Clements, C. S.

Assessing the fisheries benefits of four community-based no-take marine protected areas in Fiji

2011

Marine Studies Programme, the University of the South Pacific

149

Master Thesis

"Locally managed marine areas (LMMA) are increasingly being implemented in many Pacific Island communities to address concerns regarding management of coastal fisheries. Widespread advocacy for these management regimes lies in their ability to build on existing community strengths in traditional knowledge, customary tenure, and governance; as well as promote a local awareness of resource stewardship. In Fiji, the prohibition of marine resource harvest, or tabu, is one traditional practice that has been commonly adapted to serve as a form of no-take Marine Protected Area (MPA). While completely no-take MPAs have gained recognition around the world as fisheries management tools, their sole efficacy for enhancing stocks of important fisheries species is still considered highly dependent on varying environmental and socioeconomic circumstances. This study examined the effects of small no-take MPAs, or tabu, on the abundance, biomass, size, and sexually mature proportion of target reef fish species in four villages, across two LMMAs along the Coral Coast of Viti Levu, Fiji. Of the four village tabu areas, three have maintained protected status for 5-7 years, while the other was recently reopened to fishing within five months of the commencement of this study. Fish angling surveys revealed that all four factors examined were, in many cases, significantly (P >0.05) greater for target species caught within the active MPA sites, with the converse effect occurring within the site recently opened to fishing. The combination of these findings supports the utility of no-take tabu areas as LMMA tools for enhancing stocks of certain target species, and also suggests that even temporary closures may be insufficient for conserving stocks. With increasing anthropogenic pressures and environmental uncertainties; as well as the limited knowledge regarding reserve population dynamics, permanent closures may be the most appropriate method of ensuring the sustainability of these small-scale fisheries."

FY2008 CRCP Project ID 1395; Project Title: International Coral Grants Program; Principal Investigator: Eileen Alicea. NOAA Grant: NA08NOS4630338

NA08NOS4630338