Fish Assemblages on Fringing Reefs in the Southern Caribbean: biodiversity, biomass and feeding types

Inadequate enforcement of legislation, coupled with unreliable and data-poor landings in Tobago, has led to the unregulated exploitation of reef fish for decades. This study addresses the lack of data on major reefs.

Visual observations of fish fauna were conducted from November 2011 to May 2013 at open-access reef sites (Speyside, Charlotteville, Culloden, Arnos Vale, Mt. Irvine, La Guira, Kilgwyn, Plymouth, and Black Rock) and one protected area (Buccoo Reef Marine Park). Belt transect surveys were used to determine fish density, species diversity, and abundance at the 10-15m depth contour.