Effect of the creation of a marine protected area on populations of Coral Trout in the coral triangle region
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Published source details
Chung F.C., Komilus C.F. & Mustafa S. (2017) Effect of the creation of a marine protected area on populations of Coral Trout in the coral triangle region. Regional Studies in Marine Science, 10, 1-9.
Published source details Chung F.C., Komilus C.F. & Mustafa S. (2017) Effect of the creation of a marine protected area on populations of Coral Trout in the coral triangle region. Regional Studies in Marine Science, 10, 1-9.
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 2010–2011 at 12 coral reef sites in the Sulu Sea, Malaysia (Chung et al. 2017) found that prohibiting all fishing in a marine reserve resulted in a greater total fish density and biomass, and a higher biomass but similar density of coral trout Plectropomus spp., compared to fished areas outside, 11 years after implementation. Overall, areas closed to fishing had a higher reef fish density (closed: 624 fish/250 m2, fished: 373 fish/250 m2) and biomass (closed: 40 kg/250 m2, fished: 12 kg/250 m2) than fished areas. Average coral trout biomass was greater in closed (1.3 kg/250 m2) compared to fished areas (0.1 kg/250 m2), but density was similar (closed: 1.5 fish/250 m2; fished: 0.4 fish/250 m2). Sugud Islands Marine Conservation Area (467 km2) was established in December 2001 and prohibits fishing. Between April 2010 and November 2011, twelve patch reefs around Lankayan Island were surveyed: eight reefs in the reserve area closed to fishing and four open to fishing outside (0–3 km from the reserve border). Fish >3 cm length were recorded (count and species) by diver visual census along four randomly placed belt transects, 5 m wide by 50 m length, at each reef site (minimum 50–100 m apart). Fish biomass was estimated using length–weight relationships.
(Summarised by: Leo Clarke)
