European spiny lobster recovery from overfishing enhanced through active restocking in Fully Protected Areas.

ABSTRACT: Fully protected areas (FPAs) help preserving biodiversity and reversing the global decline of fishery resources. Stocks of the European spiny lobster Palinurus elephas (Fabr. 1787), among the most precious gourmet seafood worldwide, are currently facing a dramatic decline. Previous attempts of recovery based on fishery restrictions or active post-larval restocking in marine reserves provided unsuccessful outcomes. Here we present results of a 5-year restocking program carried through a Collaborative Fishery Research (CFR) project, in three ad-hoc established FPAs replenished using below-legal size wild juveniles. Results showed that Catch per Unit Effort (CPUE) in terms of both density and biomass burst (by ca. 300-700%) just 2 years since FPAs establishment, regardless of location. We als

SUBMITTER: Cau A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6737030 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature