Study

Effectiveness of a small marine reserve in southern California

  • Published source details Parnell P., Lennert-Cody C., Geelen L., Stanley L. & Dayton P. (2005) Effectiveness of a small marine reserve in southern California. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 296, 39-52.

Actions

This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

Action Category

Designate a Marine Protected Area and prohibit all types of fishing

Action Link
Subtidal Benthic Invertebrate Conservation
  1. Designate a Marine Protected Area and prohibit all types of fishing

    A replicated, site comparison study in 2002–2003 in one area of mixed seabed off the coast of southern California, North Pacific Ocean, USA (Parnell et al. 205) found that a protected marine reserve prohibiting all fishing had higher abundances of three out of five surveyed invertebrate species compared to outside after approximately 30 years. Average abundances were higher inside the reserve than outside the reserve for red sea urchins Strongylocentrotus franciscanus (inside: 0.86/m2 vs outside: 0.02/m2), rock scallops Crassadoma giganteum (0.006/m2 vs 0.001/m2), and green abalone Haliotis fulgens (0.007/m2 vs 0.001/m2), but not for California spiny lobsters Panulirus interruptus (0.006 vs 0.004/m2) and pink abalone Haliotis corrugata (0.003/m2 vs 0.004/m2). A 2.16 km2 area was established as a protected no-take marine reserve in 1971. Between spring and summer 2002, a total of 286 transects (30 × 4 m) were surveyed by divers inside and outside of the reserve (numbers of transects unspecified), and the abundances of red sea urchins, rock scallops, spiny lobsters, and pink abalone recorded. Green abalone abundance was recorded during dive surveys along 500 m transects (numbers unspecified) at depths below 6 m between spring and autumn 2003.

    (Summarised by: Anaëlle Lemasson)

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