20 June 2010 Spotted rose snapper (Lutjanus guttatus) aquaculture research and development as socio-economic alternative for Costa Rican fishing communities A. Herrera-Ulloa1, J. Chacón-Guzmán2, G. Zúñiga-Calero2, R. JiménezMontealegre3 In Costa Rica, fisheries are a small component of the national economy (< 0.5 percent GDP); 5.8 kg/person was the average seafood consumption by 2001 (FAO 2004). Figure 1 shows fish landings and freshwater aquaculture production in Costa Rica. Aquaculture showed an average growth of 26 percent from 1998 to 2004, and tilapia represented 80 percent of total production (19,000 t by 2004). At the same time, the artisanal fishing sector showed decreasing captures rates year by year (INCOPESCA 2006). Spotted Rose Snapper The spotted rose snapper (Lutjanus guttatus) is one of the main target coastal species, but landings are decreasing in quantity and size. Reports include a mean capture size of 50 cm with gill nets and 38 cm with bottom long lines, but mean capture size has diminished to 43 cm with gill nets. This shows that the fishing effort on the population is excessive and requires protection management for sustainable exploitation (Vargas 1999). Distribution of spotted rose snapper extends from the Gulf of California to Peru; adults live on coastal reefs to a depth of 30 m (Fischer et al. 1995) or in rocky areas. The species has asynchronous development of the gonads with partial spawning (Arellano-Martínez et al. 2001). Spawning peaks in April and October (Rojas 1996). The fish is caught by artisanal fishermen using gill nets and bottom long lines and as by-catch by shrimp trawlers. Most landings of the spotted rose snapper occur in the Costa Rican northern Pacific and in the southern zone of the Gulf of Nicoya (Figure 2). Spotted rose snapper have many attributes suitable for aquaculture, such as spontaneous reproduction under appropriate captive conditions, high value and an unsatisfied demand on international markets. Surveys of fish markets determined that dressed spotted rose snapper wholesale price ranged from US$2.91 to US$4.50/Kg. Official statistics show prices from US$2.33 by the fish receiver, up to US$5.14 in supermarkets (INCOPESCA 2006). In Miami, which is the main fresh fish export market, prices go from Fig. 1. Fish landings and aquaculture production (tons) along the Costa Rican coast, 1998 to 2004 (INCOPESCA 2006). Fig. 2. Costa Rica and the Gulf of Nicoya.
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