Community bioacoustics track Caribbean grouper recovery in Mexico
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In Punta Allen, Quintana Roo, Mexico, members of the Community Center for Underwater Research and Monitoring (CECIMS) are using hydrophones to listen to Caribbean groupers ( Epinephelus striatus) during their annual spawning season. Since 2016, the community created two Fishing Refuge Zones, grouper reproductive aggregations have rebounded in an area once nearly extinct, with up to 100 individuals observed per dive and over 1800 at the most populated site.
The Caribbean grouper is critically endangered, spawning annually at the same sites and under the same lunar conditions, making them vulnerable to overfishing, of 28 historical spawning sites known by local fishermen, only six have been scientifically validated. CECIMS’ ocean sensors have recorded a temperature increase of at least one degree Celsius in the water over the past decade. During the 2023-2024 coral bleaching event, the worst globally recorded, the sensors captured peak warming temperatures in real time.
The community’s monitoring efforts go beyond scientific data collection. They’ve established a model where local fishermen and divers actively participate in research, strengthening both scientific understanding and community involvement in conservation. This community-driven approach has proven successful. The Fishing Refuge Zones not only protect spawning sites but also empower local residents, fostering leadership across generations and providing opportunities for women in marine environments. CECIMS collaborates with researchers to analyze underwater sounds, identifying grouper vocalizations and tracking reproductive activity with precision.
This allows the community to monitor the health of the grouper population without constant diving, and provides data to support the renewal of the Refuge Zones. However, the success of these efforts is threatened by climate change and external development projects.
