (150-225 HP) and 8 metres long fish/ice hole, and a tank for live bait of about 7metres in length. Their typical fishing trip is about 10 days. The ferro-cement type boats (16 metres total length) have similar characteristics. There are also 2 steel-hulled boats (18.9 metres) and a fibreglass one which is about 23 metres in total length and having an engine of 300 horsepower; this has much better facilities for the crew.
All types of boats have simple navigational equipment and only a few of them have radar and GPS and also have the equipment necessary for the crew safety indicated by the international law.
Fig. 1: Small tunas fishing boat.
Crew Number
The crew for pole and line fishery is 8-10 fishers per boat, while for the longline fishery the crew is 6-8 fishers. The total number of the fishers involved in both fisheries is about 360.
Target Species
Pole and line: Skipjack (Katsuwonus pelamis), blackfin tuna (Thunnus atlanticus) and yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares).
Long line: White marling (Ictiophorus platypterus), sailfish (Tetrapturus albidus), blue marling (Makaira nigricans) and common dolphin (Coryphaena hippurus)
Gears in Use
In the pole and line fishery in Cuba, the fishers are only allocated in the stern of the boat in a sort of balcony attached to the stern.
The longline used is made with monofilament (‘nylon’), with evenly spaced floats (buoys) and vertical lines with baited hooks. Generally about 500 hooks are used on a longline.
Fishing Area
Pole and line:
|
Fishing area |
Catch (%) |
Fleet (%) |
|
SW |
40.7 |
31.5 |
|
NW |
28.5 |
25.7 |
|
NCE |
30.7 |
42.8 |
Species composition of the captures
|
Fishing area |
Skipjack (%) |
Black fin tuna (%) |
Yellow fin tuna(%) |
|
SW |
54 |
43 |
3 |
|
NW |
67.3 |
32.4 |
0.3 |
|
NE |
86.6 |
1.6 |
11.8 |
Longline: Presently used only in the NE area.
Species composition of the captures (%)
|
Fishing area |
White marling |
Sail fish |
C. dolphin |
Blue marling |
Sharks |
|
NE |
48.5 |
11.7 |
9 |
3.8 |
27 |
Data Collection System
Sampling plan: The Ministry of Fishing Industry have a good statistics collection in all the fishing ports of the country; this systems include a catch (by species) and effort, boats at fishing and gears among other aspects of the activity.
A group of Fisheries Research Centre (FRC) observers in each provinces of Cuba is in charge of biological samplings and others tasks related to the fisheries. All information collected is sent monthly to the FRC.
Social and Economical Issues
The catches of the small tunas in the Western part of Cuba are canned and part of them is exported to Europe. The spearfishes are sold in local market.
Cuba has no management regulations for these species, except for the prohibition of catches skipjack and blackfin under 30 centimetres fork length.
The Cuban social security laws protect the fishers, because of that; they do not need an extra job. They only work in fishery activities.
II. Moored FAD Fisheries Development
The employment of FAD for the fishing of big pelagic fishes is at the moment in experimental phase; three have only been moored in the oriental north coast with good productive results, in about three months they had been obtained some 10-ton. of spearfish mainly. The high cost of these devices has stopped its massive use; nevertheless they are considered in the plans for the development of the pelagic fisheries.
The used FAD is similar to the employees in Martinique; 60% of the capture was of white marling, 25% of sailfish and 15% of common dolphin
