The French West Indies report by Myriam BOUAZIZ & Guillaume PERRIN

Annual catches Martinique No recent estimation / Total fleet : 16 to 27 vessels Increase of nets use and mostly freediving (1 to 9 vessels) Sampling on 210 animals : 215mm long / 14mm thick / 500g heavy Uses of shells as lime, opercula by local crafts and pearls emerging market (from 200 to 3000€ per unit sold directly by fishers) Guadeloupe In 2013, 20 tons (>75% by QC nets) Decrease of catches, especially from freediving Increase of the fleet : > +50% for every gear (56 to 127 vessels) Trammel nets substituting bottom gillnets

Conversion factors Martinique Field survey in October 2014 on 210 individuals 45% females vs. 65% males From the nominal weight, loss of 82% dirty / 88% half clean / 93% fillet Local grade : 8.4 conversion factor

Data Collection System Fishery Information System (HIS), designed by IFREMER, collects data in the French West Indies.

Policy & Legislation Martinique Catch of juveniles forbidden Recreational fishers allowed to catch 3 individuals per day New regulation ongoing Guadeloupe Only professional fishing (no juveniles) Closing season depth dependant Jan 1 – Sept 30 : m Feb 1 – Sept 30 : 0 - >25m Saint Bartholomew New legislation in 2015 Closing season : April 1 – Sept 30 Bottom gillnets forbidden Feb 1 – Aug 31

Fisheries management & Conservation activities Martinique & Guadeloupe New regulation ongoing (Martinique) : trammel nets forbidden & implementation of a close season from Feb 1 to Aug 31 Marine fisheries controls against poaching Enforcement of fishery regulations by annual fishery inspection plans to coordinate efforts of different official services involved Saint Bartholomew Catches declaration by professional fishers

Consumption & Trade Martinique Import from Jamaïca : 308,5 tons (80% frozen QC) No export Average selling price : 21,38€/kg (26,8 $US/kg) Illegal QC from abroad : 1,36 tons seized for a 22,000€ fine Guadeloupe Import from Jamaïca Over the last years, from 70 to 190 tons No export Average selling price : 20€/kg (25 $US/kg) One ton of illegal QC seized each year

Research & Stock assessment Martinique Thesis ongoing on sea turtles by catch by QC nets Guadeloupe By the Regional Committee of Fisheries Ressource assessment by video transects  Positive effect of the closure season  No significant effect of MPAs on QC densities Saint Bartholomew By the Environmental Territorial Agency (Natural Reserve) Transects method for abundance and distribution  Identify breeding areas and seasons  Quantify landings and maturity stages of catches

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