Species Composition, Catch Rates, and Size Structure of Fishes Captured in the South Florida Lampara Net Fishery

Abstract

"Reported landings for the years 1986–2001 and recent data from onboard observations (1995–99) were examined to describe the catch composition, including bycatch, of the south Florida lampara net fishery. Landings of the primary target species, ballyhoo, Hemiramphus brasiliensis, and balao, H. balao, have remained stable since 1986. Ballyhoo is the dominant species in the catch, particularly during winter months when lampara net catch rates are highest. However, since the inshore fishing areas were closed to lampara nets in 1995, more balao are landed by the fishery because balao are more abundant than ballyhoo in offshore waters. A new market for flyingfishes (Exocoetidae) has emerged, and landings of flying fishes have steadily increased in the last decade. Balao and flyingfishes are more abundant in lampara net landings during the summer. Needlefishes (Belonidae) are regularly caught but have not been marketed successfully. The amount of bycatch in the lampara net fishery is very low compared to that in other commercial fisheries. Fishing with lampara nets in Florida Bay, which developed during the early 1990’s, is different than fishing in the Atlantic Ocean. In Florida Bay, balao and flyingfishes do not occur, halfbeaks (Hemiramphidae) other than ballyhoo and balao are occasionally caught, benthic species appear frequently in the catches, reported catch rates are higher than in the Atlantic, and ballyhoo are larger on average than in the Atlantic."