| Lagoon fish in New Caledonia are mainly caught by artisanal fisheries and subsistence fishing. Reef fish are the major component of this catch. The present study aimed at estimating these reef fish standing stocks and at finding the main factors influencing the distribution of these fish. Sampling of 904 stations was stratified according to three zones (north, east and west) and three reef types (barrier, intermediate and fringing). Fish communities exhibited strong heterogeneity in their distribution, showing higher biomass (maximum of 447 g.m(-2)) and total standing stock (43 000 tonnes) in the north zone than in the east and west zones. Similarly, observed patterns were dependent on reef types: higher biomass and total standing stock being observed on... |
