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DO YOU HAVE A DIFFERENT NAME?

Epinephelus guttatus has entered its closu period starting in December. This seasonal closure will end on February 28th. Many people know it as the red hind, and in local Spanish in Puerto Rico, cabrilla or cherna.

Do you know any other name for this fish? What are some of the other species you fish for when the red hind is under closure? Comment on these questions in our social media!

When talking about master anglers in Puerto Rico, we have to mention Luis Alberto “Berto” Román Candelaria, a fisherman hailing from Arecibo who made a name for himself for his passion for learning, teaching, and sharing. Berto was born on August 29, 1956, to a humble family. His father was a fisherman, and both he and his brother learned how to fish from an early age.

As we were told by his daughter Saraí L. Román Molina and his wife Magda Molina Cruz, Berto began fishing as a family pastime, but it became his work and his passion. He liked studying nature and the ocean. He enjoyed it and spent most of his time reading about the sea and exploring new things. Both Saraí and Magda describe him as an exemplary father and husband, who always gave his best effort for his family.

They also told us how Berto would spend hours studying nautical charts, maps, and any book he could find in digital form. He was a very organized man, willing to help whoever needed it without any reservations, passionate about everything he did, with a firm character and strong convictions but also with a genuine heart. Many other fisherfolk can give their own testimony of just how authentic his interest in collaborating and helping others was.

“Berto was kind enough to close shop. The first thing he did was pull out a map. I remember that Berto had a nautical chart and he explained it to me, how the drops were arranged. Essentially, at that time, nobody knew what bathymetry was; he, in layman’s terms, was explaining bathymetry to me, ” narrated fisherman and businessman Javier Arroyo.

Berto dedicated a large part of his time to collaborating with science. There are plenty of research projects in which he is mentioned in some capacity, given his extensive knowledge of deepwater snapper fishing. He made significant contributions during the many voyages incurred by the NOAA research ships Nautilus, Okeanos Explorer and Nancy Foster.

He especially enjoyed the NOAA ship exploration journeys and the proposals for using remotely operated vehicles by the CFMC. Berto assisted with the identification of the potential areas for finding queen snappers. ” His initiative and disposition were key to several research projects", Dr. Graciela García-Moliner, CFMC FMP and Habitat Specialist, said. His participation in them was priceless.

“Berto was always ready to collaborate by providing information to the scientists and answering important questions. He by being willing to find solutions and offer his insights. He was diplomatic when negotiating work at sea. He wanted to learn about the scientific work taking place and he recognized how important collaboration is when managing fisheries.

“Berto quickly showed me he was a master in deep-sea fishing, he had thousands of fishing spots noted in his GPS all over Puerto Rico’s coasts, with annotations describing species and sizes. He knew the ocean bottom, the bathymetry of its fishing areas, and the currents better than anyone I’ve ever known. Furthermore, he never held anything back; he enjoyed offering his knowledge and his fishing data, he was an invaluable collaborator in NOAA-sponsored projects with the CFMC. The information he provided to the NOAA/CFMC project about his fishing spots shows the distribution of queen snappers and yellowfin mojarras along the ocean bottom at depths of 200 –400 m in western Puerto Rico, a very significant contribution to our knowledge of these and many other species that were captured during his short participation in this research project,” expressed Dr. Jorge García-Sais, CFMC researcher who spent a large amount of time with Berto during the course of the project.

“In all the occasions in which I shared ideas, topics, or roundtable discussions with Berto, he personified firmness, elegance, and professionalism as very few people could. It was wonderful to have a different opinion only to later come to agree with him, since we both understood the value of mutual respect. As time went on, he became to me much more than a great fisherman; he was and will always be a natural leader. His legacy as a leader is still present in all of us who spent time with him!” added Marcos Henke Herrero, CFMC President.

The CFMC would like to thank the following persons for the information they provided: Magda Molina Cruz (Berto’s wife), Saraí L Román Molina (Berto’s daughter), Graciela García Moliner (CFMC), Javier Arroyo (fisherman and businessman), Reni García Sais (researcher). Pictures were provided by Saraí. The CMFC would also like to extend their deepest sympathies and condolences to Berto Román’s family and loved ones, and acknowledges his priceless contributions to the fishing community and to science It was a privilege knowing you Rest in peace!