Abstract

The two major postulated effects of marine reserves are: 1) to supply biomass of harvestable individuals to fished areas through emigration and 2) enhancement of spawning stock biomass which subsequently magnifies larval recruitment to adjacent fished areas. The Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park (ECLSP), coveting 442 km2 in the central Bahamas, was created in 1958 and closed to fishing in 1986, making it one of the first and largest marine reserves in the wider Caribbean. Studies since 1990 have compared queen conch, spiny lobster, and groupers in the ECLSP compared to adjacent fished areas and have shown greater species diversity, density, biomass, potential reproductive output, and larval densities. The lack of historical data precludes conclusions on whether closure to fishing has led to increases in these attributes. Available data strongly support that the ECLSP has maintained high spawning stock biomass relative to fished areas. The extent of adult emigration and larval recruitment to adjacent fished areas has not been adequately studied and there is increasing concern that some targeted species outside of the reserve have declined. A network of reserves in the central Bahamas is of necessity to link sites via physical transport pathways. Lessons from the ECLSP suggest that reserves can be successful at a regional scale if they contain contiguous habitats from bank to deeper shelf (> 30 m) environments, minimize other threats such as coastal development, and provide protection of unique features such as spawning aggregations.

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