The damsel bass, commonly referred to as Hypoplectrus spp. or “hamlets,” are small, vibrantly colored reef fish found throughout the tropical western Atlantic, particularly in the Caribbean Sea. While not a major target of large-scale commercial fisheries, damsel bass are occasionally harvested for the aquarium trade and as a minor food source in some coastal communities. The top countries involved in the harvesting of damsel bass include the Bahamas, Cuba, and other Caribbean nations such as Jamaica and the Dominican Republic, where artisanal fishers may catch them using handlines or traps. These countries benefit from the rich biodiversity of their coral reefs, which support small-scale fishing industries that rely on a variety of reef fish, including the damsel bass. However, due to their small size and limited commercial value, damsel bass are not a primary focus of industrial fisheries, and their populations are generally considered stable, though they remain vulnerable to habitat degradation and overfishing of reef ecosystems.
| Rank | Country | Metric Tons |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ecuador | 518 |
Data from FAO. 2025. Global Capture Production. In: Fisheries and Aquaculture.