Larval abundances of rockfishes that were historically targeted by fishing increased over 16 years in association with a large marine protected area.

ABSTRACT: Marine protected areas (MPAs) can facilitate recovery of diminished stocks by protecting reproductive adults. To effectively augment fisheries, however, reproductive output must increase within the bounds of MPAs so that larvae can be exported to surrounding areas and seed the region. In response to dramatic declines of rockfishes (Sebastes spp.) in southern California by the late 1990s two large MPAs, the Cowcod Conservation Areas (CCAs), were established in 2001. To evaluate whether the CCAs affected rockfish productivity we evaluated the dynamics of 8 species that were, and 7 that were not, historically targeted by fishing. Abundances of 6/8 targeted and 4/7 non-targeted species increased regionally from 1998 to 2013. These upturns were probably affected by environmental conditio

SUBMITTER: Thompson AR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5627106 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature