Observation and collection of deep-reef fishes off the coasts of Jamaica and British Honduras (Belize)

Over 60 species of reef fishes were observed from submersibles between 50 and 305 m depth, and 25 species were collected from the same depth range using fish traps and submersibles. Short transects gave relative abundance of some species with depth. Many shallow-water coral-reef fishes reach depths far below the lower growth limits of reef-building corals. A true “deep-reef” fauna exists, but the juveniles of some of these species are found at depths of less than 50 m.