A Genuine Win‐Win: Resolving the “Conserve or Catch” Conflict in Marine Reserve Network Design

Abstract

To support fishing communities, reserves should ensure the persistence of meta-populations while boosting fisheries yield. However, so far their design from the onset has rarely considered both objectives simultaneously. Here we overcome this barrier in designing a network of reserves for the Caribbean spiny lobster, a species with long larval duration for which local management is considered pointless because the benefits of protection are believed to be accrued elsewhere. Our reserve design approach uses spatially explicit population models and considers ontogenetic migration, larval and adult movement. We show that yield and persistence are negatively related, but that both objectives can be maximized simultaneously during planning. Importantly, we also show that local efforts to manage spiny lobster, the most economically valuable marine resource in the Caribbean, can result in locally accrued benefits, overcoming a major barrier to investing effort in the appropriate management of this species.

Fishes in a changing world: learning from the past to promote sustainability of fish populations

“…Development in the design and implementation of aquatic protected areas has focused on integrating and improving resilience to climate change and enhancing socio-ecological capacities (Cinner et al, 2009). Additionally, an improvement in reserve design and consideration of global marine reserve connectivity and larval supply can serve to better direct reserve benefits to both people and the environment (Chollett et al, 2016;Andrello et al, 2017;Krueck et al, 2017a). This can optimize the trade-off between conservation and fisheries production (Gaines et al, 2010;Brown et al, 2015;Chollett et al, 2016).…”

“…Additionally, an improvement in reserve design and consideration of global marine reserve connectivity and larval supply can serve to better direct reserve benefits to both people and the environment (Chollett et al, 2016;Andrello et al, 2017;Krueck et al, 2017a). This can optimize the trade-off between conservation and fisheries production (Gaines et al, 2010;Brown et al, 2015;Chollett et al, 2016). Similarly, in freshwater systems, improvements in management using protected areas have enhanced the connectivity of important sections of rivers, lakes and estuaries (Pittock et al, 2015;Harrison et al, 2016).…”

Operationalizing ecological connectivity in spatial conservation planning with Marxan Connect

“…There are many metrics and methods to evaluate the connectivity of sea‐ and landscapes and these can be used to assess and develop networks of protected areas (Beger, Grantham, et al, ; Chollett et al, ; D’Aloia et al, ; Saura & Pascual‐Hortal, ; Zeller et al, ). The quantity and quality of empirical data used to calculate connectivity metrics have grown rapidly (Hussey et al, ; Kool, Moilanen, & Treml, ; Magris et al, ; Zeller et al, ).…”

“…More recently, approaches to include processes associated with ecological connectivity in spatial decision support software have emerged (Beger, Linke, et al, ; Chollett et al, ; Moilanen, Leathwick, & Elith, ; White, Botsford, Hastings, & Largier, ) and new tools developed for specific systems and species (e.g. Beger, Linke, et al, ; Chollett et al, ; Krueck et al, ; Moilanen et al, ; White et al, ) whose outputs can be integrated into existing planning workflows. However, their incorporation into common decision‐support frameworks and tools remains technically challenging and typically requires customized coding and work‐arounds which can hinder their inclusion in spatial planning processes.…”

The spatial context of “winning” in MPA network design: Location matters

“…Chollett et al. () make the case that a local network of marine protected areas (MPAs) enhances fisheries for Caribbean spiny lobster ( Panulirus argus ) off the coast of Honduras. However, their simulation focused on one ecoregion where self‐recruitment is predicted to be among the highest in the Caribbean (Cowen, Paris, & Srinivasan, ).…”