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Article: A global baseline for spawning aggregations of reef fishes

TitleA global baseline for spawning aggregations of reef fishes
Authors
KeywordsAggregation fishing
Fish conservation
Fisheries
Fishery management
Grouper
Overexploitation
Reef fishes
Spawning aggregation
Issue Date2008
PublisherBlackwell Publishing, Inc. The Journal's web site is located at http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/journals/CBI
Citation
Conservation Biology, 2008, v. 22 n. 5, p. 1233-1244 How to Cite?
AbstractSpecies that periodically and predictably congregate on land or in the sea can be extremely vulnerable to overexploitation. Many coral reef fishes form spawning aggregations that are increasingly the target of fishing. Although serious declines are well known for a few species, the extent of this behavior among fishes and the impacts of aggregation fishing are not appreciated widely. To profile aggregating species globally, establish a baseline for future work, and strengthen the case for protection, we (as members of the Society for the Conservation of Reef Fish Aggregations) developed a global database on the occurrence, history, and management of spawning aggregations. We complemented the database with information from interviews with over 300 fishers in Asia and the western Pacific. Sixty-seven species, mainly commercial, in 9 families aggregate to spawn in the 29 countries or territories considered in the database. Ninety percent of aggregation records were from reef pass channels, promontories, and outer reef-slope drop-offs. Multispecies aggregation sites were common, and spawning seasons of most species typically lasted <3 months. The best-documented species in the database, the Nassau grouper (Epinephelus striatus), has undergone substantial declines in aggregations throughout its range and is now considered threatened. Our findings have important conservation and management implications for aggregating species given that exploitation pressures on them are increasing, there is little effective management, and 79% of those aggregations sufficiently well documented were reported to be in decline. Nonetheless, a few success stories demonstrate the benefits of aggregation management. A major shift in perspective on spawning aggregations of reef fish, from being seen as opportunities for exploitation to acknowledging them as important life-history phenomena in need of management, is urgently needed. © 2008 Society for Conservation Biology.
Persistent Identifierhttp://hdl.handle.net/10722/89324
ISSN
2023 Impact Factor: 5.2
2023 SCImago Journal Rankings: 2.168
ISI Accession Number ID
Funding AgencyGrant Number
David and Lucile Packard Foundation
Department of Ecology & Biodiversity, University of Hong Kong
Funding Information:

Many people provided input, guidance, or support in the development and realization of the SCRFA database. We acknowledge B. Luckhurst, T. Donaldson, E. Sala, and J. Gibson as members of the SCRFA Board. R. Hamilton, T. Daw, K. Rhodes, J. Ingles, Asep, L. Pet-Soede, H. Amarullah, A. Batibasaga, L. Sivo, A. Bukurrou, R. Madalarak, and T. Kloulchad compiled, assisted, or facilitated fisher interview data during this project. Valuable editorial comments were provided by J. Kritzer, C. Petersen, P. Mumby, and an anonymous reviewer. Valuable support and information were also provided by R. Wong, L. Min, C. McKinney, L. Muller, and L. Ng. Country visits were facilitated by the Research Division of the Fiji Fisheries Department, WWF-Philippines, Palau Conservation Society, and Wildlife Conservation Society, Fiji. Major funding was provided by the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, with additional support from the Department of Ecology & Biodiversity, University of Hong Kong.

References

 

DC FieldValueLanguage
dc.contributor.authorDe Mitcheson, YSen_HK
dc.contributor.authorCornish, Aen_HK
dc.contributor.authorDomeier, Men_HK
dc.contributor.authorColin, PLen_HK
dc.contributor.authorRussell, Men_HK
dc.contributor.authorLindeman, KCen_HK
dc.date.accessioned2010-09-06T09:55:25Z-
dc.date.available2010-09-06T09:55:25Z-
dc.date.issued2008en_HK
dc.identifier.citationConservation Biology, 2008, v. 22 n. 5, p. 1233-1244en_HK
dc.identifier.issn0888-8892en_HK
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10722/89324-
dc.description.abstractSpecies that periodically and predictably congregate on land or in the sea can be extremely vulnerable to overexploitation. Many coral reef fishes form spawning aggregations that are increasingly the target of fishing. Although serious declines are well known for a few species, the extent of this behavior among fishes and the impacts of aggregation fishing are not appreciated widely. To profile aggregating species globally, establish a baseline for future work, and strengthen the case for protection, we (as members of the Society for the Conservation of Reef Fish Aggregations) developed a global database on the occurrence, history, and management of spawning aggregations. We complemented the database with information from interviews with over 300 fishers in Asia and the western Pacific. Sixty-seven species, mainly commercial, in 9 families aggregate to spawn in the 29 countries or territories considered in the database. Ninety percent of aggregation records were from reef pass channels, promontories, and outer reef-slope drop-offs. Multispecies aggregation sites were common, and spawning seasons of most species typically lasted <3 months. The best-documented species in the database, the Nassau grouper (Epinephelus striatus), has undergone substantial declines in aggregations throughout its range and is now considered threatened. Our findings have important conservation and management implications for aggregating species given that exploitation pressures on them are increasing, there is little effective management, and 79% of those aggregations sufficiently well documented were reported to be in decline. Nonetheless, a few success stories demonstrate the benefits of aggregation management. A major shift in perspective on spawning aggregations of reef fish, from being seen as opportunities for exploitation to acknowledging them as important life-history phenomena in need of management, is urgently needed. © 2008 Society for Conservation Biology.en_HK
dc.languageengen_HK
dc.publisherBlackwell Publishing, Inc. The Journal's web site is located at http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/journals/CBIen_HK
dc.relation.ispartofConservation Biologyen_HK
dc.subjectAggregation fishingen_HK
dc.subjectFish conservationen_HK
dc.subjectFisheriesen_HK
dc.subjectFishery managementen_HK
dc.subjectGrouperen_HK
dc.subjectOverexploitationen_HK
dc.subjectReef fishesen_HK
dc.subjectSpawning aggregationen_HK
dc.titleA global baseline for spawning aggregations of reef fishesen_HK
dc.typeArticleen_HK
dc.identifier.openurlhttp://library.hku.hk:4550/resserv?sid=HKU:IR&issn=0888-8892&volume=22&issue=5&spage=1233&epage=1244&date=2008&atitle=A+Global+Baseline+For+Spawning+Aggregations+Of+Reef+Fishesen_HK
dc.identifier.emailDe Mitcheson, YS: yjsadovy@hkucc.hku.hken_HK
dc.identifier.authorityDe Mitcheson, YS=rp00773en_HK
dc.description.naturelink_to_subscribed_fulltext-
dc.identifier.doi10.1111/j.1523-1739.2008.01020.xen_HK
dc.identifier.pmid18717693-
dc.identifier.scopuseid_2-s2.0-52649089599en_HK
dc.identifier.hkuros164850en_HK
dc.relation.referenceshttp://www.scopus.com/mlt/select.url?eid=2-s2.0-52649089599&selection=ref&src=s&origin=recordpageen_HK
dc.identifier.volume22en_HK
dc.identifier.issue5en_HK
dc.identifier.spage1233en_HK
dc.identifier.epage1244en_HK
dc.identifier.eissn1523-1739-
dc.identifier.isiWOS:000260252000019-
dc.publisher.placeUnited Statesen_HK
dc.identifier.scopusauthoridDe Mitcheson, YS=6603830002en_HK
dc.identifier.scopusauthoridCornish, A=7006637048en_HK
dc.identifier.scopusauthoridDomeier, M=6603812626en_HK
dc.identifier.scopusauthoridColin, PL=7101743597en_HK
dc.identifier.scopusauthoridRussell, M=25028415400en_HK
dc.identifier.scopusauthoridLindeman, KC=7004211504en_HK
dc.identifier.citeulike3347029-
dc.identifier.issnl0888-8892-

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