Disentangling the response of fishes to recreational fishing over 30 years within a fringing coral reef reserve network

Abstract

While there are numerous studies that have used no-take marine reserves (NTMRs) to understand the effects of commercial fishing, much less is known about the influence of NTMRs in regions subject to recreational fishing. We used meta-analysis to synthesise data from 4,444 samples from 30 years (1987-2017) of fish 7 surveys, inside and outside a large network of NTMRs in the Ningaloo Marine Park, Western Australia, 8 where the major fishing activities are recreational. The data were collected by different agencies, using 9 varied survey designs and sampling methods. We contrasted the relative abundance and biomass of target 10 and non-target fish groups between fished and NTMR locations. We considered the influence of, and 11 possible interactions between, seven additional variables: age and size of NTMR, one of two reserve network configurations, reef habitat type, the level of recreational fishing activity, shore-based fishing regulations and survey method. Taxa responded differently: commonly targeted lethrinids had clear higher average abundance and biomass inside NTMRs, while the abundance/biomass of other targeted (and nontargeted groups) were indistinguishable inside to outside. Reef habitat was an important factor governing lethrinid response to protection, and we showed this variable can interact with reserve size, with larger NTMRs only demonstrably more effective than smaller ones in the back reef/lagoon habitats. There was little evidence of changes in relative abundance/biomass with reserve age, or before and after rezoning and expansion of the NTMR network. Our study demonstrates the complexity of fish responses to protection and fishing, and also highlights some of the key factors and interactions that likely underlie the varied results found to date in NTMR assessments, and that should thus be considered in future reserve design and 22 assessment. 23 24 Keywords 25 Marine protected area; MPA; fisheries; coral reef; Ningaloo; adaptive management; recreational fishing; Lethrinus 1. Introduction Anthropogenic activities continue to expand worldwide, particularly in the tropics, threatening natural systems and the ecosystem services they provide (Barlow et al. 2018). As a result, 'protected areas' that seek 32 to balance extractive activities with other socio-ecological values are increasingly being used to manage 33 terrestrial and marine systems (Jenkins & Joppa 2009; Sala et al. 2018). Many studies have assessed the conservation effects of no-take marine reserves (NTMR) (reviewed by Mosquera et al. 2000; Russ 2002), including quantitative syntheses of regional and global studies, with most finding higher abundance and size of targeted species within reserve boundaries (Lester et al. 2009). The large majority of these findings are from regions with commercial fisheries operating, and less is documented about the impacts of recreational fisheries, despite several studies flagging the potentially high impacts of these fisheries (McPhee et al. 2002; Coleman et al. 2004; Cowx & Cooke 2004; Lewin et al. 2...

Pre‐closure fishing pressure predicts effects of marine protected areas

“…Not all MPAs have the same effects, as demonstrated in this study and others (e.g. Cresswell et al, ; Edgar et al, ), and it is important to understand what drives these heterogeneous effects of MPAs. Many factors can contribute to the outcomes of a protected area, such as harvesting regulations, level of enforcement, age, size and nearby habitat (Edgar et al, ).…”

Declining abundance of coral reef fish in a World-Heritage-listed marine park

“…There is evidence that this trend may have existed for some time as our estimates of counts and biomass of emperors at Mandu in 2007 (our first observations) were somewhat lower than those from earlier studies 11,13 . The most commonly landed emperor at Ningaloo, Lethrinus nebulosus , was only observed on our transects twice since 2010 (it was recorded during each survey from 2007 to 2010); it would have been desirable to analyse trends in abundance of this species, but the very low numbers of individuals observed precluded such analyses.…”

“…Here, we evaluate trends in the abundance (measured as density and biomass) of fish in the Ningaloo Marine Park (NMP), located within the Ningaloo Coast World Heritage Area, north-western Australia. Several previous studies have indicated that sanctuary zones (SZ, equivalent to IUCN Category II) within the park contain higher abundances of some fishes than zones which allow recreational fishing 11–13 , but our ability to detect long-term trends is hampered, because these studies have used different techniques (visual census and baited video), have been carried out at different locations, or use relative abundance. We surveyed fish assemblages of shallow reefs in the majority of years from 2007–2016; we then sought to determine whether our surveys yielded evidence of increasing or decreasing trends during that period, and if so, to quantify what the trend was, and if it varied between management zones designed to control fishing.…”

Mesophotic fish communities of the ancient coastline in Western Australia

“…CSIRO’s 1982 and 1997 data were integrated into more recent trawl, tow video and sled sampling to document fishes of the Dampier and Montebello Australian Marine Parks [ 30 ]. Other studies of fish assemblages of the NWS have focused on areas of specific biological interest, for example the Rowley Shoals [ 31 – 33 ], Ningaloo Reef World Heritage Area [ 34 , 35 ], Browse Island [ 20 , 36 ], Sahul Banks [ 37 ] and Rankin Bank [ 38 ] The broader NWS also supports the most valuable commercial finfish fisheries in Western Australia, the Pilbara trap, line and trawl fisheries and the Northern Demersal Scalefish Fishery, which are worth more than $10 million annually with a catch of 3000–4000 tonnes per year [ 39 ]. These fisheries have also been a focal point of research documenting the catch and biology of fish fauna of the NWS, in particular the high market value snappers, emperors and cods on which the fishery is based [ 15 , 40 , 41 ].…”