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Ulaş A, Özgül A, Göktürk D. A case study on blast fishing in illegal small scale fisheries in the Aegean Sea: Catch composition and observed external and internal abnormalities for 18 Osteichthyes fish species. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2024; 203:116414. [PMID: 38701603 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2024.116414] [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: 02/27/2024] [Revised: 04/19/2024] [Accepted: 04/20/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024]
Abstract
Blast fishing is an illegal, ecologically destructive fishing method, fatal for many fish species at large scales. Blast fishing using dynamite is preferred by the fishers, especially small scale fisheries in Turkey, as it requires minimal effort but still results in higher catches. In the current study, demonstration of 20 controlled real-time blasting results involves species composition, size of fish, catch rates, catch composition, commercial/discard ratios, CPUE estimates and clinical observations of external and internal abnormality symptoms of fish species. Blasting trials were carried out with special permission in limited numbers because of its harmful effect. The collected data was tested using PRIMER v6 and diversity indices were also analysed. For the similarity between collected species cluster analysis was used to examine the stability of the results. Multidimensional scaling (MDS) was also applied for the assessment of fish species in the catch. A total of 1014 individuals (63.8 kg) were collected and 18 fish species belonging to seven families were examined. According to laboratory examinations, it was found that blasting caused different external and internal abnormality symptoms in the sampled fish species during the study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Ulaş
- Ege University, Faculty of Fisheries, Department of Fish Capture and Processing Technology, Fishing Technology Section, 35100 Bornova, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Aytaç Özgül
- Ege University, Faculty of Fisheries, Department of Fish Capture and Processing Technology, Fishing Technology Section, 35100 Bornova, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Didem Göktürk
- Istanbul University Faculty of Aquatic Sciences, Department of Fisheries Technology and Management, 34134 Fatih, Istanbul, Turkey.
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2
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Leung SK, Mumby PJ. Mapping the susceptibility of reefs to rubble accumulation across the Great Barrier Reef. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2024; 196:211. [PMID: 38285268 PMCID: PMC10824869 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-024-12344-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 01/30/2024]
Abstract
Disturbance-induced rubble accumulations are described as "killing fields" on coral reefs as coral recruits suffer high post-settlement mortality, creating a bottleneck for reef recovery. The increasing frequency of coral bleaching events, that can generate rubble once coral dies, has heightened concerns that rubble beds will become more widespread and persistent. But we currently lack the tools to predict where rubble is most likely to accumulate. Here, we developed a modelling framework to identify areas that are likely to accumulate rubble on forereef slopes across the Great Barrier Reef. The algorithm uses new high-resolution bathymetric and geomorphic datasets from satellite remote sensing. We found that 47 km of reef slope (3% of the entire reef surveyed), primarily in the southern region, could potentially reach 50% rubble cover. Despite being statistically significant (p < 0.001), the effects of depth and aspect on rubble cover were minimal, with a 0.2% difference in rubble cover between deeper and shallower regions, as well as a maximum difference of 0.8% among slopes facing various directions. Therefore, we conclude that the effects of depth and aspect were insufficient to influence ecological processes such as larval recruitment and recovery in different coral communities. Maps of potential rubble accumulation can be used to prioritise surveys and potential restoration, particularly after major disturbances have occurred.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shu Kiu Leung
- Marine Spatial Ecology Lab, School of the Environment, University of Queensland, Level 5, Goddard Building, St. Lucia, QLD, Brisbane, 4072, Australia.
| | - Peter J Mumby
- Marine Spatial Ecology Lab, School of the Environment, University of Queensland, Level 5, Goddard Building, St. Lucia, QLD, Brisbane, 4072, Australia
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3
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Borbee EM, Ayu IP, Carvalho P, Restiana E, Setiawan F, Subhan B, Humphries AT, Madduppa H, Lane CE. Rubble fields shape planktonic protist communities in Indonesia at a local scale. J Eukaryot Microbiol 2023; 70:e12954. [PMID: 36401815 DOI: 10.1111/jeu.12954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Revised: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The Coral Triangle encompasses nearly 30% of the world's coral reefs and is widely considered the epicenter of marine biodiversity. Destructive fishing practices and natural disturbances common to this region damage reefs leaving behind fields of coral rubble. While the impacts of disturbances in these ecosystems are well documented on metazoans, we have a poor understanding of their impact on microbial communities at the base of the food web. We use metabarcoding to characterize protist community composition in sites of varying fisheries management schemes and benthic profiles across the island of Lombok, Indonesia. Our study shows that rubble coverage and net primary productivity are the strongest explainers of variation in protist communities across Lombok. More specifically, rubble fields are characterized by increases in small heterotrophic protists, including ciliates and cercozoans. In addition to shifts in heterotrophic protist communities, we also observed increases in diatom relative abundance in rubble fields, which corresponded to sites with higher net primary productivity. These results are the first to characterize protist communities in tropical marine rubble fields and provide insight on environmental factors potentially driving these shifts on a local scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin M Borbee
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Inna Puspa Ayu
- Department of Marine Science and Technology, Institut Pertainian Bogor, Bogor, Indonesia
| | - Paul Carvalho
- Department of Fisheries, Animal, and Veterinary Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Ester Restiana
- Department of Marine Science and Technology, Institut Pertainian Bogor, Bogor, Indonesia.,Department of Fisheries, University of Jambi, Jambi, Indonesia
| | - Fahkrizal Setiawan
- Department of Marine Science and Technology, Institut Pertainian Bogor, Bogor, Indonesia
| | - Beginer Subhan
- Department of Marine Science and Technology, Institut Pertainian Bogor, Bogor, Indonesia
| | - Austin T Humphries
- Department of Fisheries, Animal, and Veterinary Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Hawis Madduppa
- Department of Marine Science and Technology, Institut Pertainian Bogor, Bogor, Indonesia
| | - Christopher E Lane
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, Rhode Island, USA
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Victoria-Salazar I, González EJ, Meave JA, Ruiz-Zárate MÁ, Hernández-Arana HA. Stories told by corals, algae, and sea-urchins in a Mesoamerican coral reef: degradation trumps succession. PeerJ 2023; 11:e14680. [PMID: 36684679 PMCID: PMC9851048 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.14680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding the mechanisms that allow the permanence of coral reefs and the constancy of their characteristics is necessary to alleviate the effects of chronic environmental changes. After a disturbance, healthy coral reefs display trajectories that allow regaining coral cover and the establishment of framework building corals. Through a comparative approach, in a patch reef partially affected by a ship grounding, we analyzed the successional trajectories in affected and unaffected sectors. Fleshy algae (which do not promote the recruitment of corals) dominated the reef surface irrespective of the impact of the ship grounding incident. Acropora species had near-zero contributions to community structure, whereas non-framework building corals like Porites sp. had a slightly higher recruitment. Cover of coral and calcareous crustose algae decreased over time, and neither the latter nor adult coral colonies had any effect on the occurrence probabilities of small corals. Sea urchin (Diadema antillarum) densities were generally low, and thus unlikely to contribute to reverting algal dominance. The successional trajectories of the community in the impacted and non-impacted sectors of the coral patch reef agree with the inhibition successional model, leading to the development of a degraded state dominated by fleshy algae. It is probable that the stability and resilience of this degraded state are high due to the ability of fleshy algae to monopolize space, along with low coral recovery potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isael Victoria-Salazar
- Departamento de Sistemática y Ecología Acuática, El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, Chetumal, Quintana Roo, Mexico,Departamento de Ecología y Recursos Naturales, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Coyoacán, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Edgar J. González
- Departamento de Ecología y Recursos Naturales, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Coyoacán, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Jorge A. Meave
- Departamento de Ecología y Recursos Naturales, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Coyoacán, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Miguel-Ángel Ruiz-Zárate
- Departamento de Sistemática y Ecología Acuática, El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, Chetumal, Quintana Roo, Mexico
| | - Héctor A. Hernández-Arana
- Departamento de Sistemática y Ecología Acuática, El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, Chetumal, Quintana Roo, Mexico
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5
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Ceccarelli DM, McLeod IM, Boström-Einarsson L, Bryan SE, Chartrand KM, Emslie MJ, Gibbs MT, Gonzalez Rivero M, Hein MY, Heyward A, Kenyon TM, Lewis BM, Mattocks N, Newlands M, Schläppy ML, Suggett DJ, Bay LK. Substrate stabilisation and small structures in coral restoration: State of knowledge, and considerations for management and implementation. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0240846. [PMID: 33108387 PMCID: PMC7591095 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0240846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Coral reef ecosystems are under increasing pressure from local and regional stressors and a changing climate. Current management focuses on reducing stressors to allow for natural recovery, but in many areas where coral reefs are damaged, natural recovery can be restricted, delayed or interrupted because of unstable, unconsolidated coral fragments, or rubble. Rubble fields are a natural component of coral reefs, but repeated or high-magnitude disturbances can prevent natural cementation and consolidation processes, so that coral recruits fail to survive. A suite of interventions have been used to target this issue globally, such as using mesh to stabilise rubble, removing the rubble to reveal hard substrate and deploying rocks or other hard substrates over the rubble to facilitate recruit survival. Small, modular structures can be used at multiple scales, with or without attached coral fragments, to create structural complexity and settlement surfaces. However, these can introduce foreign materials to the reef, and a limited understanding of natural recovery processes exists for the potential of this type of active intervention to successfully restore local coral reef structure. This review synthesises available knowledge about the ecological role of coral rubble, natural coral recolonisation and recovery rates and the potential benefits and risks associated with active interventions in this rapidly evolving field. Fundamental knowledge gaps include baseline levels of rubble, the structural complexity of reef habitats in space and time, natural rubble consolidation processes and the risks associated with each intervention method. Any restoration intervention needs to be underpinned by risk assessment, and the decision to repair rubble fields must arise from an understanding of when and where unconsolidated substrate and lack of structure impair natural reef recovery and ecological function. Monitoring is necessary to ascertain the success or failure of the intervention and impacts of potential risks, but there is a strong need to specify desired outcomes, the spatial and temporal context and indicators to be measured. With a focus on the Great Barrier Reef, we synthesise the techniques, successes and failures associated with rubble stabilisation and the use of small structures, review monitoring methods and indicators, and provide recommendations to ensure that we learn from past projects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela M. Ceccarelli
- Marine Ecology Consultant, Nelly Bay, QLD, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, Townsville, QLD, Australia
- * E-mail: (DMC); (IMM)
| | - Ian M. McLeod
- TropWATER (Centre for Tropical Water and Aquatic Ecosystem Research), James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
- * E-mail: (DMC); (IMM)
| | - Lisa Boström-Einarsson
- TropWATER (Centre for Tropical Water and Aquatic Ecosystem Research), James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, United Kingdom
| | - Scott E. Bryan
- School of Earth & Atmospheric Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Kathryn M. Chartrand
- TropWATER (Centre for Tropical Water and Aquatic Ecosystem Research), James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | - Michael J. Emslie
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB 3 Townsville MC, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | - Mark T. Gibbs
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB 3 Townsville MC, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
- Division of Business Development, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Manuel Gonzalez Rivero
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB 3 Townsville MC, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | - Margaux Y. Hein
- TropWATER (Centre for Tropical Water and Aquatic Ecosystem Research), James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | - Andrew Heyward
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Indian Ocean Marine Research Centre, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Tania M. Kenyon
- Marine Spatial Ecology Lab, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Brett M. Lewis
- School of Earth & Atmospheric Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Neil Mattocks
- Reef Joint Field Management Program, Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | - Maxine Newlands
- TropWATER (Centre for Tropical Water and Aquatic Ecosystem Research), James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
- School of Social Science, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | - Marie-Lise Schläppy
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB 3 Townsville MC, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
- Faculty of Engineering, Oceans Graduate School, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia
| | - David J. Suggett
- Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Line K. Bay
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB 3 Townsville MC, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
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Artisanal fish fences pose broad and unexpected threats to the tropical coastal seascape. Nat Commun 2019; 10:2100. [PMID: 31113956 PMCID: PMC6529422 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-10051-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2019] [Accepted: 04/16/2019] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Gear restrictions are an important management tool in small-scale tropical fisheries, improving sustainability and building resilience to climate change. Yet to identify the management challenges and complete footprint of individual gears, a broader systems approach is required that integrates ecological, economic and social sciences. Here we apply this approach to artisanal fish fences, intensively used across three oceans, to identify a previously underrecognized gear requiring urgent management attention. A longitudinal case study shows increased effort matched with large declines in catch success and corresponding reef fish abundance. We find fish fences to disrupt vital ecological connectivity, exploit > 500 species with high juvenile removal, and directly damage seagrass ecosystems with cascading impacts on connected coral reefs and mangroves. As semi-permanent structures in otherwise open-access fisheries, they create social conflict by assuming unofficial and unregulated property rights, while their unique high-investment-low-effort nature removes traditional economic and social barriers to overfishing.
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7
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The Role of Maximum Shelf Depth versus Distance from Shore in Explaining a Diversity Gradient of Mushroom Corals (Fungiidae) off Jakarta. DIVERSITY-BASEL 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/d11030046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Many coral reef systems are shelf-based and consist of reefs that are arranged in rows parallel to the coastline. They usually show an increase in species richness in the offshore direction, coinciding with decreasing terrigenous impact and a deeper seafloor. These two conditions usually concur, which makes it less easy to distinguish how each of them influences coral diversity separately. Since reefs off Jakarta (in the Thousand Islands archipelago) are arranged in an 80 km long string perpendicular to the coastline in south-to-north direction, with a maximum shelf depth halfway along (instead of at the end of) the string, this archipelago is very suitable for studies on inshore–offshore gradients. In the present study, mushroom corals (Fungiidae; n = 31) were used to examine diversity patterns on 38 reef sites along such a gradient, involving species richness over their entire depth range from reef flat to reef base (2–30 m) and separately at shallow depths (2–6 m). Total species diversity was highest in the central part of the archipelago, with unique species occurring in deep habitats. Diversity at shallow depths was only slightly higher here than at reefs located more nearshore and offshore, which both had less clear water. Therefore, shelf depth and distance from the mainland can be considered separate determinants of coral diversity off Jakarta.
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8
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Fox HE, Harris JL, Darling ES, Ahmadia GN, Estradivari, Razak TB. Rebuilding coral reefs: success (and failure) 16 years after low‐cost, low‐tech restoration. Restor Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/rec.12935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Helen E. Fox
- Science and Exploration, National Geographic Society 1145 17th Street NW, Washington DC 20036 U.S.A
| | - Jill L. Harris
- Oceans Conservation Program, World Wildlife Fund‐US 1250 24th Street NW, Washington DC 20037 U.S.A
| | - Emily S. Darling
- Marine Program, Wildlife Conservation Society 2300 Southern Boulevard, Bronx NY 10460 U.S.A
| | - Gabby N. Ahmadia
- Oceans Conservation Program, World Wildlife Fund‐US 1250 24th Street NW, Washington DC 20037 U.S.A
| | - Estradivari
- Marine and Fisheries DirectorateWWF‐Indonesia Jakarta Indonesia
| | - Tries B. Razak
- Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Sciences, Universitas Padjadjaran Jl. Raya Bandung-Sumedang Km. 21 UBR Jatinangor 45363 Indonesia
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Bruno JF, Côté IM, Toth LT. Climate Change, Coral Loss, and the Curious Case of the Parrotfish Paradigm: Why Don't Marine Protected Areas Improve Reef Resilience? ANNUAL REVIEW OF MARINE SCIENCE 2019; 11:307-334. [PMID: 30606097 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-marine-010318-095300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Scientists have advocated for local interventions, such as creating marine protected areas and implementing fishery restrictions, as ways to mitigate local stressors to limit the effects of climate change on reef-building corals. However, in a literature review, we find little empirical support for the notion of managed resilience. We outline some reasons for why marine protected areas and the protection of herbivorous fish (especially parrotfish) have had little effect on coral resilience. One key explanation is that the impacts of local stressors (e.g., pollution and fishing) are often swamped by the much greater effect of ocean warming on corals. Another is the sheer complexity (including numerous context dependencies) of the five cascading links assumed by the managed-resilience hypothesis. If reefs cannot be saved by local actions alone, then it is time to face reef degradation head-on, by directly addressing anthropogenic climate change-the root cause of global coral decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- John F Bruno
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-3280, USA;
| | - Isabelle M Côté
- Earth to Ocean Research Group, Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Lauren T Toth
- St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, US Geological Survey, St. Petersburg, Florida 33701, USA
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Williams SL, Sur C, Janetski N, Hollarsmith JA, Rapi S, Barron L, Heatwole SJ, Yusuf AM, Yusuf S, Jompa J, Mars F. Large‐scale coral reef rehabilitation after blast fishing in Indonesia. Restor Ecol 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/rec.12866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Susan L. Williams
- Bodega Marine Laboratory and Department of Evolution and Ecology University of California—Davis PO Box 247, Bodega Bay CA 94923‐2047 U.S.A
| | - Christine Sur
- Bodega Marine Laboratory and Graduate Group in Ecology University of California—Davis PO Box 247, Bodega Bay California 94923‐2047 U.S.A
| | - Noel Janetski
- Jl. Kima 10 Kav A‐6 Daya Biringkanay, Makassar South Sulawesi 90241 Indonesia
| | - Jordan A. Hollarsmith
- Bodega Marine Laboratory and Graduate Group in Ecology University of California—Davis PO Box 247, Bodega Bay California 94923‐2047 U.S.A
| | - Saipul Rapi
- Jl. Kima 10 Kav A‐6 Daya Biringkanay, Makassar South Sulawesi 90241 Indonesia
| | - Luke Barron
- Jl. Kima 10 Kav A‐6 Daya Biringkanay, Makassar South Sulawesi 90241 Indonesia
| | - Siobhan J. Heatwole
- Jl. Kima 10 Kav A‐6 Daya Biringkanay, Makassar South Sulawesi 90241 Indonesia
- School of Biological Sciences University of Wollongong Wollongong NSW 2522 Australia
| | - Andi M. Yusuf
- Jl. Kima 10 Kav A‐6 Daya Biringkanay, Makassar South Sulawesi 90241 Indonesia
| | - Syafyudin Yusuf
- Department of Marine Science and Fisheries Hasanuddin University Makassar South Sulawesi Indonesia
| | - Jamaluddin Jompa
- Department of Marine Science and Fisheries Hasanuddin University Makassar South Sulawesi Indonesia
| | - Frank Mars
- Mars, Inc. 6885 Elm St., McLean VA 22101 U.S.A
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Harvey BJ, Nash KL, Blanchard JL, Edwards DP. Ecosystem-based management of coral reefs under climate change. Ecol Evol 2018; 8:6354-6368. [PMID: 29988420 PMCID: PMC6024134 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2017] [Revised: 03/06/2018] [Accepted: 03/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Coral reefs provide food and livelihoods for hundreds of millions of people as well as harbour some of the highest regions of biodiversity in the ocean. However, overexploitation, land-use change and other local anthropogenic threats to coral reefs have left many degraded. Additionally, coral reefs are faced with the dual emerging threats of ocean warming and acidification due to rising CO 2 emissions, with dire predictions that they will not survive the century. This review evaluates the impacts of climate change on coral reef organisms, communities and ecosystems, focusing on the interactions between climate change factors and local anthropogenic stressors. It then explores the shortcomings of existing management and the move towards ecosystem-based management and resilience thinking, before highlighting the need for climate change-ready marine protected areas (MPAs), reduction in local anthropogenic stressors, novel approaches such as human-assisted evolution and the importance of sustainable socialecological systems. It concludes that designation of climate change-ready MPAs, integrated with other management strategies involving stakeholders and participation at multiple scales such as marine spatial planning, will be required to maximise coral reef resilience under climate change. However, efforts to reduce carbon emissions are critical if the long-term efficacy of local management actions is to be maintained and coral reefs are to survive.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bethany J. Harvey
- Department of Animal and Plant SciencesUniversity of SheffieldSheffieldUK
| | - Kirsty L. Nash
- Centre for Marine SocioecologyHobartTASAustralia
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic StudiesUniversity of TasmaniaHobartTASAustralia
| | - Julia L. Blanchard
- Centre for Marine SocioecologyHobartTASAustralia
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic StudiesUniversity of TasmaniaHobartTASAustralia
| | - David P. Edwards
- Department of Animal and Plant SciencesUniversity of SheffieldSheffieldUK
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12
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Showen R, Dunson C, Woodman GH, Christopher S, Lim T, Wilson SC. Locating fish bomb blasts in real-time using a networked acoustic system. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2018; 128:496-507. [PMID: 29571401 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.01.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2017] [Revised: 01/13/2018] [Accepted: 01/15/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Results are presented of a demonstration of real-time fish blast location in Sabah, Malaysia using a networked hydroacoustic array based on the ShotSpotter gunshot location system. A total of six acoustic sensors - some fixed and others mobile - were deployed at ranges from 1 to 9 km to detect signals from controlled test blasts. This allowed the blast locations to be determined to within 60 m accuracy, and for the calculated locations to be displayed on a map on designated internet-connected computers within 10 s. A smaller three-sensor system was then installed near Semporna in Eastern Sabah that determined the locations of uncontrolled blasts set off by local fishermen. The success of these demonstrations shows that existing technology can be used to protect reefs and permit more effective management of blast fishing activity through improved detection and enforcement measures and enhanced community engagement.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Showen
- ShotSpotter Inc., Suite 210, 7979 Gateway Blvd, Newark, CA 94560, USA.
| | - C Dunson
- ShotSpotter Inc., Suite 210, 7979 Gateway Blvd, Newark, CA 94560, USA
| | - G H Woodman
- Teng Hoi Conservation Organization, Room 1906, 19/F, China Insurance Group Building, 141 Des Voeux Road, Central, Hong Kong
| | - S Christopher
- Scubazoo Images Sdn. Bhd., 3, Jalan Nosoob Hungab, 88300 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
| | - T Lim
- Scubazoo Images Sdn. Bhd., 3, Jalan Nosoob Hungab, 88300 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
| | - S C Wilson
- Five Oceans Environmental Services LLC, P.O. Box 660, Postal Code 131, Hamriyah, Oman
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13
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Braulik G, Wittich A, Macaulay J, Kasuga M, Gordon J, Davenport TRB, Gillespie D. Acoustic monitoring to document the spatial distribution and hotspots of blast fishing in Tanzania. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2017; 125:360-366. [PMID: 28958441 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.09.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2017] [Revised: 09/14/2017] [Accepted: 09/18/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Destructive fishing using explosives occurs in a number of countries worldwide, negatively impacting coral reefs and fisheries on which millions of people rely. Documenting, quantifying and combating the problem has proved problematic. In March-April 2015 231h of acoustic data were collected over 2692km of systematically laid transects along the entire coast of Tanzania. A total of 318 blasts were confirmed using a combination of manual and supervised semi-autonomous detection. Blasts were detected along the entire coastline, but almost 62% were within 80km of Dar es Salaam, where blast frequency reached almost 10blasts/h. This study is one of the first to use acoustic monitoring to provide a spatial assessment of the intensity of blast fishing. This can be a useful tool that can provide reliable data to define hotspots where the activity is concentrated and determine where enforcement should be focused for maximum impact.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gill Braulik
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Tanzania Program, Zanzibar, Tanzania; Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife, UK.
| | | | - Jamie Macaulay
- Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife, UK
| | - Magreth Kasuga
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Tanzania Program, Zanzibar, Tanzania
| | - Jonathan Gordon
- Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife, UK
| | | | - Douglas Gillespie
- Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife, UK
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14
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U-Th dating reveals regional-scale decline of branching Acropora corals on the Great Barrier Reef over the past century. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2017; 114:10350-10355. [PMID: 28893981 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1705351114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Hard coral cover on the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) is on a trajectory of decline. However, little is known about past coral mortality before the advent of long-term monitoring (circa 1980s). Using paleoecological analysis and high-precision uranium-thorium (U-Th) dating, we reveal an extensive loss of branching Acropora corals and changes in coral community structure in the Palm Islands region of the central GBR over the past century. In 2008, dead coral assemblages were dominated by large, branching Acropora and living coral assemblages by genera typically found in turbid inshore environments. The timing of Acropora mortality was found to be occasionally synchronous among reefs and frequently linked to discrete disturbance events, occurring in the 1920s to 1960s and again in the 1980s to 1990s. Surveys conducted in 2014 revealed low Acropora cover (<5%) across all sites, with very little evidence of change for up to 60 y at some sites. Collectively, our results suggest a loss of resilience of this formerly dominant key framework builder at a regional scale, with recovery severely lagging behind predictions. Our study implies that the management of these reefs may be predicated on a shifted baseline.
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15
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Clark TR, Leonard ND, Zhao JX, Brodie J, McCook LJ, Wachenfeld DR, Duc Nguyen A, Markham HL, Pandolfi JM. Historical photographs revisited: A case study for dating and characterizing recent loss of coral cover on the inshore Great Barrier Reef. Sci Rep 2016; 6:19285. [PMID: 26813703 PMCID: PMC4728430 DOI: 10.1038/srep19285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2015] [Accepted: 12/09/2015] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Long-term data with high-precision chronology are essential to elucidate past ecological changes on coral reefs beyond the period of modern-day monitoring programs. In 2012 we revisited two inshore reefs within the central Great Barrier Reef, where a series of historical photographs document a loss of hard coral cover between c.1890-1994 AD. Here we use an integrated approach that includes high-precision U-Th dating specifically tailored for determining the age of extremely young corals to provide a robust, objective characterisation of ecological transition. The timing of mortality for most of the dead in situ corals sampled from the historical photograph locations was found to coincide with major flood events in 1990-1991 at Bramston Reef and 1970 and 2008 at Stone Island. Evidence of some recovery was found at Bramston Reef with living coral genera similar to what was described in c.1890 present in 2012. In contrast, very little sign of coral re-establishment was found at Stone Island suggesting delayed recovery. These results provide a valuable reference point for managers to continue monitoring the recovery (or lack thereof) of coral communities at these reefs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tara R Clark
- School of Earth Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane QLD 4072 Australia
| | - Nicole D Leonard
- School of Earth Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane QLD 4072 Australia
| | - Jian-Xin Zhao
- School of Earth Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane QLD 4072 Australia
| | - Jon Brodie
- Centre for Tropical Water and Aquatic Ecosystem Research, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811 Australia
| | - Laurence J McCook
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811 Australia
| | - David R Wachenfeld
- Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, 2-68 Flinders Street, PO Box 1379, Townsville, QLD 4810 Australia
| | - Ai Duc Nguyen
- School of Earth Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane QLD 4072 Australia
| | - Hannah L Markham
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Coral Reef Studies, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane QLD 4072 Australia
| | - John M Pandolfi
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Coral Reef Studies, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane QLD 4072 Australia
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16
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Coral Reefs at the Northernmost Tip of Borneo: An Assessment of Scleractinian Species Richness Patterns and Benthic Reef Assemblages. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0146006. [PMID: 26719987 PMCID: PMC4697805 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0146006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2015] [Accepted: 12/11/2015] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The coral reefs at the northernmost tip of Sabah, Borneo will be established under a marine protected area: the Tun Mustapha Park (TMP) by the end of 2015. This area is a passage where the Sulu Sea meets the South China Sea and it is situated at the border of the area of maximum marine biodiversity, the Coral Triangle. The TMP includes fringing and patch reefs established on a relatively shallow sea floor. Surveys were carried out to examine features of the coral reefs in terms of scleractinian species richness, and benthic reef assemblages following the Reef Check substrate categories, with emphasis on hard coral cover. Variation in scleractinian diversity was based on the species composition of coral families Fungiidae (n = 39), Agariciidae (n = 30) and Euphylliidae (n = 15). The number of coral species was highest at reefs with a larger depth gradient i.e. at the periphery of the study area and in the deep South Banggi Channel. Average live hard coral cover across the sites was 49%. Only 7% of the examined reefs had > 75% hard coral cover, while the majority of the reef sites were rated fair (51%) and good (38%). Sites with low coral cover and high rubble fragments are evidence of blast fishing, although the observed damage appeared old. Depth was a dominant factor in influencing the coral species composition and benthic reef communities in the TMP. Besides filling in the information gaps regarding species richness and benthic cover for reef areas that were previously without any data, the results of this study together with information that is already available on the coral reefs of TMP will be used to make informed decisions on zoning plans for conservation priorities in the proposed park.
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17
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McClanahan TR, Muthiga NA, Abunge C, Kamukuru AT, Mwakalapa E, Kalombo H. What Happens after Conservation and Management Donors Leave? A Before and After Study of Coral Reef Ecology and Stakeholder Perceptions of Management Benefits. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0138769. [PMID: 26469979 PMCID: PMC4607501 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0138769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2014] [Accepted: 09/03/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The coral reefs of Tanga, Tanzania were recognized as a national conservation priority in the early 1970s, but the lack of a management response led to damage by dynamite, beach seines, and high numbers of fishers until the mid 1990s. Subsequently, an Irish Aid funded IUCN Eastern Africa program operated from 1994 to mid 2007 to implement increased management aimed at reducing these impacts. The main effects of this management were to establish collaborative management areas, reduce dynamite and seine net fishing, and establish small community fisheries closures beginning in 1996. The ecology of the coral reefs was studied just prior to the initiation of this management in 1996, during, 2004, and a few years after the project ended in 2010. The perceptions of resource users towards management options were evaluated in 2010. The ecological studies indicated that the biomass of fish rose continuously during this period from 260 to 770 kg/ha but the small closures were no different from the non-closure areas. The benthic community studies indicate stability in the coral cover and community composition and an increase in coralline algae and topographic complexity over time. The lack of change in the coral community suggests resilience to various disturbances including fisheries management and the warm temperature anomaly of 1998. These results indicate that some aspects of the management program had been ecologically successful even after the donor program ended. Moreover, the increased compliance with seine net use and dynamite restrictions were the most likely factors causing this increase in fish biomass and not the closures. Resource users interviewed in 2010 were supportive of gear restrictions but there was considerable between-community disagreement over the value of specific restrictions. The social-ecological results suggest that increased compliance with gear restrictions is largely responsible for the improvements in reef ecology and is a high priority for future management programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy R McClanahan
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Marine Program, Bronx, NY, United States of America; Wildlife Conservation Society, Marine Program, Mombasa, Kenya
| | - Nyawira A Muthiga
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Marine Program, Bronx, NY, United States of America; Wildlife Conservation Society, Marine Program, Mombasa, Kenya
| | - Caroline Abunge
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Marine Program, Mombasa, Kenya
| | - Albogast T Kamukuru
- University of Dar es Salaam, Department of Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
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18
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Local and Regional Impacts of Pollution on Coral Reefs along the Thousand Islands North of the Megacity Jakarta, Indonesia. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0138271. [PMID: 26378910 PMCID: PMC4574762 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0138271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2015] [Accepted: 08/26/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Worldwide, coral reefs are challenged by multiple stressors due to growing urbanization, industrialization and coastal development. Coral reefs along the Thousand Islands off Jakarta, one of the largest megacities worldwide, have degraded dramatically over recent decades. The shift and decline in coral cover and composition has been extensively studied with a focus on large-scale gradients (i.e. regional drivers), however special focus on local drivers in shaping spatial community composition is still lacking. Here, the spatial impact of anthropogenic stressors on local and regional scales on coral reefs north of Jakarta was investigated. Results indicate that the direct impact of Jakarta is mainly restricted to inshore reefs, separating reefs in Jakarta Bay from reefs along the Thousand Islands further north. A spatial patchwork of differentially degraded reefs is present along the islands as a result of localized anthropogenic effects rather than regional gradients. Pollution is the main anthropogenic stressor, with over 80% of variation in benthic community composition driven by sedimentation rate, NO2, PO4 and Chlorophyll a. Thus, the spatial structure of reefs is directly related to intense anthropogenic pressure from local as well as regional sources. Therefore, improved spatial management that accounts for both local and regional stressors is needed for effective marine conservation.
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19
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Hehre EJ, Meeuwig JJ. Differential response of fish assemblages to coral reef-based seaweed farming. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0118838. [PMID: 25822342 PMCID: PMC4378911 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0118838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2014] [Accepted: 01/21/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
As the global demand for seaweed-derived products drives the expansion of seaweed farming onto shallow coral ecosystems, the effects of farms on fish assemblages remain largely unexplored. Shallow coral reefs provide food and shelter for highly diverse fish assemblages but are increasingly modified by anthropogenic activities. We hypothesized that the introduction of seaweed farms into degraded shallow coral reefs had potential to generate ecological benefits for fish by adding structural complexity and a possible food source. We conducted 210 transects at 14 locations, with sampling stratified across seaweed farms and sites adjacent to and distant from farms. At a seascape scale, locations were classified by their level of exposure to human disturbance. We compared sites where (1) marine protected areas (MPAs) were established, (2) neither MPAs nor blast fishing was present (hence “unprotected”), and (3) blast fishing occurred. We observed 80,186 fish representing 148 species from 38 families. The negative effects of seaweed farms on fish assemblages appeared stronger in the absence of blast fishing and were strongest when MPAs were present, likely reflecting the positive influence of the MPAs on fish within them. Species differentiating fish assemblages with respect to seaweed farming and disturbance were typically small but also included two key target species. The propensity for seaweed farms to increase fish diversity, abundance, and biomass is limited and may reduce MPA benefits. We suggest that careful consideration be given to the placement of seaweed farms relative to MPAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- E. James Hehre
- Sea Around Us Project /Fisheries Center, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- * E-mail:
| | - J. J. Meeuwig
- School of Animal Biology and Centre for Marine Futures (Oceans Institute), University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia
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20
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Haisfield KM, Fox HE, Yen S, Mangubhai S, Mous PJ. An ounce of prevention: cost-effectiveness of coral reef rehabilitation relative to enforcement. Conserv Lett 2010. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1755-263x.2010.00104.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
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21
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NAKAMURA T. Importance of water-flow on the physiological responses of reef-building corals. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2010. [DOI: 10.3755/galaxea.12.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Takashi NAKAMURA
- Faculty of Science, University of the Ryukyus
- Amakusa Marine Biological Laboratory, Kyushu University
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22
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernhard Riegl
- National Coral Reef Institute, Nova Southeastern University, Dania, Florida 33004, USA.
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23
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Ainsworth C, Varkey D, Pitcher T. Ecosystem simulations supporting ecosystem-based fisheries management in the Coral Triangle, Indonesia. Ecol Modell 2008. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2008.02.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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24
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Marcus JE, Samoilys MA, Meeuwig JJ, Villongco ZAD, Vincent ACJ. Benthic status of near-shore fishing grounds in the central Philippines and associated seahorse densities. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2007; 54:1483-94. [PMID: 17645896 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2007.04.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2005] [Revised: 04/16/2007] [Accepted: 04/27/2007] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Benthic status of 28 near-shore, artisanal, coral reef fishing grounds in the central Philippines was assessed (2000-2002) together with surveys of the seahorse, Hippocampus comes. Our measures of benthic quality and seahorse densities reveal some of the most degraded coral reefs in the world. Abiotic structure dominated the fishing grounds: 69% of the benthos comprised rubble (32%), sand/silt (28%) and dead coral (9%). Predominant biotic structure included live coral (12%) and Sargassum (11%). Rubble cover increased with increasing distance from municipal enforcement centers and coincided with substantial blast fishing in this region of the Philippines. Over 2 years, we measured a significant decrease in benthic 'heterogeneity' and a 16% increase in rubble cover. Poor benthic quality was concomitant with extremely low seahorse densities (524 fish per km(2)). Spatial management, such as marine reserves, may help to minimize habitat damage and to rebuild depleted populations of seahorses and other reef fauna.
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Affiliation(s)
- J E Marcus
- Project Seahorse, Fisheries Centre, University of British Columbia, 2202 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6T 1Z4.
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