Summary

In order to estimate (1) the trapping pressure within Virgin Islands National Park (VINP) waters, (2) the effect of fish traps on park marine resources (both fishes and habitats), and (3) the effectiveness of park regulations in protecting marine resources, traps set by fishers were visually observed and contents censused in situ in 1992, 1993, and 1994, around St. John (U.S. Virgin Islands), within and outside of park waters. A total of 1,340 individual fish (56 species and 23 families) were identified and their lengths estimated for the 211 of 285 visually censused traps that contained fish. This dataset includes for each censused trap: location, depth, substrate/habitat, trap type and construction details, in or out of park waters, and species and estimated fork length (in centimeters) of each individual fish in a trap. Analysis and interpretation of this dataset are provided in previous publications by the author.

First posted October 27, 2011