Fish with Chips: Tracking Reef Fish Movements to Evaluate Size and Connectivity of Caribbean Marine Protected Areas

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0096028
• Publication Date: 2014-05-06T00:47:45Z
• Authors: Simon J. Pittman; Mark E. Monaco; Alan M. Friedlander; Bryan Legare; Richard S. Nemeth; Matthew S. Kendall; Matthew Poti; Randall D. Clark; Lisa M. Wedding; Chris Caldow
• Keywords: Marine protected area; Marine reserve

Coral reefs and associated fish populations have experienced rapid decline in the Caribbean region marine protected areas (MPAs) been widely implemented to address this decline. The performance of no-take MPAs (i.e., reserves) for protecting rebuilding is influenced by movement animals within across their boundaries. Very little known about reef movements creating a critical knowledge gap that can impede effective MPA design, evaluation. Using miniature implanted acoustic transmitters fixed receiver array, we three key questions: How far move? Does connectivity exist between adjacent MPAs? existing size match spatial scale movements? We show many fishes are capable traveling greater distances shorter duration than was previously known. Across Puerto Rican Shelf, more half our 163 tagged (18 species 10 families) moved 1 km with moving single day quarter spending time outside MPAs. provide direct evidence ecological network MPAs, including estimated 40 connecting nearshore shelf-edge spawning aggregation. Most showed high fidelity but also spent potentially contributing spillover. Three-quarters were would take them beyond protection offered at least 40–64% eastern recommend patterns be used inform evaluate functionality particularly shape. A re-scaling perception mobility habitat use imperative, important implications ecology management effectiveness.