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Effect of Diel Activity Patterns and Harvesting Pressure on the Diversity and Biomass of Sea Cucumbers in Marovo Lagoon, Solomon Islands

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Abstract

A marked decline in the contribution by Marovo Lagoon to the annual total bêche-de-mer production of the Solomon Islands from 58% in 1989 to 17% in 2003 prompted investigation of their current biomass and diversity. We also assessed changes to critical ecological services and the prospects for population recovery following a fisheries closure. Day time and nocturnal transects revealed a mean abundance of 32.4 (SD = 5.3) low value species per ha (e.g. Holothuria atra, H. edulis, H. coluber and Thelenota anax) and 15.2 (SD = 2.7) high value species per ha (e.g. H. fuscogilva, Actinopyga lecanora, Stichopus hermanni and Thelenota ananas). Following a 17 month closure of the fishery (2005–2007), the abundance of bêche-de-mer was reported by local fisherman to have increased; however, no scientific studies were conducted that can substantiate this community held belief. The current study aimed to document the impact of re-opening the fishery in 2007 and documented a decline in high value species of 9% over a 5 month period following the opening of the fishery, while low value species continued to increase in abundance by 11%, over the same period based on nocturnal surveys. Continued observation of the recovery, post closure, and any subsequent harvest in Marovo will be required to properly understand population dynamics and provide a sustainable harvest plan for bêche-de-mer in the future.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation for their financial support of this project. Also, we would like to thank the people of Marovo Lagoon for their continued assistance and support for the Marovo Project. Special thank you to Morgan Jimuru and other bêche-de-mer divers of Marovo for their field work assistance. Lastly, thank you Dr. Alistair Grinham for advice and field work assistance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Water Studies, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia

    Christine Buckius, Simon Albert & James Udy

  2. School of Engineering, Hawken Building University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia

    Christine Buckius

  3. Centre for Marine Studies, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia

    Ian Tibbetts

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  1. Christine Buckius
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  2. Simon Albert
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  3. Ian Tibbetts
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  4. James Udy
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Correspondence to Christine Buckius.

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Buckius, C., Albert, S., Tibbetts, I. et al. Effect of Diel Activity Patterns and Harvesting Pressure on the Diversity and Biomass of Sea Cucumbers in Marovo Lagoon, Solomon Islands. Environmental Management 45, 963–973 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-010-9469-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-010-9469-3

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