Trouble on the reef: the imperative for managing vulnerable and valuable fisheries

Reef fishes are significant socially, nutritionally and economically, yet biologically they are vulnerable to both over‐exploitation and degradation of their habitat. Their importance in the tropics for living conditions, human health, food security and economic development is enormous, with millions of people and hundreds of thousands of communities directly dependent, and many more indirectly so. Reef fish fisheries are also critical safety valves in times of economic or social hardship or disturbance, and are more efficient, less wasteful and support far more livelihoods per tonne produced than industrial scale fisheries. Yet, relative to other fisheries globally, those associated with coral reefs are under‐managed, under‐funded, under‐monitored, and as a consequence, poorly understood or little regarded by national governments. Even among non‐governmental organizations, which are increasingly active in tropical marine issues, there is typically little focus on reef‐associated resources, the interest being more on biodiversity per se or protection of coral reef habitat. This essay explores the background and history to this situation, examines fishery trends over the last 30 years, and charts a possible way forward given the current realities of funding, capacity, development patterns and scientific understanding of coral reef ecosystems. The luxury live reef food‐fish trade is used throughout as a case study because it exemplifies many of the problems and challenges of attaining sustainable use of coral reef‐associated resources. The thesis developed is that sustaining reef fish fisheries and conserving biodiversity can be complementary, rather than contradictory, in terms of yield from reef systems. I identify changes in perspectives needed to move forward, suggest that we must be cautious of ‘fashionable’ solutions or apparent ‘quick fixes’, and argue that fundamental decisions must be made concerning the short and long‐term values of coral reef‐associated resources, particularly fish, for food and cash and regarding alternative sources of protein. Not to address the problems will inevitably lead to growing poverty, hardship and social unrest in many areas.     

Evaluating the efficacy of small‐scale marine protected areas for preserving reef health: A case study applying emerging monitoring technology

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A spatio‐temporal long‐term assessment on the ecological response of reef communities in a Caribbean marine protected area

1. Coral reef biodiversity is rapidly decreasing as a result of the loss of coral cover, which modifies the structure and functioning of the ecosystem. Understanding how coral reef communities respond in space and over the long term is essential in order to implement management strategies and reduce the effects of biodiversity loss on coral reefs.
2. Fish, coral, and algae communities were used as indicators to evaluate changes in coral reef systems. The variation of these communities was studied in a marine protected area composed of three management zones in Cozumel Coral Reef National Park in Quintana Roo, Mexico, over a period of 11 years (2004–2014). The following parameters were monitored annually: (i) total fish density; (ii) fish trophic group densities; (iii) species richness and three fish diversity indices; (iv) relative scleractinian coral cover; and (v) relative macroalgae cover.
3. In the years in which coastal development, such as the construction of a marina, took place, an increase in the abundance of territorial herbivorous and planktivorous fish was observed. As the coral recovered, macrocarnivores and sessile benthic invertivores were re‐established, whereas scraper herbivores showed no changes in the period of study in any of the three management zones.
4. Coral cover recovery showed rapid phase‐shift reversal (phase‐shift, macroalgae dominance over coral) in the three zones. Even though the fish density and coral cover recovered, the diversity indices of each fish trophic group exhibited a reduction in the three management zones over time.

     

Testing a depth‐based Habitat Classification System against reef fish assemblage patterns in a subtropical marine park

• 1. The Solitary Islands Marine Park (SIMP) in New South Wales (NSW), Australia, has strong cross‐shelf patterns of reef fish assemblages on shallow reefs (<25 m). While the SIMP also contains reef at depths of up to 75 m, marine communities below 25 m are poorly described. The Habitat Classification System (HCS) used for planning the arrangement of zones in this marine park included three depth categories for reef: shallow (<25 m); intermediate (25–60 m); and deep (>60 m). However, these had not been tested to determine if they adequately reflect biotic patterns.
• 2. Using baited remote underwater video (BRUV), fish assemblages were surveyed at 56 sites spread across shallow, intermediate, and deep reefs within the SIMP to examine spatial variation between depth categories. Relationships between assemblage patterns, depth, and four additional factors considered likely to affect assemblage patterns (distance from shore, reef type, dominant benthos, and latitude), were subsequently explored using multivariate statistical methods.
• 3. Reef fish assemblages differed significantly among the depth categories. Assemblage patterns for fish were strongly correlated with depth and moderately correlated with the dominant benthic assemblage. Correlations with the other factors were generally weak. Three distinct assemblages occurred on reefs <25 m, 25–50 m and >50 m. Shallow (<25 m) reefs also displayed strong cross‐shelf patterns, supporting the results from other studies. Weaker cross‐shelf patterns were evident at intermediate depths (25–50 m).
• 4. Depth‐based and cross‐shelf categories are clearly fundamental components for a HCS that will adequately represent reef fish assemblages for conservation planning in the SIMP. Further refining the depth criteria for the intermediate/deep boundary (to 50 m) improves this representation. Further research is required to determine the wider application of the refined HCS to other marine parks in NSW and to determine how well it represents other components of biodiversity. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

     

防城港人工礁区内5种恋礁鱼类的声学标志跟踪

为了解人工鱼礁区鱼类的活动特点及使用超声波遥测方法进行人工鱼礁区鱼类研究的可行性, 2017年7月7日至9月8日于防城港人工鱼礁区利用Vemco定位系统(Vemco position system, VPS)对5种北部湾沿海常见的野生恋礁性鱼类共9尾[体长(21.7±3.8) cm,体重(314±186) g]进行超声波标志遥测跟踪。结果表明, 9尾鱼中的3尾定位效果较为理想(1749～9591个定位结果),活动范围较小,其中100%最小凸多边形(minimum convex polygon, MCPs)范围为12687.6～17123.2 m^2。而50%和95%核心利用分布(Kernelutilizationdistribution,KUDs)范围为5788.1～8708.9 m^2和10240.5～16463.7 m^2。另6尾鱼未取得理想的定位效果(0～14个定位结果),接收机接收回的定位数据可以被检测,表明鱼依然在礁区附近活动。在游离检测范围28～51 d后又有信号返回,说明样本鱼对人工鱼礁环境有一定的偏好性,研究期间样本鱼表现出一定的活动深度变化规律,在15:00～22:00时段活动深度相对较浅,主要集中于人工鱼礁礁体上方(距水底5 m以上)。研究表明,应用超声波遥测技术可以了解鱼类在自然生活状态下的活动特点,可作为鱼类研究的有效手段加以应用。     

The effects of epibenthic communities on reef fishes in the northern Gulf of Mexico

Abstract  Reef fishes were compared between artificial reefs with ( n  =   20) and without ( n  =   20) epibenthic communities in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Artificial reefs were built in June 2003; half were coated with copper-based paint to prevent epibenthic community development. Reefs were surveyed by SCUBA divers to estimate fish abundance in the autumn and winter 2003 and spring 2004. Total fish abundance and abundance of red snapper, Lutjanus campechanus (Poey), and gray triggerfish, Balistes capriscus Gmelin, were significantly ( P  ≤   0.05) higher on reefs with epibenthic communities. In the spring 2004, the abundance of belted sandfish, Serranus subligarius (Cope), the size of red snapper and community measures of diversity and evenness were significantly ( P  ≤   0.05) greater on unpainted reefs. These significant differences provide evidence that reef fishes were positively affected by the presence of epibenthic organisms that probably provided increased food resources.     

Beyond the reef: The widespread use of non‐reef habitats by coral reef fishes

Marine ecology seeks to understand the factors that shape biological communities. Progress towards this goal has been hampered by habitat‐centric approaches that ignore the influence of the wider seascape. Coral reef fishes may use non‐reef habitats (e.g. mangrove and seagrass) extensively, yet most studies have focused on within‐reef attributes or connectivity between reefs to explain trends in their distribution and abundance. We systematically review the evidence for multihabitat use by coral reef fishes across life stages, feeding guilds and conservation status. At least 670 species of “coral reef fish” have been observed in non‐reef habitats, with almost half (293 species) being recorded in two or more non‐reef habitats. Of the 170 fish species for which both adult and juvenile data were available, almost 76% were recorded in non‐reef habitats in both life stages. Importantly, over half of the coral reef fish species recorded in non‐reef habitats (397 spp.) were potential fisheries targets. The use of non‐reef habitats by “coral reef” fishes appears to be widespread, suggesting in turn that attempts to manage anthropogenic impacts on fisheries and coral reefs may need to consider broader scales and different forms of connectivity than traditional approaches recommend. Faced with the deteriorating condition of many coastal habitats, there is a pressing need to better understand how the wider seascape can influence reef fish populations, community dynamics, food‐webs and other key ecological processes on reefs.     

Fish assemblages associated with artificial reefs of concrete aggregates or quarry stone offshore Miami Beach,Florida, USA

Few studies have compared the suitability of different artificial reef construction materials in terms of their efficacy in acquiring diverse faunal assemblages. We compared the fishes associated with 12 co-located reefs constructed of limestone quarry boulders, concrete-gravel aggregate, or concrete-tire aggregate (four of each substrate) in 7 m of water, 200 m offshore Miami Beach, Florida, USA. All 12 reefs were deployed 100 m apart the same day in two lines of six. The four quarry stone reefs consist of a pile of 50 boulders each. The remaining eight reefs, of concrete-gravel aggregate and concrete-tire aggregate, were each constructed with 25 1.5 m edge and 25 1.2 m edge tetrahedron modules. Every two months from October 1998 to February 2001, SCUBA divers recorded fish species, abundance, and length, as well as spiny lobster, Panulirus argus, abundance. One hundred and forty-six species of fishes were recorded during the study period. The abundance and species richness of fish on each treatment exhibited a significant (p<0.05) seasonal variation with summer months having the greatest numbers and winter the lowest. There was no significant difference in total fish or spiny lobster abundance or fish biomass amongst the three reef types (p>0.05). Likewise, multi-dimensional scaling of Bray-Curtis dissimilarity indices did not indicate clustering of fish assemblages by reef type. Comparison of pre-deployment fish counts from the reef sites and neighboring hard bottom and jetty with counts from the same sites two years post-deployment indicate the artificial reefs increased both fish abundance and richness in the local area.     

西沙群岛重要珊瑚礁海域鱼类区系

根据1998年5月、1999年5月和2003年5月在西沙群岛北礁、永兴岛、琛航岛、华光礁、浪花礁、金银岛、东岛和玉琢礁等8个岛礁的调查资料,研究了西沙群岛岛礁水域的鱼类区系。在8个岛礁共捕获鱼类48科261种,其中礁栖性鱼类占78.93%,在8个岛礁广泛分布的鱼类只有33种,各礁区之间种类的相似度不超过41%,因此,种类多样性高和相似度低是该区域鱼类区系的2个主要特征。与南沙岛礁(1998～1999)延绳钓、刺网和手钓以及南沙群岛西南陆架区(1991)、南海北部海域等底拖网鱼类相比较,物种相似度分别为34.0%、5.1%和6.8%。     

Herbivorous fishes and the potential of Caribbean marine reserves to preserve coral reef ecosystems

• 1. The development of macroalgae to the detriment of corals is now one of the major threats to coral reefs. Herbivorous fishes are partly responsible for algal regulation on coral reefs and their overexploitation favours the shift from scleractinian coral‐dominated systems towards macroalgae‐dominated systems.
• 2. Marine protected areas (MPAs) that have been established worldwide may benefit coral reefs through the maintenance of high densities of herbivorous fishes which regulate algal growth.
• 3. The paper assesses whether small MPAs in the Caribbean are able to enhance herbivorous fish stock and by controlling macroalgae help to maintain reef ecosystems. A visual census using band‐transects was undertaken around Guadeloupe island where marine reserves have been in place since 1979. The effects of MPAs on both benthic communities and herbivorous fishes are examined.
• 4. Inside MPAs, herbivorous fish biomass was almost twice as high as outside MPAs and macroalgal cover was significantly lower. Fish size class distributions revealed that large individuals occurred mainly inside MPAs and that few male individuals were found outside MPAs. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

     

Differences in benthic cover inside and outside marine protected areas on the Great Barrier Reef: influence of protection or disturbance history?

• 1. Marine protected areas (MPAs) are being used increasingly to manage and protect marine resources. Most studies of MPAs have focused on fish. In this study, the influence of MPA protection on coral reef benthic organisms on the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) was investigated. In addition, the interaction between protection and natural disturbance history was examined.
• 2. Differences in benthic cover inside and outside MPAs were assessed at 15 pairs of Protected and General Use reefs on the GBR using annual monitoring data from the Australian Institute of Marine Science's Long‐Term Monitoring Programme (LTMP). At each reef, benthic cover was determined using a benthic video survey at three sites, with each site consisting of five 50 m transect lines separated by at least 250 m running parallel to the reef crest at 6–9 m depth.
• 3. Benthic cover was related to both protection status and disturbance history, but natural perturbations exerted a stronger influence on benthic cover than did protection status. The influence of natural perturbation was most noticeable for hard coral.
• 4. Most reefs where no natural disturbance events had occurred (‘undisturbed reefs’) had higher hard coral cover and lower soft coral cover than General Use reefs. While the high levels of hard coral on Protected reefs may be a result of protection status, it might also have resulted from selection bias that occurred during the initial zoning of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (i.e. managers may have given protection status to reefs with high coral cover).
• 5. These results are likely influenced by the relatively low intensity of human use, both on the Great Barrier Reef in general and at the particular monitoring sites studied. Over time, as local populations and tourism increase, the effect of protection may become more evident at LTMP sites. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

     

南沙群岛重点岛礁潟湖微型浮游动物的群落结构与摄食

潟湖是岛礁生物多样性演变的重要环境场,在岛礁水生态系统的物质循环和能量流动中发挥重要作用,而微型浮游动物的生态功能研究是解析南沙群岛岛礁水域潟湖生态系统初级生产力组成、流向、能量流动效率的重要研究内容之一。实验通过对南沙群岛重点岛礁渚碧礁、美济礁与永暑礁潟湖表层水域中微型浮游动物与生态环境调查,研究了其群落结构及其与环境因子的关系,并通过稀释培养实验研究了微型浮游动物的摄食压力。结果显示,调查水域共发现微型浮游动物20种,总丰度的范围为320～1 460个/L,以无壳纤毛虫丰度最高。无壳纤毛虫在渚碧礁潟湖西部水域（ZB-1）丰度最高,砂壳纤毛虫峰值则出现在永暑礁潟湖中部水域（YS-3）,桡足类幼体丰度最大值出现在美济礁潟湖北部水域（MJ-2）。聚类分析结果显示,3个岛礁潟湖中部区域的微型浮游动物群落相似度较高,溶解氧是影响群落结构的最重要因素,特别是对MJ-3站位影响最为突出。摄食实验结果显示,3个岛礁潟湖水域浮游植物生长率为0.22～1.36 d^-1;微型浮游动物摄食率范围为0.22～0.60 d^-1,微型浮游动物每天约摄食浮游植物现存量的...     

Growth, Survival, and Feed Conversion Rates of Hatchery-Reared Mutton Snapper Lutjanus analis Cultured in Floating Net Cages

Abstract.— The aquaculture performance of mutton snapper Lutjanus analis raised in floating net cages was assessed by measuring their growth, survival, and feed conversion rates during a growout trial conducted in a 3.2‐ha saltwater lake in the Florida Keys, Florida, USA. Approximately 10,500 hatchery‐reared finger‐lings were stocked in two circular, high‐density polyethylene (HDPE) net cages of 7‐m diameter × 7‐m deep (300 m²) and 10‐m diameter × 7‐m deep (600 m³) dimensions. Cages were stocked at 25 fish/m³ (3.2 kg/m³) and 5 fish/m³ (0.72 kg/m³), respectively. Fish grew from a mean of 16.5 g to 302.8 g (25.6 cm TL) in 246 days in the former cage and from a mean of 42.3 g to 245.6 g (23.8 cm TL) in 178 d in the latter cage. Growth rates in weight were best expressed by the following exponential equations: cage 1 (high stocking density): W = 20.716 e^0.0112x (r²= 0.83); cage 2 (low stocking density): W = 38.848 e^0.0118x (r²= 0.81). Length‐weight data indicate that hatcheryraised, cage‐cultured mutton snapper are heavier per unit length than their wild counterparts. There was no significant difference (P < 0.05) between the slopes of the two lines, indicating that fish in the two cages grew at the same rate. The length‐weight relationships for mutton snapper stocked in cages 1 and 2 are expressed, respectively, by the equations W = 0.000009 L ^3.11 (r²= 0.99) and W = 0.000005 L ^3.22 (r²= 0.97). Overall feed conversion rate for both cages combined was 1.4. Approximately 10% of the fish sampled exhibited some degree of deformity, particularly scoliosis. Overall survival rate was 70%. Results suggest that L. analis has potential for aquaculture development in net cage systems.     

Effect of an intensive mechanical removal effort on a population of non‐native rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss in a South African headwater stream

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人工鱼礁对防城港海域小型岩礁性鱼类诱集效果研究

为探究人工鱼礁聚鱼效果,于 2017 年 2 月、4 月、9 月和 11 月主要通过声学探测技术,对防城港海域渔业资源密度、空间分布与大小组成进行了调查研究。结果显示,防城港人工鱼礁区及其临近海域 4 次调查共捕获各类游泳生物和底栖无脊椎动物 201 种,包括鱼类 126 种、蟹类 32 种、虾类 20 种、虾蛄类 11 种和头足类 12 种。双因素方差分析结果表明,调查海域渔业资源密度在时空层面上均存在显著性差异(P<0.001),且交互作用显著(P<0.001)。2 月调查海域人工鱼礁区渔业资源密度(547745 ind/n mile2)约为其周边海域(203990 ind/n mile2)的 2.68倍,表现出明显的聚鱼效果。其中,二长棘鲷(Parargyrops edita)、多齿蛇鲻(Saurida tumbil)、花斑蛇鲻(Sauridaundosquamis)等岩礁性底层鱼类为该季度主要优势种类。各航次人工鱼礁区小型个体所占比重较高,其平均目标强度(TS)分别为 55.6 dB(2 月)、 54.5 dB(4 月)、 53.6 dB(9 月)和 52.2 dB(11 月),随个体生长其平均 TS 呈稳步增大的变化趋势。在垂直方向上, 2 月和 4 月航次人工鱼礁区 90%以上回波单体主要分布在 9~16 m 中下水层。上述研究结果表明,人工鱼礁建设对防城港海域小型岩礁性鱼类表现出明显的向底层诱集的效果,该结果能为海洋牧场生态效应系统评价提供重要支撑。     

Active habitat selection by pre-settlement reef fishes

Our understanding of habitat selection by reef fish larvae has changed dramatically in the last 10 years. Fish larvae have long been considered passive particles at the mercy of ocean currents, tides and weather events. For reef fishes, ecological evidence has shown that passive dispersal alone often cannot explain larval distributions, suggesting active behaviour by reef fish larvae. While behaviourally modified passive transport may be important, recent work demonstrates that some reef fish larvae have the capability to actively swim to settlement habitat. They can orientate to reefs from distances of at least 1 km and can swim at speeds of 13.5 cm s^?1 for several days. The question then becomes, what are the cues that fish larvae use to orientate to reefs? Ambient reef sound has been shown to be attractive to reef fish larvae, and current research aims to understand better the nature and use of these acoustic cues. Other potential cues include chemoreception/olfaction, wave cues and visual location of reefs. A better understanding of active habitat selection and the underlying sensory and behavioural mechanisms will improve our knowledge of recruitment processes in reef fish ecology, and may have implications for active management of reef fish populations.     

Artificial reef placement: a red snapper,Lutjanus campechanus,ecosystem and fuzzy rule‐based model

Abstract This study on reef placement involves two aspects: (1) the development of a bioenergetics model for red snapper, Lutjanus campechanus (Poey), in Gulf of Mexico waters off the coast of Alabama, where significant numbers of artificial reefs are thought to exist, and (2) a fuzzy rough set model by which parameters determined from the bioenergetics model can provide a decision tool for optimally spacing artificial reefs during deployment. The bioenergetics and consumption rates of L. campechanus by age class foraging on artificial reefs in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Alabama provided input into the fuzzy rule‐based model. After conducting multiple simulations, highest certainty in optimal reef spacing was achieved for reef distances between 0.50 and 0.95 km such that no more than two fit within a 1‐km² area. Results can inform fisheries managers about placement of artificial reefs to affect the health and survival of reef‐associated species.     

Using patterns of reef fish assemblages to refine a Habitat Classification System for marine parks in NSW,Australia

• 1. The Solitary Islands Marine Park (SIMP) in New South Wales (NSW), Australia, is located in a tropical‐temperate biotone, with variable influence of the tropical East Australian Current (EAC) from inshore to offshore. Marine communities on the extensive, subtidal, rocky reefs are poorly described. As a result, the current Habitat Classification System (HCS) used as part of the process to determine the marine park zoning arrangements, which places all shallow reef (<25 m) in the same category, is unlikely to represent real biotic patterns.
• 2. To evaluate the influence of five key factors (distance from shore, reef type, dominant benthos, latitude, and depth range) fish assemblages were widely surveyed, using 30‐minute timed counts, at 68 sites across the extent of shallow reef within the park. Relationships between assemblage patterns and levels of the different factors were subsequently examined using multivariate analyses.
• 3. Patterns of reef fish assemblages were most strongly correlated with distance from shore. Three distinct assemblages occurred on inshore (<1.5 km), mid‐shelf (1.5–6 km), and offshore (>6 km) reefs. Differences in assemblage structure by reef type were also apparent on inshore and offshore reefs, but not on mid‐shelf reefs. Correlations with the other factors were weak. The cross‐shelf pattern was persistent over the scale of years.
• 4. The results of the study provide strong support for incorporating distance‐from‐shore categories into a refined HCS. This will improve its ability to represent biological diversity as reflected by patterns of reef fish assemblages. Further research is required to determine the wider application of the HCS to other marine parks in NSW and to determine if it also, effectively, represents other components of biodiversity. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

     

Relative importance of habitat and fishing in influencing reef fish communities across seventeen Pacific Island Countries and Territories

Reef fish assessments were undertaken in 17 Pacific islands to describe the status of finfish resources in 63 villages where fishing is mainly artisanal. Surveys were performed by recording the number and size of edible fish species and benthic composition. Fishing impact was described through six proxies representing level of catch, alternative incomes, degree of commercial catch and country economic development derived from a simultaneous socioeconomic assessment. The relative importance of broadly defined habitat (geographical location, island and reef type, substrate composition) and fishing impact in controlling the distribution of fish trophic groups, families and species was measured through multivariate analysis. The extreme faunistic diversity was shown by the large variation in fish density (difference of up to an order of magnitude) and fish biomass (displaying a 20‐fold difference across the region). Herbivores were dominant in the eastern part of the region, at what we classified as complex islands and at islands with small lagoon and at coastal reefs, while carnivores were dominant at oceanic islands and atolls and at outer reefs. Specific habitat associations were shown for Scaridae, Acanthuridae, Siganidae, Balistidae, Lethrinidae, Lutjanidae and Serranidae. Relative importance and size decrease of several fish families (Mullidae, Scaridae, Lutjanidae and Serranidae) were related to high fishing impact. Acanthuridae and Lethrinidae appeared to have a role as opportunistic groups in impacted sites. The relative impact from fishing and habitat on fishes accounted for, respectively, 20 and 30% of variance, demonstrating the effect of human impacts even at such large scale and taking into account only limited fishing impact variables.     

The potential exceptional role of a small Baltic boulder reef as a solitary habitat in a sea of mud

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