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Joubert E, Gauff RPM, de Vogüé B, Chavanon F, Ravel C, Bouchoucha M. Artificial fish nurseries can restore certain nursery characteristics in marine urban habitats. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 190:106108. [PMID: 37506652 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2023.106108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Revised: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023]
Abstract
Port areas are subjected to multiple anthropic pressures that directly impact residing marine communities and deprive them of most of their essential ecological functions. Several global projects aim to rehabilitate certain ecosystem functions in port areas, such as a fish nursery function, by installing artificial fish nurseries (AFN). In theory, AFNs increase fish biodiversity and juvenile fish abundance in port areas, but studies on this subject remain scarce. Thus, the present study aimed to examine whether the use of such AFNs could restore part of the nursery function of natural habitats by increasing fish and juvenile abundance, and by decreasing predation intensity compared to bare docks. Two years of monitoring on AFNs showed they hosted 2.1 times more fish than on control docks and up to 2.4 more fish juveniles. Fish community structures were influenced by both treatment (AFN and Control) and year of monitoring. In general, AFNs hosted a greater taxonomic diversity of fish than controls. The predation intensity around these structures was significantly lower in the AFNs than in controls. Part of the definition of a fish nursery was thus verified, indicating that AFNs might be an effective restoration tool. However, we also noted that total fish abundance and Young of the Year (YOY) abundance decreased in controls, possibly due to a concentration effect. Further detailed monitoring is necessary to distinguish between these effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Etienne Joubert
- Ifremer, Lab Environm Ressources Provence Azur Corse, CS 20330, F-83507 La Seyne Sur Mer, France.
| | - Robin P M Gauff
- Chioggia Hydrobiological Station "Umberto D'Ancona", Department of Biology, University of Padova, Chioggia, Italy
| | - Benoist de Vogüé
- Ifremer, Lab Environm Ressources Provence Azur Corse, CS 20330, F-83507 La Seyne Sur Mer, France
| | - Fabienne Chavanon
- Ifremer, Lab Environm Ressources Provence Azur Corse, CS 20330, F-83507 La Seyne Sur Mer, France
| | - Christophe Ravel
- Ifremer, Lab Environm Ressources Provence Azur Corse, CS 20330, F-83507 La Seyne Sur Mer, France
| | - Marc Bouchoucha
- Ifremer, Lab Environm Ressources Provence Azur Corse, CS 20330, F-83507 La Seyne Sur Mer, France
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Di Lorenzo M, Calò A, Di Franco A, Milisenda G, Aglieri G, Cattano C, Milazzo M, Guidetti P. Small-scale fisheries catch more threatened elasmobranchs inside partially protected areas than in unprotected areas. Nat Commun 2022; 13:4381. [PMID: 35945205 PMCID: PMC9363485 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-32035-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Elasmobranchs are heavily impacted by fishing. Catch statistics are grossly underestimated due to missing data from various fishery sectors such as small-scale fisheries. Marine Protected Areas are proposed as a tool to protect elasmobranchs and counter their ongoing depletion. We assess elasmobranchs caught in 1,256 fishing operations with fixed nets carried out in partially protected areas within Marine Protected Areas and unprotected areas beyond Marine Protected Areas borders at 11 locations in 6 Mediterranean countries. Twenty-four elasmobranch species were recorded, more than one-third belonging to the IUCN threatened categories (Vulnerable, Endangered, or Critically Endangered). Catches per unit of effort of threatened and data deficient species were higher (with more immature individuals being caught) in partially protected areas than in unprotected areas. Our study suggests that despite partially protected areas having the potential to deliver ecological benefits for threatened elasmobranchs, poor small-scale fisheries management inside Marine Protected Areas could hinder them from achieving this important conservation objective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manfredi Di Lorenzo
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Sicily Marine Center, Lungomare Cristoforo Colombo (complesso Roosevelt), 90149, Palermo, Italy.
| | - Antonio Calò
- Department of Earth and Marine sciences (DiSTeM), University of Palermo, Via Archirafi 20-22, 90123, Palermo, Italy
| | - Antonio Di Franco
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Sicily Marine Center, Lungomare Cristoforo Colombo (complesso Roosevelt), 90149, Palermo, Italy.
| | - Giacomo Milisenda
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Sicily Marine Center, Lungomare Cristoforo Colombo (complesso Roosevelt), 90149, Palermo, Italy
| | - Giorgio Aglieri
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Sicily Marine Center, Lungomare Cristoforo Colombo (complesso Roosevelt), 90149, Palermo, Italy
- Department of Earth and Marine sciences (DiSTeM), University of Palermo, Via Archirafi 20-22, 90123, Palermo, Italy
- CoNISMa, Piazzale Flaminio 9, 00196, Rome, Italy
| | - Carlo Cattano
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Sicily Marine Center, Lungomare Cristoforo Colombo (complesso Roosevelt), 90149, Palermo, Italy
- Department of Earth and Marine sciences (DiSTeM), University of Palermo, Via Archirafi 20-22, 90123, Palermo, Italy
- CoNISMa, Piazzale Flaminio 9, 00196, Rome, Italy
| | - Marco Milazzo
- Department of Earth and Marine sciences (DiSTeM), University of Palermo, Via Archirafi 20-22, 90123, Palermo, Italy
- CoNISMa, Piazzale Flaminio 9, 00196, Rome, Italy
| | - Paolo Guidetti
- Department of Integrative Marine Ecology (EMI), Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn-National Institute of Marine Biology, Ecology and Biotechnology, Genoa Marine Centre, 16126, Genoa, Italy
- National Research Council, Institute for the Study of Anthropic Impact and sustainability in the Marine Environment (CNR-IAS), Via de Marini 6, 16149, Genova, Italy
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Watson AS, Hickford MJH, Schiel DR. Freshwater reserves for fisheries conservation and enhancement of a widespread migratory fish. J Appl Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Andrew S. Watson
- Marine Ecology Research Group School of Biological Sciences University of Canterbury Christchurch New Zealand
| | - Michael J. H. Hickford
- Marine Ecology Research Group School of Biological Sciences University of Canterbury Christchurch New Zealand
| | - David R. Schiel
- Marine Ecology Research Group School of Biological Sciences University of Canterbury Christchurch New Zealand
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Assis J, Fragkopoulou E, Serrão EA, Horta E Costa B, Gandra M, Abecasis D. Weak biodiversity connectivity in the European network of no-take marine protected areas. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 773:145664. [PMID: 33940752 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2020] [Revised: 01/20/2021] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The need for international cooperation in marine resource management and conservation has been reflected in the increasing number of agreements aiming for effective and well-connected networks of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). However, the extent to which individual MPAs are connected remains mostly unknown. Here, we use a biophysical model tuned with empirical data on species dispersal ecology to predict connectivity of a vast spectrum of biodiversity in the European network of marine reserves (i.e., no-take MPAs). Our results highlight the correlation between empirical propagule duration data and connectivity potential and show weak network connectivity and strong isolation for major ecological groups, resulting from the lack of direct connectivity corridors between reserves over vast regions. The particularly high isolation predicted for ecosystem structuring species (e.g., corals, sponges, macroalgae and seagrass) might potentially undermine biodiversity conservation efforts if local retention is insufficient and unmanaged populations are at risk. Isolation might also be problematic for populations' persistence in the light of climate change and expected species range shifts. Our findings provide novel insights for management directives, highlighting the location of regions requiring additional marine reserves to function as stepping-stone connectivity corridors.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Assis
- CCMAR - Centre of Marine Sciences, University of Algarve, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal.
| | - E Fragkopoulou
- CCMAR - Centre of Marine Sciences, University of Algarve, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
| | - E A Serrão
- CCMAR - Centre of Marine Sciences, University of Algarve, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
| | - B Horta E Costa
- CCMAR - Centre of Marine Sciences, University of Algarve, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
| | - M Gandra
- CCMAR - Centre of Marine Sciences, University of Algarve, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
| | - D Abecasis
- CCMAR - Centre of Marine Sciences, University of Algarve, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
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