Evaluating Effectiveness of a Marine Protected Area Network in West Hawai'i to Increase Productivity of an Aquarium Fishery

摘要

A network of nine Fish Replenishment Areas (FRAs) was establishedin West Hawai'i in 2000 in response to declines of reef fishes taken by aquariumcollectors. In 1999, we established 23 study sites in FRAs, areas open to collectors,and reference areas (existing protected areas) to collect data both beforeand after the closure of the FRA network in 2000. To date we have conducted23 bimonthly fish surveys as well as surveys of the benthic habitats of all sites.Baseline surveys, done before FRA closure, document significant effects ofaquarium collector harvesting on selected fishes. On average, aquarium fisheswere 26% less abundant in newly established FRAs (formerly open) than in adjacentreference areas. Analysis of postclosure surveys in 2000-2002 using aBefore-After-Control-Impact procedure provided evidence of a significant increasein two of the 10 species examined, including the yellow tang (Zebrasomaflavescens) , the most collected aquarium fish in Hawai'i. The recovery of yellowtangs to preexploitation levels in the FRAs was probably due to the high numberof newly recruited fishes observed in 2001-2002. Large recruitment eventsare rare in West Hawai'i but are likely to be an important factor determiningthe effectiveness of Marine Protected Areas to help replenish depleted fishpopulations.