@article{fdi:010042460,
  title = {{O}pening of an {MPA} to fishing : natural variations in the structure of a coral reef fish assemblage obscure changes due to fishing},
  author = {{K}ulbicki, {M}ichel and {S}arramegna, {S}. and {L}etourneur, {Y}. and {W}antiez, {L}. and {G}alzin, {R}en{\'e} and {M}ou {T}ham, {G}{\'e}rard and {C}hauvet, {C}. and {T}hollot, {P}.},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{M}arine {P}rotected {A}reas ({MPA}s) are known to enhance diversity, density and biomass of coral reef fishes and to modify the size and trophic structures of these fish assemblages. {O}pening to fishing has the opposite effects, but on a much shorter time scale. {T}he present study compares the evolution of the fish assemblages of two adjacent reef zones, both initially {MPA}s, one of them being afterwards opened to fishing. {T}he study was conducted on {A}bore {R}eef, a {N}ew {C}aledonian barrier reef ({SW} {P}acific) which constituted a 148 km(2) marine protected area, of which 69 km(2) are within the lagoon. {T}wo surveys of a coral reef fish assemblage, using underwater visual censuses, were performed, the first one was conducted in {J}uly 1993 following 5 years of protection from fishing, the second one was conducted in {J}uly 1995; part of the reef having been opened to fishing activity in {S}eptember 1993. {T}his study examined the effects of two factors on these fish communities: time (1993 vs. 1995) and zone (reefs protected from fishing vs. unprotected reefs); the interaction of these two factors indicating an effect of either protection or opening to fishing. {D}iversity (species/transect), density and biomass were tested for all species together (377 species), then according to diet, size and commercial use. {T}here was a significant decrease over time of most values in both fished and unfished areas, the decrease being greater in the zone opened to fishing. {T}he magnitude of decrease over time was within the range of known time variations from other studies in {N}ew {C}aledonia and other {P}acific locations. {H}owever, this decrease was so large that it prevented the detection of effects linked to protection. {O}nly some minor effects could be detected for 16 species with no specific pattern according to diet, size or use. {T}he density and biomass of species of low commercial value were also affected by opening to fishing. {R}elative changes in diversity could be better detected than relative changes in density or biomass. {T}his study demonstrates that on a short-term basis (2 years), natural variations can be of larger magnitude than changes that may be induced by management options, especially when fishing pressure is not very high.},
  keywords = {fishing ; marine reserve ; {N}ew {C}aledonia ; temporal variations},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{J}ournal of {E}xperimental {M}arine {B}iology and {E}cology},
  volume = {353},
  numero = {2},
  pages = {145--163},
  ISSN = {0022-0981},
  year = {2007},
  DOI = {10.1016/j.jembe.2007.02.021},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010042460},
}