Volume 63
Measuring the Performance of Marine Protected Areas: The Case of Little Cayman and Cayman Brac, Cayman Islands
Authors
Dromard, C.R., C.M.R. McCoy, and J.R. Turner Download PDF Open PDF in BrowserOther Information
Date: November, 2010
Pages: 246-253
Event: Proceedings of the Sixty-Third Annual Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute
City: San Juan
Country: Puerto Rico
Abstract
Cayman Brac and Little Cayman are small remote islands (< 30 km²) centrally located in the northwest Caribbean. These islands have no commercial fisheries to date, low fishing pressure and a relatively low population. Their Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) were established in 1986 and have never been assessed to determine their performances on coral reef fish assemblages after 24 years of conservation and active enforcement of no-take zones. With no commercial fisheries to date, this study targeted 53 species of fish considered important for reef health status and ecological function including the species most commonly targeted by fishers. For the targeted species, their biomass, size and density were investigated for comparisons between protected areas and non-protected fished areas. An Underwater Visual Census (UVC) was carried out around both islands during the months from January through to April 2009. Analysis of data collected showed no clear MPA effect concerning their efficiency, effectiveness and performance on their fish assemblages. Cayman Brac in particular only showed a significant difference (p < 0.01) in the north MPA when total mean fish size per transect were compared. Little Caymans north MPA showed significant differences in total mean biomass per transect (p < 0.001) and total mean biomass per family (p < 0.05). In the south MPA of Little Cayman, significant differences were found in total mean biomass per transect (p < 0.001), and per family (p < 0.05), mean fish size per transect (p < 0.001), mean size classes per species (p < 0.001), including mean density per transect (p < 0.01) of MPA vs. non-MPA. Additional-ly, the ratios of herbivore to carnivore biomass were investigated for each MPA to determine trophic structure of each MPA. Overall, the MPAs of Cayman Brac showed no reserve effect on their fish assemblages; however the MPAs of Little Cayman exhibited a more effective MPA system, demonstrating a reserve effect in the southern MPA, but also indicating a vulnerability to over fishing.