scholarly journals Ecosystem-Based Management in Fiji: Successes and Challenges after Five Years of Implementation

2011 ◽  
Vol 2011 ◽  
pp. 1-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stacy D. Jupiter ◽  
Daniel P. Egli

In 2005, a network of 3 large, district-wide marine protected areas (MPAs) and 17 village-managed closures (tabu) was established in Kubulau District, Fiji. Underwater visual census (UVC) data of fish biomass and benthic cover were collected between 2007 and 2009 and analysed with PERMANOVA and ANOSIM to assess differences between closed and open areas. High reef fish biomass (>1000 kg/ha) within closures, significantly elevated over open areas, was consistently observed from: (1) tabu areas on naturally productive reefs within visual distance from villages; and (2) the large, long-term permanent closure located away from fishing pressure. Factors that may have contributed to low fish biomass within closures include small size of closures; noncompliance with management rules; and disclosure of management success to fishers from villages with high reliance on fisheries products. Future success of the network depends on improving awareness of management rules and ensuring implementation within a broader ecosystem framework.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zachary Gold ◽  
Joshua Sprague ◽  
David J. Kushner ◽  
Erick Zerecero ◽  
Paul H. Barber

AbstractMonitoring of marine protected areas (MPAs) is critical for marine ecosystem management, yet current protocols rely on SCUBA-based visual surveys that are costly and time consuming, limiting their scope and effectiveness. Environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding is a promising alternative for marine ecosystem monitoring, but more direct comparisons to visual surveys are needed to understand the strengths and limitations of each approach. This study compares fish communities inside and outside the Scorpion State Marine Reserve off Santa Cruz Island, CA using eDNA metabarcoding and underwater visual census surveys. Results from eDNA captured 76% (19/25) of fish species and 95% (19/20) of fish genera observed during pairwise underwater visual census. Species missed by eDNA were due to the inability of MiFish 12S barcodes to differentiate species of rockfishes (Sebastes, n=4) or low site occupancy rates of crevice-dwelling Lythrypnus gobies. However, eDNA detected an additional 30 fish species not recorded in paired visual surveys, but previously reported from prior visual surveys, highlighting the sensitivity of eDNA. Significant variation in eDNA signatures by location (50m) and site (~1000m) demonstrates the sensitivity of eDNA to address key questions such as community composition inside and outside MPAs. Interestingly, eDNA results recorded higher species richness outside the MPA while visual surveys observed the opposite pattern. This result is likely caused by swamping effects of high fish abundance in MPAs that reduce detection probabilities of pelagic and intertidal taxa. Results demonstrate the utility of eDNA metabarcoding for monitoring marine ecosystems, providing an important complementary tool to visual methods.


DEPIK ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Riany Hastuty ◽  
Yonvitner . ◽  
Luky Adrianto

Abstract. The study was conducted onApril to October 2013 in marine protected areas of Weh Island. The samplings were done at10 siteswhere 6 sitesare situatedinside of conservation areas, while 4 sites are situated outside of conservation areas. The purpose ofthis study was to evaluate coral covers andreef fish composition. Point intersept transect(PIT), underwater visual census (UVC) and fish catches were used to examine coral covers, abudance and biomass of reef fish. The results showed that average of coral covers, abudance and biomass of target fishes inside conservation were 54%, 1,662 ind/ha and 408.78 kh/ha, respectively, while than outside conservation was 33.05%, 1,058 ind/ha and 307.77 kg/ha, respectively. Total of reef fish species and the catch were increased from previous years, for example there are 60 species in 2010 and it was increased to 83 species in 2013. In addition the fishermen catches were increased slightly from 3.03 kg/trip in 2008 to 3.6 kg/trip in 2013. It is concluded that the coral condition and reef fish composition in the conservation are much better compared to outside of conservation areas.Keywords : Marine protect area; reef fish; Weh Island Abstrak. Penelitian ini dilakukan pada April sampai Oktober 2013 di Kawasan Konservasi Perairan Pesisir Timur Pulau Weh yang terdiri dari 10 stasiun dimana 6 stasiun berada didalam kawasan konservasi dan 4 stasiun diluar kawasan konservasi.Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menilai persentase tutupan karang dan komposisi ikan karang. Sampling menggunakan transek titik dan underwater visual sensus (UVC) dan hasil tangkapan.Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa rata-rata kondisi tutupan karang, kelimpahan dan biomassa ikan target dikawasan konservasi yaitu 54%, 1.662 ind/ha dan 408,78 kg/ha, secara berurutan, sedangkan diluar kawasan konservasi adalah 33,05%, 1.058 ind/ha dan 307,77 kg/ha biomassa ikan target.Jumlah jenis ikan karang di kawasan konservasi meningkat, yaitu 60 jenis tahun 2010 menjadi 83 jenis pada tahun 2013 dan rata-rata hasil tangkapan tahun 2008 yaitu 3,03 kg/trip dan tahun 2013 yaitu 3,6 kg/trip. Dapat disimpulkan bahwa kondisi karang dan komposisi jenis dan ukuran ikan lebih baik di dalam kawasan konservasi berbanding diluar kawasan.Kata kunci: Kawasan Konservasi; Ikan karang; Pulau Weh


PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. e0238557
Author(s):  
Zachary Gold ◽  
Joshua Sprague ◽  
David J. Kushner ◽  
Erick Zerecero Marin ◽  
Paul H. Barber

Monitoring of marine protected areas (MPAs) is critical for marine ecosystem management, yet current protocols rely on SCUBA-based visual surveys that are costly and time consuming, limiting their scope and effectiveness. Environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding is a promising alternative for marine ecosystem monitoring, but more direct comparisons to visual surveys are needed to understand the strengths and limitations of each approach. This study compares fish communities inside and outside the Scorpion State Marine Reserve off Santa Cruz Island, CA using eDNA metabarcoding and underwater visual census surveys. Results from eDNA captured 76% (19/25) of fish species and 95% (19/20) of fish genera observed during pairwise underwater visual census. Species missed by eDNA were due to the inability of MiFish 12S barcodes to differentiate species of rockfishes (Sebastes, n = 4) or low site occupancy rates of crevice-dwelling Lythrypnus gobies. However, eDNA detected an additional 23 fish species not recorded in paired visual surveys, but previously reported from prior visual surveys, highlighting the sensitivity of eDNA. Significant variation in eDNA signatures by location (50 m) and site (~1000 m) demonstrates the sensitivity of eDNA to address key questions such as community composition inside and outside MPAs. Results demonstrate the utility of eDNA metabarcoding for monitoring marine ecosystems, providing an important complementary tool to visual methods.


Coral Reefs ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 39 (6) ◽  
pp. 1591-1604
Author(s):  
Daniel T. I. Bayley ◽  
Andy Purvis ◽  
Angelie C. Nellas ◽  
Myrtle Arias ◽  
Heather J. Koldewey

AbstractTropical coral reefs are subject to multiple pressures from both natural and anthropogenic sources. These pressures have caused widespread declines in reef health, resulting in the increased use of spatial management tools such as marine protected areas (MPAs). MPAs have proven generally effective if well designed and enforced, but there are limited long-term studies investigating how the presence of small-scale MPAs affects fish populations and reef communities. Using a 12-year time series, we found that small-scale (10–50 ha) community-managed MPAs along the Danajon Bank of the Philippines preserved average fish biomass within their boundaries over time relative to surrounding fished reefs. Unprotected areas are, however, showing significant long-term biomass decline. MPAs were also found to preserve more key trophic groups and larger-bodied commercially targeted reef fish families. Fish biomass of piscivore, scavenger and invertivore trophic groups inside individual MPAs is, however, still declining at a similar rate as outside. Surprisingly, long-term benthic cover and growth form composition were not significantly affected overall by MPA presence, despite the sporadic use of highly destructive dynamite fishing in this region. Coral cover has remained historically low (21–28%) throughout the study, following widespread bleaching mortality. While management tempered overall abundance declines, we found that irrespective of MPA presence, there was a generalised decline of both large- and small-bodied fish size groups across the study region, most steeply within the 20–30 cm length fish, and a shift towards proportionally higher abundances of small (5–10 cm) fish. This indicates a combination of over-exploitation, inadequate MPA size and coverage for larger fish, and the lingering effects of the 1998 bleaching event. Generalised shifts in body size and trophic structure reported here could lead to future reductions in fishery productivity and stability and will be further exacerbated unless broader fishery regulations and enforcement is instated.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Luciana Shigihara Lima ◽  
Douglas Francisco Marcolino Gherardi ◽  
Luciano Ponzi Pezzi ◽  
Leilane Gonçalves dos Passos ◽  
Clarissa Akemi Kajiya Endo ◽  
...  

AbstractProjected future climate scenarios anticipate a warmer tropical ocean and changes in surface currents that will likely influence the survival of marine organisms and the connectivity of marine protected areas (MPAs) networks. We simulated the regional effects of climate change on the demographic connectivity of parrotfishes in nine MPAs in the South Atlantic through downscaling of the HadGEM2-ES Earth System Model running the RCP 8.5 greenhouse gas trajectory. Results indicate a tropicalization scenario over the tropical southwest Atlantic following an increase of sea surface temperature (SST) between 1.8 and 4.5 °C and changes in mean surface currents between − 0.6 to 0.5 m s−1 relative to present conditions. High mortality rates will reduce demographic connectivity and increase the isolation of oceanic islands. The simulation of organismal response to ocean warming shows that acclimation can significantly improve (p < 0.001) particle survival, promoting connectivity and tropicalization of MPAs, with potential impacts on their functional integrity and long-term resilience.


2015 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 92
Author(s):  
Jacqline Laikun ◽  
Ari B Rondonuwu ◽  
Unstain N.W.J. Rembet

The coral reefs are a sundry of marine life. Which one is reef fish in family Chaetodontidae. This fish is  indicator of the coral reef condition. The aim from the research is : discover of spatial distribution of the reef fish family Chaetodontidae and find out of the intercourse of reef fish family Chaetodontidae with the coral reef presence based on growth of coral form. The research was do in the coral reef at Marine Protected Areas in Bahoi Village District of West Likupang North Minahasa Regency, on Tuesday, December 23rd, 2014. The research is using to do the surveying method. The data is collecting distribution of the fish Chaetodontidae (amount from species and individuals to using by technic visual census). The total of reef fish family Chaetodontidae those found in Marina Protected Areas in Bahoi Village is about 20 species, with total of the individuals at a depth of 3 meters and 10 meters is (56,66 and 57,33 individuals/150m2). Keywords : Coral reefs, Chaetodontidae, Bahoi   ABSTRAK Terumbu karang merupakan tempat berbagai macam biota laut. Salah satu Ikan karang adalah ikan famili Chaetodontidae. Ikan ini merupakan ikan indikator terumbu karang. Tujuan dari penelitian ini : mengetahui kelimpahan dari ikan karang famili Chaetodontidae. Penelitian ini dilakukan di Daerah Perlindungan Laut Desa Bahoi Kecamatan Likupang Barat Kabupaten Minahasa Utara, pada hari selasa, tanggal 23 Desember 2014. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode survey. Data yang dikumpulkan adalah kelimpahan ikan Chaetodontidae (Jumlah spesies dan individu dengan menggunakan teknik sensus visual). Jumlah ikan karang famili Chaetodontidae yang di temukan di Daerah Perlindungan Laut Desa Bahoi berjumlah 20 spesies, dengan jumlah individu pada kedalaman 3 meter dan 10 meter berjumlah (56,66 individu/150m2 dan 57,33/150m2 individu). Kata kunci : Terumbu karang, Chaetodontidae, Bahoi 1Bagian dari skripsi 2Mahasiswa Program Studi Manajemen Sumberdaya Perairan FPIK-UNSRAT 3Staf pengajar Fakultas Perikanan dan Ilmu Kelautan Universitas Sam Ratulangi


2020 ◽  
Vol 241 ◽  
pp. 108354 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eva C. McClure ◽  
Katherine T. Sievers ◽  
Rene A. Abesamis ◽  
Andrew S. Hoey ◽  
Angel C. Alcala ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (18) ◽  
pp. 7814
Author(s):  
Susana Perera-Valderrama ◽  
Sergio Cerdeira-Estrada ◽  
Raúl Martell-Dubois ◽  
Laura Rosique-de la Cruz ◽  
Hansel Caballero-Aragón ◽  
...  

In the Mexican Caribbean, 15 marine protected areas (MPAs) have been established for managing and protecting marine ecosystems. These MPAs receive high anthropogenic pressure from coastal development, tourism, and fishing, all in synergy with climate change. To contribute to the MPAs’ effectiveness, it is necessary to provide a long-term observation system of the condition of marine ecosystems and species. Our study proposes the establishment of a new marine biodiversity monitoring program (MBMP) focusing on three MPAs of the Mexican Caribbean. Five conservation objects (COs) were defined (coral reefs, seagrass beds, mangroves, marine turtles, and sharks-rays) for their ecological relevance and the pressures they are facing. Coral reef, seagrass and mangroves have multiple biological, biogeochemical and physical interactions. Marine turtles are listed as endangered species, and the status of their populations is unknown in the marine area of the MPAs. Elasmobranchs play a key role as top and medium predators, and their populations have been poorly studied. Indicators were proposed for monitoring each CO. As a technological innovation, all information obtained from the MBMP will be uploaded to the Coastal Marine Information and Analysis System (SIMAR), a public, user-friendly and interactive web platform that allows for automatic data management and processing.


2000 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 159-178 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.A. GARCÍA CHARTON ◽  
I.D. WILLIAMS ◽  
A. PÉREZ RUZAFA ◽  
M. MILAZZO ◽  
R. CHEMELLO ◽  
...  

The capability to detect and predict the responses of marine populations and communities to the establishment of marine protected areas (MPAs) depends on the ability to distinguish between the influences of management and natural variability due to the effects of factors other than protection. Thus, it is important to understand and quantify the magnitude and range of this natural variability at each scale of observation. Here we review the scale of responses of target populations and communities to protection within Mediterranean MPAs, against their ‘normal’ spatio-temporal heterogeneity, and compare those with documented cases from other temperate and tropical marine ecosystems. Additionally, we approach the problem of the relative importance of habitat structure, considered as a set of biological and physical elements of the seascape hierarchically arranged in space at multiple scales, to drive natural variability. We conclude that much more effort has to be made to characterize heterogeneity in relation to Mediterranean MPAs, and to quantify and explain relationships between target species and their habitats as sources of such variability. These studies should be based on sound sampling designs, which (1) generate long-term data sets, and would ideally (2) be based on a Mediterranean-wide comparison of a number of protected and unprotected localities, (3) be designed from a multi-scaled perspective, and (4) control for factors other than protection, in order to avoid their confounding effects. The need for appropriate spatial and temporal replication, nested designs and power analysis is advocated.


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