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The Effects of Fishing on Coral Reef Fish Abundance and Diversity

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 May 2009

Maggie Watson ,
Dave Righton ,
Tim Austin  and
Rupert Ormond
Maggie Watson
Affiliation:
Tropical Marine Research Unit, University of York, Heslington, York
Dave Righton
Affiliation:
Tropical Marine Research Unit, University of York, Heslington, York
Tim Austin
Affiliation:
Tropical Marine Research Unit, University of York, Heslington, York
Rupert Ormond
Affiliation:
Tropical Marine Research Unit, University of York, Heslington, York
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Extract

The effect of artisanal fishing on the abundance and diversity of coral reef fish assemblages was investigated in the Kisite Marine National Park and Mpunguti Marine National Reserve at Shimoni, Kenya. Fishing is prohibited within the Park whereas in the Reserve artisanal fishing using traditional methods is practised. Visual censuses of six representative reef fish families (Chaetodontidae, Lethrinidae, Lutjanidae and Serranidae in 1992 and 1994, and Labridae and Pomacentridae in 1994 only) were undertaken along 250×10 m band transects on two similar pairs of reefs subject to differing fishing pressure. The abundance of commercial species (Lethrinidae, Lutjanidae and Serranidae) was depressed in the Reserve. The unfished butterflyfishes (Chaetodontidae) and damselfishes (Pomacentridae) also showed a greater abundance in the Park than in the Reserve. However, neither species number nor Shannon diversity (H′) of any of these families was affected by fishing pressure. Possible reasons for these findings are discussed. The abundance of commercial species, though not of non-commercial unfished species, increased significantly in the Reserve between 1992 and 1994, suggesting that the unfished Park may be acting as a source of larvae or supply of emigrating adults for the depleted Reserve. The results are comparable with other recent studies describing the effects of fishing pressure and also with those studies detailing the effects of habitat refugia in coral reef areas.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom , Volume 76 , Issue 1 , February 1996 , pp. 229 - 233
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 1996

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