Title: ARE MESOPHOTIC REEFS SAFE FROM EXPLOITATIVE FISHING?

Abstract: Reef fish communities are faced with various disturbances, of which destructive and unsustainable fishing practices pose the most direct and immediate impacts. Marine protected areas (MPAs) are among the management measures used to mitigate such impacts, although for pragmatic reasons MPAs are typically located in shallow and more accessible reefs. In the Philippines, reef fish communities at depths >20 m are poorly known and there are no published studies on the potential of deep reefs as refugia from fishing mortality. Here we assess the differences in the structure of reef fish communities (1) between protected areas in deep reefs (25–38 m) and in shallow reefs (8–15 m), and (2) between protected and unprotected deep reefs through underwater fish visual census (FVC). FVCs were conducted at three protected deep reefs (Culasi, Antique; Bayauan, Southern Negros; and Apo Reef, Mindoro) and three nearby protected shallow reefs (Libertad, Antique; Siit, Southern Negros; and Apo Reef, Mindoro). FVC was also conducted in three unprotected deep and shallow reef (Mati, Davao; Calatagan, Batangas; Abra de Ilog, Mindoro). Preliminary results indicate that fish community abundance and biomass are higher in protected deep reefs than in protected shallow reefs. Moreover, the fish community abundance in protected deep reefs is also higher than in unprotected deep reefs; thus deep reefs are also vulnerable to fishing pressure when left unmanaged. Overall, these provide initial indications that protected deep reefs can effectively protect reef fish communities and highlights the importance of extending MPAs to cover mesophotic reefs.

Authors: Cabaitan PC, Deocadez MR, Martinez RS, Mamauag AS, Aliño PM, Atrigenio MP, Siringan FP, Olavides RD

Presentation: Poster (#325)

Session: 29

Date: 06/21/16

Time: 18:15 - 19:45

Location: Poster/Exhibit Hall

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