Marine reserve benefits and recreational fishing yields: the winners and the losers

Abstract

Marine reserves constitute effective tools for preserving fish stocks and associated human benefits. However, not all reserves perform equally, and predicting the response of marine communities to management actions in the long run is challenging. Our decadal-scale survey of recreational fishing yields at France’s 45-year old Cerbère-Banyuls marine reserve indicated significant protection benefits, with 40-50% higher fishing yields per unit effort in the partial-protection zone of the reserve (where fishing is permitted but at a lower level) than in surrounding non-reserve areas. Over the period 2005-2014, catch per unit effort (CPUE) showed a similar pattern of decline inside and outside the reserve while weight per unit effort (WPUE) increased by 131% inside and decreased by 60% outside. Different CPUE and WPUE trajectories among fish families indicated changing catch assemblages, with yields increasing for the family most valued by fisheries, Sparidae (the ecological winners). However, reserve benefits were restricted to off-shore fishermen (the social winners), as on-shore yields were ~4 times lower and declining, even inside the reserve. Our study illustrates how surveys of recreational fishing yields can help evaluate the effectiveness of marine protected areas for key social and ecological protagonists. We show that, more than four decades after its establishment, fishing efficiencies at the historical Cerbère-Banyuls marine reserve are still changing, but benefits in terms of catch abundance, weight, and composition remain predominantly restricted to off-shore fishermen. Further regulations appear necessary to guarantee that conservation strategies equitably benefit societal groups.

Marine reserve benefits and recreational fishing yields: The winners and the losers

“…Fishing efforts (in line.hour) were calculated based on the number of fishing lines and hooks used by each fishermen, and the time spent between when the fishermen declared starting fishing and the interview. Fishing yield was quantified by calculating catch per unit effort (CPUE, number per line per hour) and weight per unit effort (WPUE, gram per line per hour) for all species combined, as well as individually for the three major fish families recorded (Sparidae, Serranidae, Labridae) [ 34 ] which represented >85% of catches in number and >65% of the overall weight captured (see S1 Table for a list of the species recorded for each family). CPUE and WPUE are standard metrics of fishing yields per unit of effort, facilitating comparisons of efficiency among different fishing techniques, targets, and regulations [ 25 , 32 , 35 ].…”