Stronger enforcement enhances the status of coral reef fishes in Cuba

Coral reef teleost fish and sharks (hereafter “fishes”) are key components of healthy and functioning ecosystems, and contribute to nutrient cycling, energy transfer, food, and recreation. Unfortunately, the population status of many reef fishes is poor worldwide, including the Caribbean, due to human factors, mainly overfishing. In Cuba, the health of fish populations is largely unknown as standardized data across Cuban waters are unavailable. To increase data and understanding on the status of Cuban coral reef fishes this study collected standardized data on fish biomass, the coral reef ecosystem, and human and natural factors at 69 sites within 23 reefs across the Cuban archipelago. The biomass of large fishes varied notably among the shelf zones, but the characteristics of the zones linked to this result are unclear. There is no strong evidence that habitat complexity or the number of habitats influence the relative biomass of large or small fish but both habitat features seemed to influence the biomass of medium fish. However, we found strong evidence that higher levels of environmental and fishery enforcement are associated with higher biomasses of large fishes and the presence of sharks, resulting in significantly different fish assemblages on well-managed reefs. We recommend strengthening partnerships among fishery and protected area managers, tourism operators, scientists, and other stakeholders to replicate and scale models of successful fisheries management and enforcement across Cuba to improve coral reef conservation and fisheries outcomes.