Sanctuary roles on population and reproductive dynamics of Caribbean spiny lobster
Bertelsen RD and Cox C. 2001. Sanctuary roles on population and reproductive dynamics of Caribbean spiny lobster. Spatial Processes and Management of Marine Populations. Alaska Sea Grant College Program AK-SG-01-02
Located on the western edge of the Florida Keys, the Dry Tortugas National Park serves as a single large (190 km squared) sanctuary for Caribbean spiny lobsters. During the breeding season (March to September), we surveyed the lobster population form 1996 to 1998 in the sanctuary and fishery. Lobsters in the sanctuary differed from those in exploited areas, both in size distribution and reproductive dynamics. Sanctuary lobsters were 20 mm larger in carapace length (CL) than lobsters in the fished population. The size differential between male and female lobsters was much greater in the sanctuary (19 mm CL) than in the fishery (4mm CL). In the sanctuary, egg-bearing females produced approximately 2.6 times the number of eggs per clutch than those in the fishery. Fishable lobsters began producing eggs at a smaller size than those in the fishery. Fishable lobsters began producing eggs at a smaller size than those in the sanctuary. The breeding season of sanctuary lobsters was shorter than that of fishery lobsters, and a greater percentage of the sanctuary's egg-bearing sized population spawned at the height of the season. Abstract provided by author.