Evaluation of the effect of closed areas on a unique and shallow water coral reef fish assemblage reveals complex responses
Areas closed to fishing are advocated as both fisheries management and biodiversity conservation tools. However, few studies investigate the responses of suites of both target and non-target fish species within an assemblage, which is an important consideration for ecosystem-based fisheries manageme...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Journal Article |
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Springer Verlag
2014
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/39544 |
| _version_ | 1848755619352281088 |
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| author | Shedrawi, G. Harvey, Euan McLean, D. Bellchambers, L. Newman, S. Newman, Stephen |
| author_facet | Shedrawi, G. Harvey, Euan McLean, D. Bellchambers, L. Newman, S. Newman, Stephen |
| author_sort | Shedrawi, G. |
| building | Curtin Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | Areas closed to fishing are advocated as both fisheries management and biodiversity conservation tools. However, few studies investigate the responses of suites of both target and non-target fish species within an assemblage, which is an important consideration for ecosystem-based fisheries management approaches. Diver-operated stereo-video was used to assess the abundance and length of coral reef fish across multiple areas both open and closed to fishing at the Houtman Abrolhos Islands, Western Australia. After taking into consideration spatial differences in benthic habitat, the composition of fish assemblages was found to differ between open and closed areas. The target species, Plectropomus leopardus, was approximately two times more abundant in closed areas. Furthermore, 51 % of P. leopardus were larger than the minimum legal length (MLL) for retention in closed areas compared with only 1.8 % in areas open to fishing. Another target species, Choerodon rubescens was surveyed in greater abundance at sizes larger than the MLL in closed areas (64 % >400 mm) in comparison with areas open to fishing (36 %). A number of non-target species were also larger in closed areas (e.g., Kyphosus cornelii, Scarus schlegeli). In contrast, several non-targeted prey species were more abundant in open areas (e.g., Pomacentrus milleri was six times more abundant in open areas). Our results document complex responses of target and non-target species in closed areas at the Houtman Abrolhos Islands. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T08:59:11Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | curtin-20.500.11937-39544 |
| institution | Curtin University Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T08:59:11Z |
| publishDate | 2014 |
| publisher | Springer Verlag |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | curtin-20.500.11937-395442017-09-13T14:26:10Z Evaluation of the effect of closed areas on a unique and shallow water coral reef fish assemblage reveals complex responses Shedrawi, G. Harvey, Euan McLean, D. Bellchambers, L. Newman, S. Newman, Stephen Reef fish assemblage Closed area Diver-operated stereo-video Length frequency Kernel density estimates Houtman Abrolhos Islands Areas closed to fishing are advocated as both fisheries management and biodiversity conservation tools. However, few studies investigate the responses of suites of both target and non-target fish species within an assemblage, which is an important consideration for ecosystem-based fisheries management approaches. Diver-operated stereo-video was used to assess the abundance and length of coral reef fish across multiple areas both open and closed to fishing at the Houtman Abrolhos Islands, Western Australia. After taking into consideration spatial differences in benthic habitat, the composition of fish assemblages was found to differ between open and closed areas. The target species, Plectropomus leopardus, was approximately two times more abundant in closed areas. Furthermore, 51 % of P. leopardus were larger than the minimum legal length (MLL) for retention in closed areas compared with only 1.8 % in areas open to fishing. Another target species, Choerodon rubescens was surveyed in greater abundance at sizes larger than the MLL in closed areas (64 % >400 mm) in comparison with areas open to fishing (36 %). A number of non-target species were also larger in closed areas (e.g., Kyphosus cornelii, Scarus schlegeli). In contrast, several non-targeted prey species were more abundant in open areas (e.g., Pomacentrus milleri was six times more abundant in open areas). Our results document complex responses of target and non-target species in closed areas at the Houtman Abrolhos Islands. 2014 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/39544 10.1007/s00338-014-1160-3 Springer Verlag restricted |
| spellingShingle | Reef fish assemblage Closed area Diver-operated stereo-video Length frequency Kernel density estimates Houtman Abrolhos Islands Shedrawi, G. Harvey, Euan McLean, D. Bellchambers, L. Newman, S. Newman, Stephen Evaluation of the effect of closed areas on a unique and shallow water coral reef fish assemblage reveals complex responses |
| title | Evaluation of the effect of closed areas on a unique and shallow water coral reef fish assemblage reveals complex responses |
| title_full | Evaluation of the effect of closed areas on a unique and shallow water coral reef fish assemblage reveals complex responses |
| title_fullStr | Evaluation of the effect of closed areas on a unique and shallow water coral reef fish assemblage reveals complex responses |
| title_full_unstemmed | Evaluation of the effect of closed areas on a unique and shallow water coral reef fish assemblage reveals complex responses |
| title_short | Evaluation of the effect of closed areas on a unique and shallow water coral reef fish assemblage reveals complex responses |
| title_sort | evaluation of the effect of closed areas on a unique and shallow water coral reef fish assemblage reveals complex responses |
| topic | Reef fish assemblage Closed area Diver-operated stereo-video Length frequency Kernel density estimates Houtman Abrolhos Islands |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/39544 |