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Partially protected areas as a management tool on inshore reefs

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Abstract

Partially Protected Areas (PPAs) are a widely-used management tool, yet comparatively little is known about their effectiveness compared to more commonly studied No-Take Marine Reserves (NTMRs). Here, we examine the efficacy of two kinds of PPAs (with and without spearfishing) within the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (GBRMP) that are subject to a range of fishing limitations, and assess their utility as a marine park zoning and fisheries management tool. Fish abundance, size, and habitat composition were compared inside PPAs and NTMRs on inshore reefs of the central GBR. Fish abundances were lower inside PPAs relative to adjacent NTMRs for primary fishing targets, with no detectable effects for secondary targets and non-targets, or for species richness. Fish assemblages differed amongst zones, but these variations were minor compared to regional variations in species composition. Partially Protected Areas supported 46%–69% of the relative abundance of total primary targets compared to adjacent NTMRs, with no evident increase in abundance in zones where spearfishing was prohibited. There were no reductions in the size of two key target species: coral trout (Plectropomus spp.) and stripey snapper (Lutjanus carponotatus) inside PPAs, and only stripey snapper had significant reductions in abundance inside PPAs compared to NTMRS. Habitat and biophysical characteristics (especially topographic complexity) were strong drivers of fish abundance, but the relative influence of zone was greater for target species compared to non-targets. This study provides novel data on PPAs and highlights their utility as a spatial management tool in contributing to conservation and fisheries management goals.

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Data availability and material

The datasets generated during and/or analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Code availability

Code for R statistical procedures are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Mark O’Callaghan for assistance with field work, Marcus Stowar and Colin Simpindorfer for the provision of research equipment, and Mike Cappo, Leanne Currey, and Gavin Ericson for technical expertise, software, and statistical advice. We thank Rhonda Banks for assistance with mapping.

Funding

Funding was provided from an Advance Queensland Research Fellowship to A.E. Hall, in conjunction with funding from the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, and James Cook University. The project was co-funded by an ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies fund provided to M.J. Kingsford.

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Contributions

All authors contributed towards conceiving the project and sampling design. AH and MK collected and analysed field data. All authors contributed towards writing and editing the paper, with AH as the primary and corresponding author.

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Correspondence to April E. Hall.

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The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

This research was conducted with approval from the James Cook Univiersity Animal Ethics Committee #A2438.

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Hall, A.E., Cameron, D.S. & Kingsford, M.J. Partially protected areas as a management tool on inshore reefs. Rev Fish Biol Fisheries 31, 631–651 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11160-021-09654-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11160-021-09654-y

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