Abstract

Parque Nacional Isla Contoy (PNIC) is a marine protected area located at the terminal end of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System bordered by the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. This island is managed by CONANP (Comisión Nacional de Áreas Naturales Protegidas de Mexico) and protected by designated zones to manage the overfishing problem in the region. With improved management and a mosaic of habitats, PNIC has become an important nursery ground for ecologically and commercially important species. Recent increases in recreational use of the island, climate change, and the ongoing Lionfish invasion in the area may severely impact coral reef fishes such as snappers, parrotfish, and wrasses, as well as tarpon and ballyhoo. This study is the first to examine the assemblage composition and distribution of the various fish families that recruit to this marine protected area. In addition, instruments were deployed earlier in the summer to obtain a time series that can begin to characterize the coastal oceanographic processes that facilitate transport of larval fishes to PNIC. Combining the biological and oceanographic components improves the resolution of the data collected. Information from this work will update the management plan, support ongoing invasive species management, enhance connectivity research and provide new information for the restricted use of recreational fishing in the internal lagoons of the island.