The U.S. government is imposing limits on the number of fish that commercial and recreational fishermen can catch in the waters it controls in the Caribbean, saying previous types of restrictions haven't protected dwindling populations of dozens of species.
The new limits cover the waters off Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands and went into effect Monday, angering fishermen who say the restrictions on species including the highly prized spiny lobster and queen conch will endanger their livelihood.
Federal authorities concede the industry in the territories could lose more than $1 million a year. But creating a healthy reef ecosystem is a priority, Roy Crabtree, southeast regional administrator for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, said this week.
"If we overfish our stocks, that's likely to have an even greater economic impact," he said.
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