SPANISH MARINE PROTECTED AREASRaquel Goñi Beltrán de Garizurieta Centro Oceanográfico de Baleares Instituto Español de Oceanografía
DEFINITIONS RESERVE or PROTECTED AREA A marine protected area (MPAs) is IUCN: any area of littoral or infra littoral terrain with its overlying water, flora, fauna and associated historical and cultural features that has been protected by law or by any other effective means Marine reserves Scientific literature: MPAs (or zones within MPAs) that are protected against all extractive activities (= no take areas)
PLANNING & DESIGN Direct impacts of extractive activities (commercial or recreational ) controlled or eliminated Generally forbiden: Mobile gear (bottom trawling, dredging) & spear fishing Indirect impacts not controlled (e.g., pollution, warming, introduced spp.) Zoning Integral reserves: Areas closed to all human activities (exc.research/surveillance) Buffer or restricted use areas: Non consumptive activities (diving, swimming,..) Some fishing activities (e.g. artisanal or recreational)
SPANISH MPAs National Park State / Autonomic MPA OSPAR MPA
Area in AMPs SPANISH MPAs RM Graciosa nº= 27 Mean surface (km 2 ) Total surface (km 2 ) MPA 73 1956 No take 4 109 Llevant Mallorca Proportion No Take / Total Columbretes
PERCENT OF CONTIENTAL SHELF PROTECTED SPANISH MPAs
LARGE OFFSHORE MARINE PROTECTED AREAS
THE COLUMBRETES ISLANDS MPA THE LOBSTER CASE STUDY Raquel Goñi Beltrán de Garizurieta David Díaz Sandra Mallol Research financed by the IEO SGM
Columbretes Islands MPA Location 30 nautical miles from the coast of the Iberian Peninsula (Western Mediterranean)
Columbretes Islands Marine Reserve In 1990 a Marine Reserve was established Objective: create areas of integral reserve and of restricted use for maritime fishing and the protection of the autochthonous marine resources Total area: Initial 44 km 2 ; 2009: 55 km 2 No commercial fishing Very limited recreational fishing Fishing prohibitions well enforced
Zoning No-take: 31 km 2 Restricted use area: 24 km 2
MPA harbours traditional fishing grounds of the spiny lobster Palinurus elephas
Fisheries The most important commercial spiny lobster species in NE Atlantic and Mediterranean. Populations depleted in the NE Atlantic and overfished in Mediterranean Directed fisheries (artisanal): mainly in archipelagos and islands P. elephas fisheries regulated by MLS, closed season during egg bearing period, and the prohibition of landing ovigerous females. Spanish Mediterranean: 600 boats & 1100 fishermen; estimated landings: 200 400 t/year ( 12 24 million ).
MPAs as conservation & fisheries management BENEFITS tools INSIDE OUTSIDE FISHERIES MANAGEMENT TOOLS
Expected MPA effects inside and outside MPA Population density Demographic recovery Egg production Time Time
LOBSTER study in the Columbretes MPA EFFECTIVE MPA NO DATA STUDY 1990 1997 2009.2012
Columbretes lobster study: DATA collection I MPA Experimental fishing surveys Annually: 1997 2007 FISHING GROUNDS Onboard sampling fishery Annually: 1997 2007
Columbretes lobster study: DATA collection II MPA Tag & Recapture Annually: 1997 2007 FISHING GROUNDS Recapture (no tagging) Annually: 1997 2007
PROTECTION effects on lobster inside MPA MPA Population density Demographic recovery Egg production Initial studies Spatial comparisons of: Abundance Reproductive potential
Abundance 5 20 times greater in MPA than in fished grounds AFTER 9 YEARS OF PROTECTION 1.0 0.9 MPA F1 F2 COL PLA SUB 0.8 0.7 CPUE 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0.0 June August February Abundance indices: 3 seasons 0 1 5 Km
Egg production 6 20 times greater in MPA AFTER 9 YEARS OF PROTECTION Nº eggs/unit area 1600000 1400000 1200000 1389559 100% Index egg production = Fem abundance * Fem mean size * Fecundity at size 1000000 800000 600000 Exploited areas 400000 200000 0 163597 12% 69607 5% Reserve Mallorca Corsica - high exploitation 248596 18% Corsica - low exploitation
PROTECTION effects on lobster inside MPA MPA Population density Demographic recovery Egg production Long term studies Evolution of: Demographic structure Population abundance
Demographic evolution towards naturalization 8 to 16 YEARS OF PROTECTION 40 FEMALE SIZE 1998 35 1999 30 2000 2001 Percentage 25 20 15 10 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 5 0 40 80 120 140 CL mm Percentage 40 35 30 25 20 MALE SIZE 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 15 2006 10 5 0 60 100 140 160
Declining abundance trend in MPA 8 to 17 YEARS OF PROTECTION Abundance index ±SE 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 1998 2007 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Years of protection
Main abundance decline in 2002 2003 8 to 17 YEARS OF PROTECTION ncpue 6 5 4 3 2 FEMALES 1 0 1998 2007 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 ncpue 6 5 4 3 2 MALES 1 0 1998 2002 2003 2007 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Years of protection
Why is the lobster population in the MPA declining? settlement failure? Increased natural mortality in the MPA? Increased fishing mortality in the adjacent fishery?
2001 decadal storm caused massive emigration? Nov 2001 storm % days with wind stronger >95% of daily winds 30 25 Mean 1996-2004 2001 20 Diario de Tarragona 4 April 2002 % 15 10 5. 0 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 month Data: Pascual & Salat, ICM
PROTECTION effects outside MPA MPA Spillover
Spillover evidenced by effort concentration near MPA MPA Lobster fishing occurs along MPA boundaries and up to 30 km (yellow dots). Emerged land in pink. 0 1 5 Km
Abundance declines with distance from MPA 180 CPUE (nº lobs./500m/day) 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 Experimental fishing MPA Commercial fishing FISHERY 20 0 12-3000 -2000-1000 0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 CPUE (nº lobs./500m/day) 10 8 6 4 2 x 8 1.0 0.5 0.0 0.5 0-3000 -2000-1000 0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 Distance (m) 0 1000 2000 3000 4000 Distance (m)
Recaptures from the MPA harvested < 2 km MPA MPA 0 2 10 30 km 99% 1%
Higher recapture rates of males and in 2002 MPA Recapture rates Females Males 1.8% 2.3% Males more catchable x3 greater emigration Males emigrate more ADJACENT FISHERY Recapture rates Females Males MEAN 1998 2007 1.9% 3.4% 2002 6.1% 9.8%
6% emigrate annually and almost all are harvested MPA POPULATION Spillover 6% Exploitation rate 95%
Net effect of spillover on the local lobster fishery ADJACENT GROUNDS 80% MPA 20% 18 % Net effect = 2% Catch Kg 33 % = + 13%
Possible causes of population decline in the MPA..for a mystery story is exactly what biology is The selfish gene. R. Dawkins Increased fishing mortality in the adjacent fishery from migrants exiting the MPA in 2001 caused the sharp population decline in 2002 2003. Emigration and exploitation interplay to maintain the lobster population in the MPA at its carrying capacity.
Is the MPA self sustainable?
Larval dispersal from Columbretes After egg hatching, pelagic phyllosoma larvae drift in ocean currents during 4 54 months (January May) Drifting buoy with 15 m long drogue released in the Columbretes MPA at the time of egg hatching (January)
Desirable larval connectivity patterns 2 buoys deployed in Jan 06 1 buoy deployed in Jan 07 Jan Feb 07 OK OK OK April 06 NO April 06
THANK YOU
LESSONS Sufficiently large, well enforced MPAs are effective at rebuilding of biomass and egg production of exploited species within its boundaries Effective MPAs with continuity of habitats across boundaries favor the export of biomass, potentially enhancing or sustaining local fisheries The spillover effect is geographically limited, partly due to high exploitation rates near the MPA which harvest at any time step all the individuals coming from the MPA Connectivity is regarded now as foremost issue for designing effective, self sustaining MPAs
OTHER LESSONS FROM MPAs MPAs with complex designs and multiple levels of spatial regulations are very difficult to enforce and may be ineffective (future large MPAs? offshore?) Even small levels of fishing may limit the effectiveness of MPAs for rebuilding biomass Very small MPAs are exposed to environmental & human actions in their surroundings may not allow the re establishment of permanent populations MPAs may be the only management tool applicable to multi gear, multi species fisheries (artisanal) Some fishers regard well enforced MPAs as more equitable management tools than quotas or MLS that some fishermen do not respect
MARINE BOARD WORKING GROUP MARINE PROTECTED AREAS AN INTERNATIONAL INITIATIVE Pan European Marine Board ESF initiative aiming at informing/providing key insights in the implementation of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive and more particularly on MPAs. The WG aim is to develop a roadmap for introducing a network of ecologically relevant and coherent network of MPAs in European Seas to define methods for selecting, managing and monitoring these sites as a tools to achieve Good Environmental Status and engage all users of the sea in this process.