And it is expected to have significant effects on the overall ecology of Bermuda's vibrant reefs.

Senior Fisheries Officer Dr. Brian Luckhurst produced the second report since the fishpot ban was introduced in 1990. He has been carrying out a visual census of the reefs in four study sites.

Dr. Luckhurst said: "The principle objective of this study is to determine if the various reef stocks which were harvested by fish pots have shown evidence of a recovery since the fishpot ban went into effect in April 1990.

"A fishery-independent assessment was selected because of various problems associated with using fishpots for research purposes.'' As of December a total of 990 censuses had been completed indicating a list of 69 species in 24 families, with parrot fish comprising the largest group in terms of the total "biomass.'' The biomass is the total weight of fish in a specific area giving the census-takers an idea which type of fish is most abundant.

In the census areas parrot fish, in their various forms, comprise between 37 and 68 percent of the total biomass of the reef fish communities.

Dr. Luckhurst said: "As the parrot fish is an important grazer of algae on the reef, it is clear that their abundance will have significant effects on the overall ecology of our coral reefs.

"The other important group of grazers, the surgeon fish, form a smaller but still ecologically significant component of the fish communities.'' In the report Dr. Luckhurst concentrates on Princess parrot fish and Redband parrot fish showing significant differences in the abundance of both species over the previous two years. Similarly Queen parrot fish have also increased.

The figures for 1993/94 show a more healthy population of parrot fish than in the previous two years.

Dr. Luckhurst said: "Ongoing analysis of abundance estimates from other ecologically-important species in these communities will reveal how widespread this trend of increased abundance has become, but parrot fish have clearly demonstrated that the overall process of recovery appears to have commenced.'' The census also looks at the size of the fish and Dr. Luckhurst has noticed increases. He said: "The most probable explanation is that the individuals in the population have grown quite rapidly and as they are no longer being taken by the fishery, a larger proportion are surviving to the largest sizes.

"That is, they are living longer when only natural mortality is acting on the population.'' During the census it has also been noticed that the parrot fish spawning season is longer than was previously believed.

Dr. Luckhurst said: "As more data are collected,it may be possible to determine if extended spawning periods in Bermuda's sub-tropical waters are more common than was originally thought.''