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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 59(2)

Density and size of reef fishes in and around a temperate marine reserve

Matt Kleczkowski A B , Russ C. Babcock A and Geordie Clapin A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A CSIRO Marine Research, Private Bag No. 5, Wembley 6913 WA, Australia.

B Corresponding author. Email: matt.kleczkowski@csiro.au

Marine and Freshwater Research 59(2) 165-176 https://doi.org/10.1071/MF07093
Submitted: 9 May 2007  Accepted: 11 January 2008   Published: 27 February 2008

Abstract

The effects of marine reserve protection on the density, size, biomass, sex-ratio and overall assemblage structure of reef fishes were investigated at Kingston Reef Sanctuary, Rottnest Island, Western Australia. Significant trends in response to reserve protection were found for two species of top predators and several serially protogynous labrid species. The relative density and biomass of the heavily targeted Glaucosoma hebraicum was 10 and five times greater within the sanctuary respectively. Similarly, the biomass of the serranid, Epinephelides armatus, was 3.2 times greater in the sanctuary, although this difference was owing to a greater mean length not relative density. The male : female sex ratio for the labrid, Ophthalmolepis lineolatus, was significantly different between sanctuary and non-sanctuary sites, with the density of male O. lineolatus significantly greater within the sanctuary. Rottnest Island waters are largely restricted to recreational fishing, therefore these results suggest that a range of fish species around Rottnest Island are affected by recreational fishing, and that these effects are found in taxa beyond the primary target species. The patterns in the effects on bycatch species suggest that fishing-related mortality may be exerting a greater control on these populations than that exerted by natural predation.

Additional keywords: effects of fishing, population structure, recreational fishing, Western Australia.


Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Matt Sherlock and Peter Dunn of CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research for their work on the video LANC controllers and other aspects of camera operation. We are indebted to Elaine Lek and Steve Moore for sharing their data on fish length–biomass relationships. Thanks also to the Rottnest Island Authority and particularly Harriet Davie, Claire Wright and Keith Shadbolt for their assistance with logistics, accommodation, travel and for permission to conduct our non-destructive research in the reserve. Although not directly applicable in the present study, we were also granted exemption from the Fish Resources Act 1994 by the Fisheries Department of Western Australia.


Finally, we would like to thank the anonymous reviewers that took the time to critique this paper.


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