In a recent study from the Channel Islands, where marine protected areas have been in place for 10 years, researchers found larger and more abundant lobsters inside protected areas compared to nearby fished areas. In addition, researchers tagged lobsters inside the protected areas, and tracked their movement to outside the reserves in areas open to fishing, indicating a potential benefit to local fisheries....
The first conclusive evidence that no-take reserves can help restock or replenish exploited fish populations on neighboring reefs was detected in Australia's Great Barrier Reef. A new study from James Cook University in Australia used DNA fingerprinting techniques to track the movement of baby fishes to see whether protected areas can replenish areas open to fishing....
Scientists at Stanford University have found that marine reserves can actually aid in ecosystem recovery- allowing an area to bounce back following environmental disasters. A recent study of abalone shows that marine reserves can jumpstart the recovery of nearby fishing areas, even after natural environmental changes stress the system....
The Cabo Pulmo National Marine Park (CPNP), near the southern end of Baja California in the Sea of Cortez, is a shining example of how marine ecosystems can have a surprising and astonishing ability to bounce back – when given the chance. Scientists from Scripps Institute of Oceanography in San Diego recently released a study demonstrating that the coral reef ecosystem at Cabo Pulmo National Marine Park is uniquely healthy compared to other marine protected areas in the Gulf of...
Sea turtles face many threats, including loss of nesting sites due to development, drowning in gill nets, being caught accidentally as by-catch, ocean pollution and plastic debris. A new study has shown that green turtles appear to benefit in heading to a marine protected area over unprotected parts of the ocean....
While marine protected areas have long been used as a means to safeguard species of fish and invertebrates with small home ranges, their benefits to more mobile species like whales, dolphins, sharks and tuna are less well known. However, scientists in New Zealand have shown for the first time that marine protected areas actually can benefit marine mammals....
Formed primarily as a community-based initiative due to concern over the high level of uncontrolled, often destructive fishing and diving activities in the area, the Hol Chan Marine Reserve has now been protected for more than 20 years. Hol Chan is considered one of the biodiversity hotspots of the Atlantic and provides protection to over 220 marine species....
Fishing bans set up to protect Australia's Great Barrier Reef are having an unexpected impact on one of its most devastating predators. According to researchers, outbreaks of large, predatory, crown-of-thorns starfish are higher in areas where commercial fishing is allowed than in protected no-take areas. With up to 20 arms covered in extremely sharp, toxic spines, the crown-of-thorns starfish are one of the greatest natural threats to coral populations. When outbreaks occur, thousands of starfish blanket the coral reef’s surface. "The...
Originally established in 1981 and closed to commercial fishing, this ancient volcanic pinnacle was also closed to recreational fishing in 1998, making it the 2nd fully no-take reserve in New Zealand. A study that took place once all fishing was eliminated in the reserve, showed a rapid recovery of snapper, with significant increases in snapper abundance and biomass within the reserve compared to fished reference locations....
An exciting new study on the Tortugas Ecological Reserve has found that both fish populations and commercial and recreational anglers have benefited from the "no-take" protections. "This research shows that marine reserves and economically viable fishing industries can coexist," said Sean Morton, Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary superintendent....
