The effect of protection on fish populations in the Ses Negres Marine Reserve (NW Mediterranean, Spain)

Authors

  • Marc Rius Departament de Biologia Animal, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3989/scimar.2007.71n3499

Keywords:

Ses Negres, MPA, rocky fish, NW Mediterranean, reserve effect

Abstract


This work is the result of a 3-year monitoring programme for assessing the effect that the Ses Negres marine reserve has had on fish populations. Species richness (based on fish species that are considered to be reserve effect indicators), and the size structure of 4 species vulnerable to angling and spear fishing were studied by visual censuses conducted both inside and outside the marine reserve. Analysis of fish populations inside the reserve showed a reserve effect (larger sizes, higher abundance and richer fish assemblages) when compared to the non-reserve sites, especially by the end of the study period. The results highlight the importance of marine reserves for the recovery of fish populations. Future management plans are discussed for this marine reserve.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Badalamenti F., A.A. Ramos, E. Voultsiadou, J.L. Sánchez-Lizaso, G. D’Anna, C. Pipitone, J. Mas, J.A. Ruiz Fernandez, D. Whitmarsh and S. Riggio. – 2000. Cultural and socio-economic impacts of Mediterranean marine protected areas. Environ. Cons., 27: 110-120. doi:10.1017/S0376892900000163

Bell, J.D. – 1983. Effects of depth and marine reserve fishing restrictions on the structure of a rocky reef fish assemblage in the North-Western Mediterranean Sea. J. Appl. Ecol., 20: 357-369. doi:10.2307/2403513

Buxton, C.D. – 1993. Life-history changes in exploited reef fishes on the east coast of South Africa. Environ. Biol. Fish., 36: 47-63. doi:10.1007/BF00005979

Castilla, J.C. – 1999. Coastal marine communities: trends and perspectives from human exclusion experiments. Trends Ecol. Evol., 14: 280-283. doi:10.1016/S0169-5347(99)01602-X

Castilla, J.C. – 2000. Roles of experimental marine ecology in coastal management and conservation. J. Exp. Mar. Biol. Ecol., 250: 3-21. doi:10.1016/S0022-0981(00)00177-5 PMid:10969161

Claudet, J., D. Pelletier, J.-Y. Jouvenel, F. Bachet and R. Galzin. – 2006. Assessing the effects of marine protected area (MPA) on a reef fish assemblage in a northwestern Mediterranean marine reserve: Identifying community-based indicators. Biol. Conserv., 130: 349-369. doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2005.12.030

Coma, R., E. Pola, M. Ribes and M. Zabala. – 2004. Long-term assessment of temperate octocoral mortality patterns, protected vs. unprotected areas. Ecol. Appl., 14: 1466-1478. doi:10.1890/03-5176

de Lumley, H. – 1975. Cultural evolution in France in its paleoecological setting during the Middle Pleistocene. In: G.L. Isaac and K.W. Butzer (eds.), After the Australopithecines: stratigraphy, ecology and culture in the Middle Pleistocene, pp. 745-808. Mounton, The Hague.

Francour, P. – 1994. Pluriannual analysis of the reserve effect on ichthyofauna in the Scandola natural reserve (Corsica, northwestern Mediterranean). Oceanol. Acta, 17: 309-317.

García-Rubies, A. and M. Zabala. – 1990. Effects of total fishing prohibition on the rocky fish assemblages of Medes Islands Marine Reserve (NW Mediterranean). Sci. Mar., 54: 317-328.

Garrabou, J., E. Sala, A. Arcas and M. Zabala. – 1998. The impact of diving on rocky sublittoral communities: a case study of a bryozoan population. Conserv. Biol., 12: 302-312. doi:10.1046/j.1523-1739.1998.96417.x

Harmelin, J.G. – 1987. Structure et variabilité de l’ichtyofaune d’une zone rocheuse protegeé en Mediterranée (Parc National de Port-Cros, France). P.S.Z.N.I.: Mar. Ecol., 8: 263-284. doi:10.1111/j.1439-0485.1987.tb00188.x

Harmelin, J.G. – 2000. Mediterranean marine protected areas: some prominent traits and promising trends. Environ. Conserv., 27: 104-105. doi:10.1017/S037689290000014X

Harmelin, J.G., F. Bachet and F. García. – 1995. Mediterranean marine reserves: fish indices as tests of protection efficiency. P.S.Z.N.I.: Mar. Ecol., 16: 233-250. doi:10.1111/j.1439-0485.1995.tb00408.x

Harmelin-Vivien, M.L., J.G. Harmelin, C. Chauvet, C. Duval, R. Galzin, P. Lejeune, G. Barnabe, F. Blanc, R. Chevalier, J. Duclerc and G. Lasserre. – 1985. Evaluation visuelle des peuplements et populations de poissons: méthodes et problèmes. Revue Ecol. - Terre Vie, 40: 467-539.

Hyrenbach, K.D., K.A. Forney and P.K. Dayton. – 2000. Marine protected areas and ocean basin management. Aquatic Conserv., 10: 437-458. doi:10.1002/1099-0755(200011/12)10:6<437::AID-AQC425>3.0.CO;2-Q

Kimmel, J.J. – 1985. A new species-time method for visual assessment of fishes and its comparison with established methods. Environ. Biol. Fish., 12: 23-32. doi:10.1007/BF00007707

Lipej, L., M.O. Bonaca and M. ?i?ko. – 2003. Coastal fish diversity in three marine protected areas and one unprotected area in the Gulf of Trieste (Northern Adriatic). P.S.Z.N.: Mar. Ecol., 24: 259-273. doi:10.1046/j.1439-0485.2003.00843.x

Lleonart, J. – 1996. La pesca a Catalunya i la seva gestió. Butll. Inst. Cat. Hist. Nat., 64: 135-158.

Moreno, C.A., K.M. Lunecke and M.I. Lépez. – 1986. The response of an intertidal Concholepas concholepas (Gastropoda) population to protection from man in southern Chile and the effects on benthic sessile assemblages. Oikos, 46: 359-364. doi:10.2307/3565835

Pinnegar, J.K., N.V.C. Polunin, P. Francour, F. Badalamenti, R. Chemello, M.L. Harmelin-Vivien, B. Hereu, M. Milazzo, M. Zabala, G. D’Anna and C. Pipitone. – 2000. Trophic cascades in benthic marine ecosystems: lessons for fisheries and protected- area management. Environ. Conserv., 27: 179-200. doi:10.1017/S0376892900000205

Polunin, N.V.C. and C.M. Roberts. – 1993. Greater biomass and value of target coral-reef fishes in two small Caribbean marine reserves. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser., 100: 167-176. doi:10.3354/meps100167

Russ, G.R. and A.C. Alcala. – 1998. Natural fishing experiments in marine reserves, 1983-1993: community and trophic responses. Coral Reefs, 17: 383-397. doi:10.1007/s003380050144

Soley, M. – 2000. Evolució de les poblacions íctiques a la reserva marina de Ses Negres. Unpublished report, Associació Nereo.

Wantiez, L., P. Thollot and M. Kublicki. – 1997. Effects of marine reserves on coral reef fish communities from five islands in New Caledonia. Coral Reefs, 16: 215-224. doi:10.1007/s003380050077

Downloads

Published

2007-09-30

How to Cite

1.
Rius M. The effect of protection on fish populations in the Ses Negres Marine Reserve (NW Mediterranean, Spain). Sci. mar. [Internet]. 2007Sep.30 [cited 2024Mar.28];71(3):499-504. Available from: https://scientiamarina.revistas.csic.es/index.php/scientiamarina/article/view/54

Issue

Section

Articles