A SURVEY OF FISHES FROM VARIOUS CORAL-REEF HABITATS WITHIN THE CAYOS-COCHINOS MARINE RESERVE, HONDURAS

This paper describes reef fish populations within the recently establi shed Cayos Cochinos Biological Reserve (November 1993), a small archip elago of islands and reefs lying 10 km north of the Honduran coast. Af ter years of commercial exploitation, only subsistence-artisanal level hand-line fishing is now permitted in the Reserve. Three census metho ds (random swims, stationary counts, and transect surveys) were employ ed using SCUBA and snorkel to determine overall species richness and a bundance within five habitat types (shallow Semi-protected reef; shall ow exposed reef; shallow back reef comprising areas of grass, sand, an d rubble; deep reef; and offshore reef). These, surveys revealed a div erse reef fish community, with a total of 226 species reported for the area. These data provide the first quantitative assessment of fish po pulations in the area and the necessary baseline information for subse quent studies in the preserve. The densities reported here suggest tha t historical fishing pressure has reduced the diversity and abundance of commercially important species, and has had and important impact up on various aspects of the reef community structure.