Fondation pour la Protection de la Biodiversite Marine

Rapid Survey of Haitian Fishing Villages Exploiting Resources at Navassa Island

2009

The United States Department of Commerce, National Marine Fisheries Service, Southeast Fisheries Science Center

For this project, FoProBiM targeted coastal communities along the Southwestern tip of Haiti located between Les Cayes to the south and Jmie to the north, especially those with fishers frequenting Navassa Island. Research was conducted to determine the number of fishers from each community along the coast of the target area frequenting Navassa Island and identify why fishers use certain types of gear (economics, habit, history, sustainability) and visit certain locations in the target area (correlation between gear types and location). FoProBiM also provided a participant on the 2008 research cruise to Navassa Island to undertake interviews of fishers at the island; continue data collection on numbers of fishers encountered, their home villages, and fishing methods used; and, with the shipboard research team, assist in the design of a method for collecting data from the fishers on their total catch at Navassa (before they leave the island for Haiti).

FY2008 CRCP Project ID 1056; Project Title: The Status and Exploitation of Reef Resources on Navassa Island; Principal Investigator: Margaret Miller