Exceptionally high but still growing predatory reef fish biomass after 23 years of protection in a Marine Protected Area.

ABSTRACT: Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) help replenish fish assemblages, though different trophic levels may show diverse recovery patterns. Long-term protection is required to achieve total recovery but poaching events may prevent the achievement of full carrying capacity. Here, we have analysed the effect of long-term protection on the entire reef fish community and the different trophic levels in the Cabo de Palos-Islas Hormigas MPA (SE Spain; SW Mediterranean Sea) in order to assess their recovery patterns after 23 years of protection. We compared the values for carrying capacity obtained with the maximum values achieved at regional scale, and we assessed the effect of a reduction in the surveillance over a few years, during which poaching events increased, on the recovery patterns. We found tha

SUBMITTER: Rojo I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7870052 | biostudies-literature | 2021

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature