Increase In Trophy-Sized Fish Documented Around Marine Protected Areas
New research from University of Hawaii scientists indicates these protected areas are producing significant numbers of exceptionally long or heavy fish.
A study recently published in the journal Science Advances by Hawaii-based researchers indicates that marine protected areas are producing more trophy-sized fish just outside the boundaries of these biodiversity hotspots.
Researchers from the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology found that the cumulative number of exceptionally large, highly prized fish caught near a marine protected area grows rapidly between 12 to 30 years after the MPA is created, according to a University of Hawaii news release Tuesday.
The study’s findings offer evidence-based guidance for the future of MPAs and the global conservation initiative, which aims to protect 30% of the world’s lands, oceans and freshwaters by 2030, the scientists said.
“It’s intriguing to note that various MPAs around the world, despite their differing sizes and characteristics, have demonstrated a similar positive spillover effect and a similar ‘wait time:’ roughly 20 years,” said John Lynham, one of the study’s co-authors and a UH Manoa economics professor.
MPAs have long been considered an effective tool for protecting marine biodiversity. But their global significance for local and recreational fisheries has not been clear or fully documented until now, according to the news release.
The builds on research conducted in Florida two decades ago and provides knowledge that can be used by regulators, anglers and conservationists as far as what they can expect from MPAs going forward. It underscores that while MPAs can boost the abundance of trophy fish, those population increases often require decades to materialize.
The researchers caution that such an approach requires “patience and long-term commitment from policymakers and local communities to maintain support for conservation efforts.”
The Hawaiian archipelago has 13 state and federal MPAs.
Saltwater fishing worldwide is a key economic driver as well as a cultural mainstay for many communities.
According to 2017 data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 8.6 million saltwater anglers in the U.S. took 202 million fishing trips generating $73.8 billion in sales impacts. Those trips also generated $41.5 billion in indirect economic impacts and $24.7 billion in direct income impacts while supporting 487,000 jobs.
