A decade implementing ecosystem approach to fisheries management improves diversity of taxa and traits within a marine protected area in the UK

Abstract

Aim Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management has highlighted the importance of studying ecosystem functions and services, and the biological traits that drive them. Yet, ecosystem services and the associated benefits that they provide are rarely the motive for creating marine protected area (MPA). Therefore, many MPA monitoring projects do not explicitly study these functions and services or the underlying biological traits linked to them. Location Lyme Bay MPA, located in the SW of England, was established in 2008 to protect the reef biodiversity across a 206‐km2 area, which includes rocky reef habitats, pebbly sand and soft muddy sediments. Mobile demersal fishing was excluded across the whole site to allow the recovery of the reef habitats. Methods Using a combination of towed underwater video and Baited Remote Underwater Video Systems changes in diversity (taxonomic and trait), and traits affected by mobile demersal fishing were assessed in Lyme Bay MPA over 10 years. Results There was a consistent increase in the number of taxa and the trait diversity they provide within the MPA as well as an increase in functional redundancy, which may increase community resilience to perturbations. Outside of the MPA there was an increase in the abundance of mobile species, while the MPA showed an increase in filter feeders. Main conclusions The MPA showed a trend towards more diverse and potentially resilient rocky reef habitats. This study constitutes a novel MPA assessment using multiple sampling methods to encompass a wide range of taxa. It also reinforces the importance of effective MPA monitoring, which has demonstrated changes in trait diversity and trait composition driven by changes in taxonomic diversity.

Ecosystem benefits of adopting a whole‐site approach to MPA management

“…However, inter-site comparison by functional metrics used here, calculated with biological trait analysis, will require consistent numbers of traits and modalities (Villeger et al 2008;Davies et al 2022), The ability to confidently assess effects of a MPA and effectively adapt management based on this assessment is very important for both fisheries and conservation (Claudet et al 2020). Effective MPA assessment can be highly challenging to achieve, especially when the area is subject to multiple pressures and protections.…”

“…Therefore, effects of mobile demersal fishing on the community can be assessed by monitoring the changes in a suite of univariate metrics (Tillin et al 2006; Howarth et al 2018; Mouchet et al 2019). However, inter‐site comparison by functional metrics used here, calculated with biological trait analysis, will require consistent numbers of traits and modalities (Villeger et al 2008; Davies et al 2022), and equivalent coverage of the ecosystem being assessed for values to be comparable. As biological trait information increases and becomes more accessible, this approach becomes more widely applicable and could provide a useful tool for MPA management.…”

“…A long‐term benthic monitoring project in Lyme Bay was established in 2008 to assess the recovery of the Annex I reef habitats using non‐extractive and non‐destructive underwater video surveys in the form of a towed flying array and baited remote underwater video systems (BRUVs) (Sheehan et al 2013a; Stevens et al 2014; Sheehan et al 2016; Davies et al 2020; Davies et al 2021; Davies et al 2022). These methods allowed the assessment of the change in benthic taxa from before to after designation of the SAC with appropriate control comparisons following a before–after control–impact assessment (BACI: Underwood 1991; Underwood 1992; Underwood 1994).…”

“…A long-term benthic monitoring project in Lyme Bay was established in 2008 to assess the recovery of the Annex I reef habitats using non-extractive and non-destructive underwater video surveys in the form of a towed flying array and baited remote underwater video systems (BRUVs) (Sheehan et al 2013a;Stevens et al 2014;Sheehan et al 2016;Davies et al 2020;Davies et al 2021;Davies et al 2022).…”

“…The OC data were sampled to align with the SAC age of protection. Each hypothesis was tested twice, first using sessile and sedentary fauna data collected by the towed flying array (sessile taxa henceforth: Sheehan et al 2013a; Sheehan et al 2021; Davies et al 2022) and second using mobile taxon data sampled by the baited remote underwater video systems (BRUVs) (mobile taxa henceforth: Davies et al 2020; Davies et al 2021; Davies et al 2022).…”