| Title | Goliath grouper Epinephelus itajara conservation in Cuba |
|---|---|
| Subtitle | A protected area, ecotourism and f isheries effort |
| Contributor | Fabián Pina Amargós(author) |
| Tamara Figueredo Martín (author) | |
| Yunier Olivera Espinosa (author) | |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.11647/obp.0395.03 |
| Landing page | https://www.openbookpublishers.com/books/10.11647/obp.0395/chapters/10.11647/obp.0395.03 |
| License | https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ |
| Copyright | Fabián Pina Amargó; Tamara Figueredo Martín; Yunier Olivera Espinosa; |
| Publisher | Open Book Publishers |
| Published on | 2025-01-30 |
| Long abstract | Fabián Pina Amargós, Tamara Figueredo Martín, and Yunier Olivera Espinosa, focus on the conservation challenges around the Goliath grouper Epinephelus itajara in Cuba. Initially the subject of a targeted fishery, this long-lived species became rare and was subjected to several conservation efforts, including marine protected areas, better management of fishing effort and impacts, and a shift toward ecotourism to protect and value this species, all in the context of interesting formal and informal governance in Cuba. |
| Page range | pp. 27–44 |
| Print length | 18 pages |
| Language | English (Original) |
Fabián Pina Amargós PhD is a professor of Protected Areas at the Center for Marine Research at the University of Havana and an environmental consultant with Avalon Diving Operations in Cuba. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Biology from the University of Havana, a Master’s degree in Marine Affairs from Dalhousie University in Canada, and a PhD in Biological Sciences from the University of Havana. His research interests include fish community structure, megafauna, marine protected areas (MPAs) design and performance, movement and MPA- fish spillover, status of tropical ecosystems, integrated coastal zone management, hurricane impacts on tropical ecosystems, the status of fisheries, environmental issues of recreational fishing and SCUBA diving, fish biodiversity, and environmental economics. He has published over 50 papers and book chapters in a variety of refereed scientific journals in ecology and economics. He has led many scientific projects in Cuba’s iconic marine protected area, the Jardines de la Reina National Park. He has also been involved in the declaration of marine reserves and protected areas in Cuba. He is the recipient of numerous awards including a Pew Fellowship in Marine Conservation (2012) and six Cuban Academy of Science Awards (2004, 2008, 2009, 2014, 2021).
Tamara Figueredo Martín MSc. is an Environmental consultant with Avalon Diving Operations in Cuba, and also a professor of Economy and Environment at the Center for Marine Research of the University of Havana, Cuba. She has a bachelor's degree in Economics from the University of Camagüey, Cuba, and a master's degree in Integrated Coastal Zone Management from the University of Havana. Her interests include natural resource and ecological economics, marine protected areas design and performance, integrated coastal zone management, the status of fisheries, megafauna, the status of tropical ecosystems, environmental issues of recreational fishing and SCUBA diving, ecotourism and socioeconomic issues and environmental planning. She has published papers in a variety of refereed outlets in economics and integrated coastal zone management. She has worked on many scientific projects in Cuba’s iconic marine protected area, Jardines de la Reina National Park. She has been involved in the declaration of marine reserves and protected areas in Cuba. She received a grant for researchers coming from developing countries to participate in the Twelfth International BIOECON Conference in 2010 and was awarded one Cuban Academy of Science Award (2014).
Yunier Olivera Espinosa is an associate researcher at the Centro de Investigaciones de Ecosistemas Costeros in Cuba and a doctoral student at the National Polytechnic Institute in Mexico, specializing in the assessment and improvement of management strategies for Cuba's marine fisheries. He holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of the East, Cuba, and a Master's degree in Marine Ecology from the University of Havana. Yunier's research focuses on fisheries science and management, coral reefs, and fish ecology, emphasizing data analysis to inform sustainable practices. He has made signigicant contributions to the field, with over 15 publications, including papers and book chapters that delve into coral reef ecology, marine biodiversity conservation, and fisheries research.