Predictive mapping of reproductive fish habitats to aid marine conservation planning
Post-settlement spillover from marine protected areas (MPAs) can support adjacent fished populations and has been subject of many scientific studies. The larval subsidy effect, on the contrary, is more challenging to study and less demonstrated although it, arguably, provides key benefits for fisher...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
| Language: | unknown |
| Published: |
NRC Research Press (a division of Canadian Science Publishing)
2016
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/1807/76620 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/abs/10.1139/cjfas-2015-0538 |
| Summary: | Post-settlement spillover from marine protected areas (MPAs) can support adjacent fished populations and has been subject of many scientific studies. The larval subsidy effect, on the contrary, is more challenging to study and less demonstrated although it, arguably, provides key benefits for fisheries. We modeled and predicted the spatial distribution of fish spawning biomass and fecundity across a temperate insular MPA network (Azores archipelago, Northeast Atlantic) and identified potential single and multi-species reproductive habitats (RHs) in shallow reefs. Reproductive strategies or skewed sex ratios influenced spatial patterns of potential spawning biomass and fecundity. Predicted multi-species RHs covered 5-20% of the studied reef habitat. Given their potentially high reproductive output we argue that such sites should be considered in marine conservation planning to increase chances of achieving fisheries and conservation benefits. Spatial patterns of the reproductive output may function as surrogates for larval subsidy when limited or no larval connectivity information is available and assist in identifying potential larval sources and priority sites for conservation. The accepted manuscript in pdf format is listed with the files at the bottom of this page. The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the manuscript may differ slightly between what is listed on this page and what is listed in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript; that in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript is what was submitted by the author. |
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