BULLETIN OF MARINE SCIENCE, 82(3): 315–331, 2008 315 Bulletin of Marine Science © 2008 Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science of the University of Miami U.S. CARIBBEAN FISH TRAP FISHERY SOCIOECONOMIC STUDY J. J. Agar, J. R. Waters, M. Valdés-Pizzini, M. Shivlani, T. Murray, J. E. Kirkley, and D. Suman ABSTRACT Concerns over the potential impacts of trap ishing on coral reefs and associated habitats prompted a socioeconomic study to characterize the U.S. Caribbean ish trap ishery in anticipation of management actions. Stratiied random interviews of one hundred ishermen revealed the presence of a diverse ishery, with appreciable inter-island diferences in levels of ishing dependence, ishing practices, and capital investment. High levels of ishing dependence were observed among ishermen in the U.S. Virgin Islands, whereas Puerto Rican ishermen exhibited a more diversi- ied livelihood strategy. Fishermen from St. Croix derived 62% of their household income from ish traps, signiicantly more than ishermen from St. homas/St. John and Puerto Rico, who derived 45% and 41%, respectively, of their household incomes from ish traps. he St. homas/St. John leet was also larger and more capital-in- tensive than the Crucian and Puerto Rican leets. his structural heterogeneity sug- gests that ishermen from the various islands may respond diferently to the same regulatory constraint. hus, targeted policies may be necessary to improve the so- cioeconomic performance of the ishery and the political acceptability of manage- ment actions. he ish trap ishery is the quintessential U.S. Caribbean ishery. his long-estab- lished ishery has provided sustenance, income, and employment to many small-scale ishing communities in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the Territory of the U.S. Virgin Islands (Fig. 1). he popularity of ish traps (or “pots” as they are known in the islands) lies in their ability to ish year-round with minimal supervision, which permits the simultaneous pursuit of other economic activities, as well as ishing with other gears. Moreover, traps can easily be set and hauled from small craft (Fiedler and Jarvis, 1932; Jarvis, 1932; Sylvester and Dammann, 1972). During the past decade, the issue of gear-habitat interactions began attracting more scrutiny in ishery management circles. In the U.S. Caribbean, conservation groups, ishery managers, ishermen, and the general public became concerned over the potential damage caused by the haphazard setting and hauling of traps and the ensuing impacts on coral reef habitats and resource productivity and ecosystem re- silience (Sheridan et al., 2003). he limited selectivity of ish traps was another source of concern. Pots are commonly used in coral reefs and related habitats, where they catch a variety of species including spiny lobsters, snappers, groupers, grunts, par- rotish, and surgeonish. Many reef-ish species, especially groupers, are particularly vulnerable to overishing due to their life history characteristics, which include slow growth, delayed reproduction, sedentary behavior, and highly aggregated spawning events. For example, Nassau and goliath groupers remain overexploited despite bans on commercial harvest activities since the early 1990s (Sadovy and Eklund, 1999). Despite the controversies associated with trap ishing, few regulations are in place. hese measures primarily rely on minimum mesh size and biodegradable panel and door fasteners. Additionally, the setting of traps, bottom longlines, and