Recommended Strategies to Protect Parrotfish Populations in Barbados

Christopher Parker and Shelly-Ann Cox

Fisheries Division, Bridgetown, Barbados
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ABSTRACT

Parrotfish are considered ecologically keystone species that play key roles as grazers, agents of bio-erosion of calcareous substrate, sediment production and transport in coral reef ecosystems and shoreline stabilisation. Recent reported declines in populations of some parrotfish species on Barbadian reefs due to several anthropogenic factors, has raised understandable alarm resulting in calls to significantly reduce or completely ban fishing of parrotfish. This of course will have significant impacts on the livelihoods of the many people involved in the island’s reef fisheries especially given the high commercial and cultural value of parrotfish more commonly known locally as ‘chubs’. Relevant scientific information on this issue is critically examined in this paper and a recommended holistic strategy is proposed to protect parrotfish populations while selectively mitigating the social and economic impacts on the more vulnerable participants in the reef fisheries that harvest parrotfish. The first overarching recommendation is that selective protection of parrotfishes or any subset of species in the family (i.e., corallivorous or non-corallivorous) is not supported. Instead, it is recommended that the focus should be on reducing fishing pressure on all reef fish species eliminating the incidences of wasteful ghost fishing and physical damage to reefs caused by the fishing activities. A co-management approach is recommended as being essential in the implementation of adaptive management measures that are grounded in participatory action research. This approach engenders buy-in, cooperation and effective compliance with a “carrot” rather than the “stick” approach, as is considered vital to the success of these initiatives.

HOW TO CITE: Parker, C. and S-A. Cox, 2026.  Recommended Strategies to Protect Parrotfish Populations in Barbados. Contribution 6.11, p485-492 IN CRFM, 2026. Volume I: Technical Papers. Presented at the CRFM 20th Anniversary Scientific Conference, 28-31 August 2023. CRFM Special Publication No. 37, CRFM Secretariat https://www.crfm.int/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=941

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Restorative Aquaculture: How Commercially Important Sea Urchins Can Aid in Coral Reef Recovery

Stacey Williams

 Institute for Socio-Ecological Research, Puerto Rico

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ABSTRACT

Sea urchins are commercially important as their gonads, also known as roe or uni, are considered a delicacy in many countries. However, sea urchins also play an important ecological role as they are the main herbivores in marine habitats. Herbivores are essential on coral reefs as they control the abundance of benthic algae, which would otherwise outcompete corals and other benthic organisms for space. Currently, many Caribbean coral reefs lack herbivores and are dominated by macroalgae and a dangerous encrusting alga, Ramicrusta spp. The Institute for Socio-Ecological Research (ISER) has developed a novel approach in improving coral reefs by enhancing sea urchin populations in Puerto Rico through restorative aquaculture techniques. ISER is executing two different techniques to produce urchins for restoration purposes. Post larval settlers of the long spined sea urchin, Diadema antillarum, are collected from the field, brought back to the laboratory, and grown to a young adult size. Recently, we developed a small scale hatchery and have been closing the life cycle of the West Indian sea urchin, Tripneustes ventricosus, in the laboratory. More than 5,500 lab-reared D. antillarum and more than 300 T. ventricosus, have been restocked to coral reefs all around Puerto Rico. Significant changes in the benthic structure were observed during the first week after the restocking. Significant reductions of fleshy macroalgae (Dictyota spp.) and thick turf algal/sediment mats (TAS), both unsuitable substrates (e.g., coral settlement), contributed to this change. Additionally, preliminary observations show that coral outplants have a higher chance of surviving when herbivores are present because they do not need to compete for space against cyanobacteria and macroalgae. Our work shows that producing sea urchins through aquaculture techniques provides direct ecological benefits to coral reefs and should be integrated in all coral restoration plans.

HOW TO CITE: Williams S.M, 2026.  Restorative Aquaculture: How Commercially Important Sea Urchins Can Aid in Coral Reef Recovery. Contribution 5.3, p346 IN CRFM, 2026. Volume I: Technical Papers. Presented at the CRFM 20th Anniversary Scientific Conference, 28-31 August 2023. CRFM Special Publication No. 37, CRFM Secretariat https://www.crfm.int/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=927

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Download CRFM Special Publication No. 37:

Proceedings of the CRFM 20^th Anniversary Scientific Conference

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If you have challenges accessing or downloading documents in this series, please email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , copied to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , or call us at +501-223-4443. Some browsers do not properly load Google Drive documents, so if you have challenges accessing the PowerPoint slides or the full special publication, try switching to another browser such as Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge.