Considering multiple-species attributes to understand better the effects of successive changes in protection status on a coral reef fish assemblage

Published source details Preuss B., Pelletier D., Wantiez L., Letourneur Y., Sarramégna S., Kulbicki M., Galzin R. & Ferraris J. (2009) Considering multiple-species attributes to understand better the effects of successive changes in protection status on a coral reef fish assemblage. ICES Journal of Marine Science, 66, 170-179.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

	Action	Category
	Cease or prohibit all types of fishing in a marine protected area Action Link

Cease or prohibit all types of fishing in a marine protected area

A before-and-after, site comparison study in 1993–2001 of an area of coral reef in the southwest Pacific Ocean, off New Caledonia (Preuss et al. 2009) found that over a nine year period, a marine reserve closed consecutively to all fishing for 5 years had higher overall fish species richness, but not fish abundance and biomass, compared to an area with changing fishing restrictions (initially closed, then opened for two years, then closed again) during the same period. Average fish species richness varied between years but was greater overall in the permanent closure area (permanent: 21–24, non-permanent: 19–21). Overall fish abundance and biomass declined over time in both the permanent (abundance, 1993: 201, 2001: 133 fish/transect; biomass, 1993: 45, 2001: 13 kg/transect) and non-permanent closure areas (abundance, 1993: 220, 2001: 163 fish/transect; biomass, 1993: 27, 2001: 15 kg/transect) but no effect of changes in area management were detected. However, differences between areas were reported for fish species groups divided up by size, feeding habit, mobility, and interest to fisheries (see paper for group individual results). Fish were surveyed at the Aboré reef reserve (15,000 ha, all fishing prohibited in the entire reserve in August 1988) in two areas with different management regime histories: one third closed to fishing since 1998, and two thirds closed in 1988, opened from September 1993 and closed again in September 1995. Diver underwater visual surveys were done in July 1993 (60 transects across entire closure area), July 1995 (48 transects in closed and 62 in open areas) and 2001 (42 transects across entire closure). Transects were 50 m long and fish were recorded by species and size.

(Summarised by: Khatija Alliji)