Evidence of fish spillover from freshwater protected areas in lakes of eastern Ontario

Abstract

Research has identified numerous conservation benefits attributed to the use of marine protected areas (MPAs), yet comparatively less is known about the effectiveness of freshwater protected areas (FPAs). This study assessed multiple long‐standing (>70 years active) intra‐lake FPAs in three lakes in eastern Ontario, Canada, to evaluate their potential conservation benefits. These FPAs were intended initially to protect exploited populations of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides (Lacépède, 1802)), but since their establishment no empirical data have been collected to evaluate the effectiveness of FPAs for protecting bass or the broader fish community. A comparative biological census of fish species abundance, biomass and species richness was conducted using snorkelling surveys within FPAs, along the bordering transition zones, and in more distant non‐protected areas of the lake that had similar habitats to the FPAs. In general, the FPAs yielded benefits that were most obvious (in terms of abundance and biomass) for the focal protected species (i.e. largemouth bass) as well as several shiner species. Largemouth bass and shiner abundance and biomass were highest in the FPA, lowest in the distant non‐protected areas, and intermediate in the transition zone. Species richness was also highest in the FPAs in two of the three lakes. Collectively, these results support the use of FPAs as a viable and effective conservation strategy that extends beyond simply limiting the exploitation of a target species. Beyond the benefits afforded to fish within the FPA, evidence of spillover in adjacent areas was also observed, which is promising. Additional research is needed on the effectiveness of FPAs in a variety of regions and water‐body types facing various threats in an effort to understand when, where and how to best use FPAs to benefit aquatic biodiversity.

Comparative Behavior of Wild Bluegill Captured Inside and Outside of a Long‐Standing Aquatic Protected Area

“…; Zolderdo et al. ). Although, this seems unlikely given that the relatively large Bluegill that were used in this experiment (~13 cm TL) are generally free from predation by aquatic piscivores (mainly Largemouth Bass) and prior work has demonstrated a size‐dependent perception of risk in sunfishes (Werner et al.…”

“…Furthermore, as CPUE is often considered a factor of abundance (Hinton and Maunder 2003; Haggarty and King ; Tsuboi and Endou ) and that both abundance and biomass of Bluegill is comparable across our study regions in this particular lake (Zolderdo et al. ), we might not have expected any significant influence of the APA on CPUE in this study. Nonetheless, we urge caution when interpreting these findings.…”

“…All of the other areas of the lake are subject to fisheries activities (reviewed in Zolderdo et al. ). Like most of the lake, these APAs are quite shallow (>6 m deep) and consist of large swaths of submergent vegetation and sunken woody debris, providing optimal habitat for centrarchid fishes, notably Largemouth Bass and the two resident sunfish species, Pumpkinseed and Bluegill.…”

Theory and practice to conserve freshwater biodiversity in the Anthropocene

“…Biodiversity conservation that is linked to livelihoods of local communities is explored in large provinces such as the Andes (Tognelli et al, ), the Amazon (Reis et al, ) and Lake Victoria (van Soesbergen, Sassen, Kimsey & Hill, ). Water planning that includes life‐history needs of specific species is described in the Columbia River Basin of the USA (coho salmon; Flitcroft et al, ) and in discrete systems such as the Hunter Valley in Australia (Linke, Turak, Gulbrandsen Asmyhr, & Hose, ), Greek lakes (Stefanidis, Sarika, & Papastergiadou, ) and Lake Ontario (North America) (Zolderdo et al, ). Taken together, these manuscripts are intended to convey the scope and complexity of freshwater conservation in this time of global transformation, as systems from the atmosphere to the Earth's crust adjust to vast human‐derived change.…”

“…Their study indicates that there are often many more freshwater areas that need to be protected than are manageable; nevertheless, it is important to identify priority areas for conservation action that provide networks of freshwater conservation with connection between them. Tognelli et al () and Zolderdo et al () highlight how these protected areas can act as refugia for species, which may then move out to populate areas nearby and so provide regional benefits. Both Tognelli et al () and Linke, Hermoso, and Januchowski‐Hartley () found that expanding the species of interest increased the area that needed to be considered for conservation, but there was significant overlap in prioritized locations.…”