Trophic and benthic responses to no-take marine reserve protection in the Philippines

Published source details Stockwell B., Jadloc C.R.L., Abesamis R.A., Alcala A.C. & Russ G.R. (2009) Trophic and benthic responses to no-take marine reserve protection in the Philippines. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 389, 1-15.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

	Action	Category
	Designate a Marine Protected Area and prohibit all types of fishing and collection Action Link

Designate a Marine Protected Area and prohibit all types of fishing and collection

A replicated, paired, site comparison study in 2006–2008 in 30 coral reef sites in central Philippines (Stockwell et al. 2009) found that in protected areas that prohibited all types of fishing and collection, coral cover did not increase with duration of protection. There was no relationship between hard coral cover and duration of protection in protected areas (16–68% cover, 0.5–11 years of protection) or in adjacent unprotected areas (6–54% cover, 0.5–11 years since protection started in adjacent areas). Soft corals similarly showed no relationship (no data reported). Fifteen protected areas, managed by local communities, were selected with duration of protection ranging from six months to 11 years. Fifteen unprotected (fished) sites were also selected, 11 adjacent to the protected areas (<500 m away), and four <2 km away. In 2006–2008, surveys were conducted along 50 × 10 m transects (six transects/site), and benthic cover was recorded every 0.5 m (100 points/transect).

(Summarised by: William Morgan)