amount reported in 1995.

And the total weight of last year's catch exceeded a million pounds for the first time since the fish pot ban was imposed in 1990.

The news comes in the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries release of Bermuda's commercial fishery's catch and effort statistics for 1996.

At the same time, the amount of fishing effort -- measured by hours spent at sea -- expended to catch 1,005,374 pounds of fish dropped 2.8 percent from 92,534 hours in 1995 to 89,983.

The report noted that virtually all effort continued to be expended on traditional fishing methods, notably hook-and-line and net fishing.

Only one or two operators seriously pursued alternative methods such as surface longlining.

Much of the traditional effort was directed toward species previously caught in pots such as jacks and snappers. Pelagic species continued to be major components of the industry.

The report stated that the seasonal closure of three protected areas between May 1 and August 31 have also influenced figures as it reduced traditional edge and deep reef fishing which protected large grouper species.

Further protection for these fish was afforded by bag limits which dissuaded fishermen and forced their attention elsewhere.

A breakdown of statistics by species of fish in the report illustrated that while grouper landings increased 12 percent over 1995 to 104,413 pounds, this represented little more than 11,000 pounds of fish which can mainly be attributed to the increase in reported landings of coney.

Together with red hind and barber, these three species accounted for 92 percent of total grouper landings. Reported landings of black grouper decreased probably because of new legislation which limited catches of this species to one boat per day.

Jack landings plummeted 23 percent to 144,248 pounds with a very significant decrease reported for blue runners, a species largely take by net fishermen.

The decreased landings could have been caused by a reduction of net fishing effort, said the report.

Snappers also recorded a drop in reported landings with ten percent less fish being taken last year in comparison to 1995 but the species still remained an important component of the fishery with 74,262 pounds being taken.

Reported landings in the category of miscellaneous reef fishes increased by some 50 percent with a total of 122,334 pounds being landed.

Sixty percent of this figure was made up of turbot. Landings of this species rose by close to 23,000 pounds, about half the total increase.

Meanwhile catches of true reef fish were maintained at an incidental level.

This category includes the herbivorous parrot fish which is difficult to capture with traditionally used fishing methods.

The report noted that prior to the fish pot ban, parrot fish were the single largest group taken by the pot fishery. Additional protection was afforded this group in 1993 when parrot fish were given protected species status.

Landings of tuna and other pelagic species leapt 12 percent -- almost 50,000 pounds -- to 447,750 and comprised almost 45 percent of total reported finfish landings.

In particular, yellowfin tuna landings were up by 50,000 pounds over those taken in 1995 and represented the highest level ever reported for this species.

Wahoo landings also advanced 10,000 pounds over 1995 levels indicating an increase in directed effort toward this species and the yellowfin, said the report.

In the category of shellfish, 10,360 legal-sized spiny lobsters were taken representing a slight decline in comparison to 1995. The decrease was attributed to poor weather which hampered divers.