Abstract

Coral reefs throughout the Florida Keys have been declining for decades and several types of marine protected areas (MPAs) with different regulatory structures were established to provide coral protection. Interactions between fishing gear and marine habitats, particularly coral reefs, is broadly recognized (Turner et al. 1999, Barnette 2001, Donnan 2001). Specifically in the Florida Keys, the use of spiny lobster traps is one of the many causes of coral loss (Lewis et al. 2009). Traps fished in coral reefs can scrape or dislodge corals when the traps are dropped and hauled during normal fishing operations (Sheridan et al. 2005). Strong winds can also move traps into coral reefs (Lewis et al. 2009, Uhrin et al. 2014). Wind driven trap movement tends to scour the seafloor and is the primary mechanism by which lobster traps damage coral reefs (Lewis et al. 2009).

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