Coral expert Thad Murdoch has warned that Bermuda’s reef system would end up a flat, algae-covered rockscape if parrotfish were fished to any great lengths.

He was speaking after the Fisheries Department found more than 40 speared parrotfish, a protected species, on the seabed.

Mr Murdoch, who has been a coral reef scientist for 23 has a doctorate in Marine Science, and who is chief scientist for the Bermuda Reef Ecosystem Analysis and Monitoring programme, told The Royal Gazette: “Parrotfish eat the algae that grows on the reefs and the algae competes with coral for space.

“If we didn’t have parrotfish the algae would dominate the reefs.

That is bad because corals grow new reefs but algae doesn’t so our reefs would erode and their capacity to stop storm damage or to provide habitat for other types of fish and everything else that lives on the reefs would go away.

“Other countries that have wiped out parrot fish from their reefs end up with really flat reefs with no coral and loads of algae.

“Eventually the reef surface erodes deeper and deeper, time and storm damage increases.

“Parrotfish have a much more important role living on the reefs than they do dead on a plate.”

Fisheries wardens reported a person acting in a suspicious manner while snorkelling on Wednesday morning in the area of Cooper’s Island.

The snorkeller would not respond to enquiries or show his face, simply showing his empty hands and swimming off.

The wardens retraced his path and found a spear with a string with 42 recently speared fish on the seabed in shallow water — plus another recently speared fish floating on the surface.

It is understood that as the wardens did not see the man in the act they were unable to reprimand him.

Parrotfish have been protected under Bermuda law since 1993 and the Fisheries Act 1972 provides for a fine of up to $50,000 for violations involving species listed under the Fisheries (Protected Species) Order 1978.

Spear fishing requires a licence, and is not permitted within one nautical mile of the shore unless the fish is a lionfish for which special permissions have been granted as they pose a threat to Bermuda’s native and endemic fish species. Spear fishing is limited to two fish per species per day except for rockfish for which one per boat per day is permitted.

Founder of the Bermuda Spear Fishing and Free Diving Association Odilio Angeli said he was shocked to hear of the news.

He warned offenders that his organisation, which has 200 members, actively seeks out illegal fishing practices around the Island.

He said: “I just can not believe it, I am absolutely shocked. We condemn this. We do what we can to protect the reefs — we report to Fisheries if we see any illegal traps or fishing.

“This year I found a rockfish in a pot and we freed it. That was the only time I saw an illegal fish pot.”

Weldon Wade, spear fisherman and founder of marine conservation organisation Bermuda Ocean Explorers said: “My phone has been ringing off the hook this morning. Seeing this, as a person who is trying to conserve and protect the marine environment, it is very shocking.

“It makes all spear fishermen look bad. So many of us are trying to deal with the lionfish problem. It is too bad we have people hunting protected species. We don’t even know who it was. Enforcement always seems to be a problem.”

The fisheries wardens said that given the quantity of fish involved, it seemed likely that they had been intended for sale. A spokesman said: “The public and restaurateurs are reminded that purchasing fish, particularly speared fish, from anyone who is not a registered fisherman is an offence under the Fisheries Act, and that simply being in possession of dead parrotfish puts them in violation of the Fisheries (Protected Species) Order as well.”

Anyone with information regarding this incident, or other illegal fishing activity, should contact the fisheries wardens on 705-3474 or 293-5600, or send an e-mail to fisheries@gov.bm.