Abstract
To provide more information about whether sharks benefit from no-take marine reserves, we quantified the relative abundance and biomass of reef sharks inside and outside of Namena, Fiji’s largest reserve (60.6 km2). Using stereo baited remote underwater video systems (stereo-BRUVs), we found that the abundance and biomass of sharks was approximately two and four times greater in shallow and deep locations, respectively, within the Namena reserve compared to adjacent fished areas. The greater abundance and biomass of reef sharks inside Namena is likely a result of greater prey availability rather than protection from fishing. This study demonstrates that marine reserves can benefit sharks.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
References
Anderson MJ, Gorley RN, Clarke KR (2008) PERMANOVA + for PRIMER: guide to software and statistical methods. PRIMER-E, Plymouth
Bond ME, Babcock EA, Pikitch EK, Abercrombie DL, Lamb NF, Chapman DD (2012) Reef sharks exhibit site-fidelity and higher relative abundance in marine reserves on the Mesoamerican barrier reef. PLoS ONE 7:e32983
Brooks EJ, Sloman KA, Sims DW, Danylchuk AJ (2011) Validating the use of baited remote underwater video surveys for assessing the diversity, distribution and abundance of sharks in the Bahamas. Endangered Species Research 13:231–243
Brunnschweiler JM (2009) The Shark Reef Marine Reserve: a marine tourism project in Fiji involving local communities. J Sustain Tourism 18:29–42
Cakacaka A, Jupiter SD, Egli DP, Moy W (2010) Status of fin fisheries in a Fijian traditional fishing ground, Kubulau District, Vanua Levu. Wildlife Conservation Society - Fiji Technical Report no. 06/10, Suva, Fiji
Camhi MD, Valenti SV, Fordham SV, Fowler SL, Gibson C (2009) The conservation status of pelagic sharks and rays. IUCN Species Survival Commission Shark Specialist Group. Pelagic Shark Red List Workshop. IUCN Species Survival Commission Shark Specialist Group. Newbury, UK, p 78
Chapman DD, Pikitch EK, Babcock E, Shivji MS (2005) Marine reserve design and evaluation using automated acoustic telemetry: a case-study involving coral reef-associated sharks in the Mesoamerican Caribbean. Mar Tech Soc J 39:42–55
Chapman DD, Pikitch EK, Babcock EA, Shivji MS (2007) Deep-diving and diel changes in vertical habitat use by Caribbean reef sharks Carcharhinus perezi. Mar Ecol Progr Ser 344:271–275
Clarke P, Jupiter SD (2010) Law, custom and community-based natural resource management in Kubulau District (Fiji). Environ Conserv 37:98–106
Claudet J, Osenberg CW, Benedetti-Cecchi L, Domenici P, Garcia-Charton JA, Perez-Ruzafa A, Badalamenti F, Bayle-Sempere J, Brito A, Bulleri F (2008) Marine reserves: size and age do matter. Ecol Lett 11:481–489
Fong QSW, Anderson JL (2002) International shark fin markets and shark management: an integrated market preference-cohort analysis of the blacktip shark (Carcharhinus limbatus). Ecol Econ 40:117–130
Froese R, Pauly D (eds) (2009) FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication, www.fishbase.org
Garla RC, Chapman DD, Wetherbee BM, Shivji M (2006) Movement patterns of young Caribbean reef sharks, Carcharhinus perezi, at Fernando de Noronha Archipelago, Brazil: the potential of marine protected areas for conservation of a nursery ground. Mar Biol 149:189–199
Goetze J, Langlois T, Egli D, Harvey E (2011) Evidence of artisanal fishing impacts and depth refuge in assemblages of Fijian reef fish. Coral Reefs 30:507–517
Halpern BS (2003) The impact of marine reserves: do reserves work and does reserve size matter? Ecol Appl 13:117–137
Harvey ES, Shortis M (1998) Calibration stability of an underwater stereo-video system: implications for measurement accuracy and precision. Mar Tech Soc J 32:3–17
Harvey ES, Goetze J, McLaren B, Langlois T, Shortis MR (2010) Influence of range, angle of view, image resolution and image compression on underwater stereo-video measurements: high-definition and broadcast-resolution video cameras compared. Mar Tech Soc J 44:75–85
Heupel MR, Williams AJ, Welch DJ, Ballagh A, Mapstone BD, Carlos G, Davies C, Simpfendorfer CA (2009) Effects of fishing on tropical reef associated shark populations on the Great Barrier Reef. Fish Res 95:350–361
Jupiter SD, Egli DP (2011) Ecosystem-based management in Fiji: successes and challenges after five years of implementation. J Mar Biol Article ID 940765:p14. doi:940710.941155/942011/940765
Lester SE, Halpern BS, Grorud-Colvert K, Lubchenco J, Ruttenberg BI, Gaines SD, Airamé S, Warner RR (2009) Biological effects within no-take marine reserves: a global synthesis. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 384:33–46
Letourneur Y, Kulbicki M, Labrosse P (1998) Length-weight relationships of fishes from coral reefs and lagoons of New Caledonia - an update. Naga 21:39–46
Lowe CG, Wetherbee BM, Meyer CG (2006) Using acoustic telemetry monitoring techniques to quantify movement patterns and site fidelity of sharks and giant trevally around French Frigate Shoals and Midway Atoll. Atoll Res Bull 543:281–303
Meekan MG, Cappo M (2004) Non-destructive techniques for rapid assessment of shark abundance in Northern Australia. Report prepared for the Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry, Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville
Meekan MG, Cappo M, Carleton JH, Marriott R (2006) Surveys of shark and fin-fish abundance on reefs within the MOU74 Box and Rowleys Shoals using baited remote underwater video systems. Australian Institute of Marine Science, Australian Government Department of the Environment and Heritage, Townsville, p 27
Morrissey JF, Gruber SH (1993) Home range of juvenile lemon sharks. Negaprion brevirostris. Copeia 2:425–434
Myers RA, Worm B (2003) Rapid worldwide depletion of predatory fish communities. Nature 423:280–283
Myers RA, Baum JK, Shepherd TD, Powers SP, Peterson CH (2007) Cascading effects of the loss of apex predatory sharks from a coastal ocean. Science 315:1846–1850
Papastamatiou YP, Lowe CG, Caselle JE, Friedlander AM (2009) Scale-dependent effects of habitat on movements and path structure of reef sharks at a predator-dominated atoll. Ecology 90:996–1008
Priede IG, Bagley PM, Smith A, Creasey S, Merrett NR (1994) Scavenging deep demersal fishes of the Porcupine Seabight, North-east Atlantic: observations by baited camera, trap and trawl. J Mar Biol Assoc UK 74:481–498
Smith SE, Au DW, Show C (1998) Intrinsic rebound potentials of 26 species of Pacific sharks. Mar Freshw Res 49:663–678
Vianna GMS, Meeuwig JJ, Pannell D, Sykes H, Meekan MG (2011) The socio-economic value of the shark-diving industry in Fiji. Univeristy of Western Australia, Australian Institute of Marine Science, p 26
Acknowledgments
This study was conducted with funding to the Wildlife Conservation Society from the Niarchos Foundation, the David and Lucile Packard Foundation (2007-31847), the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation (540.01) and the University of Western Australia (UWA) Marine Science Honours program. The authors would like to thank Stacy Jupiter, Glenn Almany, Sean Wilson, Dianne McLean and Peter Barnes for their helpful comments. Thank you to the Navatu village, Wayne Moy, Daniel Egli and Apimeleki Sautu for assistance in the field.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Communicated by Biology Editor Dr. Glenn Almany
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Goetze, J.S., Fullwood, L.A.F. Fiji’s largest marine reserve benefits reef sharks. Coral Reefs 32, 121–125 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-012-0970-4
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-012-0970-4