Using movement models and systematic conservation planning to inform marine protected area design for a multi-species predator community

Bergmann, Maurits P. M. van Zinnicq; Guttridge, Tristan L.; Smukall, Matthew J.; Adams, Vanessa M.; Bond, Mark E.; Burke, Patrick J.; Fuentes, Mariana M. P. B.; Heinrich, Dennis D.U.; Huveneers, Charlie; Gruber, Samuel H.; Papastamatiou, Yannis P.

doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2022.109469

Cited by 21 publications

(27 citation statements)

References 76 publications

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“…A marine spatial plan in Bimini, Bahamas prioritized the persistence of local elasmobranch populations by using 4 years of animal tracking data from 99 individuals across 7 species (van Zinnicq Bergmann et al, 2022). From these data, researchers identified core use areas and quantified levels of seasonal and annual residency in Bimini for each species (van Zinnicq Bergmann et al, 2022). Results from the tracking study were used to inform a spatial prioritization framework that selected areas for protection in which core‐use areas and vulnerable nursery habitats for lemon sharks ( Negaprion brevirostris ) overlapped (van Zinnicq Bergmann et al, 2022).…”

Section: Mpa Design Guidelinesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…From these data, researchers identified core use areas and quantified levels of seasonal and annual residency in Bimini for each species (van Zinnicq Bergmann et al, 2022). Results from the tracking study were used to inform a spatial prioritization framework that selected areas for protection in which core‐use areas and vulnerable nursery habitats for lemon sharks ( Negaprion brevirostris ) overlapped (van Zinnicq Bergmann et al, 2022).…”

Section: Mpa Design Guidelinesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Finding harmony inMarine Protected Areadesign guidelines

Burns

Lopazanski

Flower

et al. 2023

Conservat Sci and Prac

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Widespread degradation of marine ecosystems and ecosystem services, coupled with national and global commitments to improve protection of the oceans, has led to a proliferation of efforts to designate new marine protected areas (MPAs) and MPA networks. A range of design features must be considered when designating MPAs, including MPA size and shape, level of protection, and the species and habitats protected, and evidence suggests these design elements can be crucial in determining MPA effectiveness. Over the past several decades, expansive literature has emerged providing recommendations for MPA design, and yet collectively these recommendations can be overwhelming and even contradictory for MPA planners. To address this barrier, we reviewed and synthesized 307 unique MPA design recommendations across 56 peer‐reviewed and gray literature publications. We created a new set of 24 condensed design guidelines grouped by conservation objectives: ecological spatial connectivity (e.g., genetic, larval, community); habitat representation; species or population persistence; mitigation of and complementarity to human activities; and permanence and adaptability. We then discuss examples of datasets, models, and tools that can be utilized to implement specific guidelines. Our review and novel synthesis can help decision‐makers understand and apply MPA design recommendations to achieve desired conservation objectives.

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Section: Mpa Design Guidelinesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Mpa Design Guidelinesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Finding harmony inMarine Protected Areadesign guidelines

Burns

Lopazanski

Flower

et al. 2023

Conservat Sci and Prac

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show abstract

“…Fundamentally, population level connectivity of marine megafauna species needs to be ascertained so that, among other management strategies, effective MPAs can be implemented, yet climate driven changes in abundance and distribution must also be considered to maintain protection. To prevent regional extirpation of vulnerable species, national and regional governments, and other relevant stakeholders must come together to optimize MPA designs using systematic conservation planning to meet common conservation objectives (Alves et al, 2022a;van Zinnicq et al, 2022). For example, although Madeira has much less research relative to the other archipelagos, it has the support of multiple stakeholders and has subsequently recently implemented Europe's largest MPA, the Selvagens Nature Reserve (Alves et al, 2022b).…”

Section: Final Remarksmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Status of Marine Megafauna Research in Macaronesia: A Systematic Review

et al. 2022

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Marine megafauna serve valuable ecological and economical roles globally, yet, many species have experienced precipitous population declines. The significance of marine megafauna is particularly evident in Macaronesia, a complex of oceanic archipelagos in the Northeast Atlantic Ocean. Macaronesian islands provide important habitats for marine megafauna species, in turn supporting considerable regional economic activity (e.g., ecotourism and fisheries). Despite this, concerted efforts to manage marine megafauna throughout Macaronesia have been limited. This systematic review provides the first description of the trends in marine megafauna research in this unique insular ecosystem, to provide a better understanding of taxa-specific research needs and future directions for conservation. We identified and validated 408 peer-reviewed publications until 2021 following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) criteria. Literature was dominated by marine mammal research conducted in the northern archipelagos (Azores, Madeira, and Canary Islands) and marine turtle research conducted in Cabo Verde. Much less research focused on large-bodied fish, especially in Madeira and Canary Islands, leaving some of the most vulnerable species regionally data deficient. Research across scientific disciplines focused more on biological studies than management and policy, and anthropogenic impacts were quantified more frequently on mammals or turtles and less on fishes. By identifying gaps in our knowledge of megafauna in relation to threats faced by these organisms, we offer taxa-specific recommendations for future research direction. Although, overall our results indicate that determining population level connectivity should be a major research priority among many marine megafauna species as this information is vital to numerous management strategies, including marine protected areas. In this review, we present a basis of understanding of the current work in Macaronesia, highlighting critical data gaps that are urgently needed to guide the next steps toward establishing conservation priorities for marine megafauna in the region.

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“…Despite this, 29% of the world's protected waters have been designated explicitly to achieve shark conservation goals (MacKeracher et al, 2018). While MPAs have been shown to benefit shark conservation (Goetze and Fullwood, 2013;Bond et al, 2017;Speed et al, 2018), the extent of protection afforded depends on biological, ecological, and environmental factors along with MPA configuration and region (MacKeracher et al, 2018;van Zinnicq Bergmann et al, 2022). Since MPAs are often designed without region-specific space-use information, sharks may not be maximally protected in these areas (Dulvy et al, 2017).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Acoustic tracking of a threatened juvenile shark species, the smooth hammerhead (Sphyrna zygaena), reveals vulnerability to exploitation at the boundary of a marine reserve

Albano

Fallows²,

Fallows³

et al. 2023

Front. Mar. Sci.

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The coastal waters of South Africa are habitat to a diverse composition of sharks that are vulnerable to exploitation, many of which are endemic and/or classified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List as Threatened or Data Deficient. Accordingly, this region has been identified as a global research and conservation priority for elasmobranchs. The De Hoop Marine Protected Area (MPA), in the Western Cape Province of South Africa, provides 288 km2 of no-take protection within its boundaries. However, the region experiences heavy commercial fishing, with two vessels actively operating as dedicated shark longliners (as of 2022). When crossing MPA boundaries, sharks are susceptible to capture by these vessels. Utilizing passive acoustic telemetry, the present study evaluated the movements of a threatened juvenile shark species, the smooth hammerhead (Sphyrna zygaena), both inside and adjacent to the De Hoop MPA, and along the greater coastline. Movement data from 20 tagged sharks were used to explore the effects of spatial, environmental, and management variables on their residency and movement patterns. Results indicate a high reliance of sharks on unprotected waters immediately adjacent to the MPA’s eastern boundary, an area of high biological productivity due to its proximity to the mouth of an estuary. Although some tagged sharks did move regionally along the South African coastline, individuals spent 95% of their days detected just outside the eastern boundary of the MPA, rendering them vulnerable to commercial shark longlining occurring there. These findings have conservation implications for smooth hammerhead sharks in South Africa and present an opportunity to revisit management practices that may optimize spatial protection for an important life stage of this threatened species.

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Using movement models and systematic conservation planning to inform marine protected area design for a multi-species predator community

Cited by 21 publications

References 76 publications

Finding harmony inMarine Protected Areadesign guidelines

Finding harmony inMarine Protected Areadesign guidelines

The Status of Marine Megafauna Research in Macaronesia: A Systematic Review

Acoustic tracking of a threatened juvenile shark species, the smooth hammerhead (Sphyrna zygaena), reveals vulnerability to exploitation at the boundary of a marine reserve

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