Volume 57

Larval Supply and Recruitment of Coral Reef Fishes to Marine Reserves in the Upper Florida Keys, USA


Authors
Grorud-Colvert, K.A.; Sponaugle, S.
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Other Information


Date: November, 2004


Pages: 573-576


Event: Proceedings of the Fifty Seventh Annual Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute


City: St. Petersburg, Florida


Country: USA

Abstract

One of the primary goals of marine reserve implementation is the protection of biodiversity, current fisheries and future fish stocks. To achieve this goal, effective placement of marine reserves should ensure that incoming recruits are delivered to the protected area. Larval supply and recruitment of coral reef fishes were evaluated for both marine reserve and non-reserve sites in the upper Florida Keys. Patterns of larval supply for late-stage larvae settling to the reef were evaluated using larval light traps. Sampling efforts at two replicate reserve and non-reserve sites targeted two monthly settlement peaks during the new and third-quarter moons for each of 12 months. In addition, monthly surveys of newly-settled cora reef fishes were conducted on these reefs using SCUBA techniques. Densities of all reef fishes that had settled during the previous month (recruits < 2 cm) were quantified. Results of this study shed light on the processes influencing densities of juvenile fishes in marine reserves and non-reserve areas. Differences in larval supply and recruitment provide additional information needed to evaluate the efficacy of marine reserves.

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