The effects of protection measures on fish assemblage in the Plemmirio marine reserve (Central Mediterranean Sea, Italy): A first assessment 5years after its establishment
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Published source details
Pierpaolo C., Gianluca S., Gianfranco M., Pietro B., Teresa R., Vincenzo I. & Franco A. (2013) The effects of protection measures on fish assemblage in the Plemmirio marine reserve (Central Mediterranean Sea, Italy): A first assessment 5years after its establishment. Journal of Sea Research (formerly Netherlands Journal of Sea Research), 79, 20-26.
Published source details Pierpaolo C., Gianluca S., Gianfranco M., Pietro B., Teresa R., Vincenzo I. & Franco A. (2013) The effects of protection measures on fish assemblage in the Plemmirio marine reserve (Central Mediterranean Sea, Italy): A first assessment 5years after its establishment. Journal of Sea Research (formerly Netherlands Journal of Sea Research), 79, 20-26.
Actions
This study is summarised as evidence for the following.
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Cease or prohibit all types of fishing in a marine protected area Action Link |
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Cease or prohibit all types of fishing in a marine protected area
A site comparison study in 2009–2010 of 12 rocky reef and boulder sites in the Mediterranean Sea, off eastern Sicily, Italy (Pierpaolo et al. 2013) found that five to six years after all fishing was banned in a reserve zone of a marine protected area, the overall fish assemblage was different and fish abundance, species richness and diversity was higher compared to fished areas outside the reserve, but the effect on individual species abundance varied between size classes and commercial/non-commercial species. The overall fish assemblage was different inside and outside the reserve (data reported as statistical results) and total fish abundance was higher inside (226 fish/125 m2) than outside (90 fish/125 m2). This was due to greater abundances of medium and large fish inside (medium: 80, large: 108 fish/125 m2) than outside (medium: 38, large: 25/125 m2), as well as species of high commercial value (24 vs 4 fish/125 m2). Abundance of small and low and medium commercial value fish were not significantly different inside and outside the reserve (small: 38 vs 27 fish/125 m2, low value: 12 vs 8 fish/125 m2, medium value 67 vs 4 fish/125 m2). Fish species richness and Shannon diversity were higher inside the reserve (species: 14, diversity: 1.7 fish/125 m2) than outside (species: 12, diversity: 1.5 fish/125 m2). Fish were surveyed by underwater visual census in early summer 2009–2010 along three 125 m2 transects (15–20 m depth) at four sites inside the marine reserve zone (where all fishing activities are prohibited since 2004) of the Plemmirio Marine Protected Area (2,400 ha), and eight sites outside the reserve (four in an adjacent zone where only some controlled fishing activities are allowed and four outside the marine protected area, 12 km away).
(Summarised by: Leo Clarke)
