Title
Fisheries management for the leopard coral grouper (Plectropomus leopardus) in Saleh Bay, West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia
Author(s)
Yudi Herdiana; Siska Agustina; Intan Destianis Hartati; Aulia Utami; Emilia de la Rosa; Lulu Hilma; Irfan Yulianto
Published
2021
Abstract
The Leopard Coral Grouper, Plectropomus leopardus, is a member of the epinepheline tribe of the Epinephelidae family (Grouper). This species is important for capture fisheries and the live reef-fish food trade. It commonly inhabits the western Pacific from southern Japan to northern Australia, and eastward to the Caroline Islands and Fiji. P. leopardus is a slow-growing and long-lived species (up to 26 years) with low natural mortality rates. Because of its high market value, the Leopard Coral Grouper, locally known as Kerapu Sunu Merah, is one of the major targeted species in Indonesian small-scale reef fisheries. This species has been heavily fished throughout its range, mainly by hook and line and speargun, but occasionally by trap and cyanide in some areas. In Saleh Bay, Sumbawa, P. leopardus is one of the main targeted species and is fished with various types of gear, including speargun, handline, bottom longline, troll line and traps, as well as destructive fishing methods such as blast and cyanide fishing. The Leopard Coral Grouper supplies high-end domestic and international markets and the live-fish trade networks; consequently, fishing intensity is high, and fish smaller than the size at 50% maturity (L50), are taken. The length-based spawning potential ratio methodology was used to estimate the spawning potential ratio (SPR) from data on length frequency from the fish-landing program of the Wildlife Conservation Society – Indonesia Program (WCS-IP). The estimated SPR is low (0.24); hence, rebuilding the spawning stocks is desirable. Potential management procedures were evaluated using the Method Evaluation and Risk Assessment (MERA) tool to assess the long-term sustainability and yield of P. leopardus stocks. The best management procedures to rebuild the spawning stocks are size limit, spatial closures or marine reserves, effort limit and catch limit. Recently, the fishery developed a fishery management plan through consultation with WCS-IP, the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, the provincial government, fishers and collectors. Although it performed well under the MERA simulations, a management procedure based on total allowable catch is probably not feasible because of the number of small-scale fishers (vessels <10 gross tons) involved in the fishery and their special considerations under Indonesian law. The current management measures for P. leopardus include a size limit (300 g), a gear limit (>102 mm [4 inch] mesh gillnets), a ban on hookah spearfishing, small spatial closures and bans on destructive fishing practises (i.e. blast and cyanide fishing). However, compliance with this last measure is likely to be an issue. To further improve future management, the reproductive seasons and key habitats for this species (e.g. spawning aggregation sites) should be identified. This would allow government, fishers and the fishing industry to consider additional management options such as seasonal closure during the spawning season or spatial closure for known spawning aggregation sites.
Full Citation
Herdiana, Y., S. Agustina, I. D. Hartati, A. Utami, E. de la Rosa, L. Hilma, and I. Yulianto (2021). Fisheries management for the leopard coral grouper (Plectropomus leopardus) in Saleh Bay, West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia. In: Loneragan, N.R., Wiryawan, B., Hordyk, A.R., Halim, A., Proctor, C., Satria, F., Yulianto, I. (Eds), Proceedings from Workshops on Management Strategy Evaluation of Data-Limited Fisheries: Towards Sustainability – Applying the Method Evaluation and Risk Assessment Tool to Seven Indonesian Fisheries, 129-150. Murdoch, Australia and Bogor, Indonesia: Murdoch University and IPB University.

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