@article{fdi:010087633,
  title = {{S}patial and temporal structure of the fish assemblage in {A}kanda {N}ational {P}ark ({G}abon), an equatorial mangrove estuary},
  author = {{B}eh, {J}. {H}. {M}. and {S}adio, {O}. and {M}bega, {J}. {D}. and {T}chinga, {G}. and {T}singa, {F}. and {L}eboulanger, {C}hristophe and {L}asram, {F}. {B}. and {T}ito de {M}orais, {L}uis and {L}e {L}oc'h, {F}ran{\c{c}}ois},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{M}arine spatial planning and management processes are important tools for environmental and resource management, providing effective frameworks for considering environmental, social, cultural, institutional and economic variables within a common biogeographic context. {T}he {A}kanda {N}ational {P}ark ({ANP}) in {G}abon, almost exclusively constituted by mangroves, is part of a green belt of protected areas around the capital city of {L}ibreville. {T}he creation of the {ANP} is considered as an essential tool for the ecosystemic management of fisheries in {M}ondah {B}ay, playing nursery function for several exploited fish species. {H}owever, this role has never been documented in the mangroves of {G}abon. {T}he aim of this study is to describe the spatial and seasonal variability of fish assemblages, to assess {ANP} mangrove role as a nursery for fish juveniles. {F}ish sampling was carried out at four different sites in the four hydroclimatic seasons in {G}abon using trammel gillnets with different mesh size (10, 27 and 40 mm). {F}ifty-nine fish species mainly estuarine and marine, first and second level predators were collected whatever the season and the site. {T}he numerically dominant species were {P}seudotolithus elongatus, {P}ellonula leonensis and {P}arachelon grandisquamis (48% of the total number of individuals), whereas {P}. elongatus, {C}hrysichthys nigrodigitatus and {P}lectorhinchus macrolepis represented the main biomasses (55%). {T}he predominance in the catches of immature individuals of many species of commercial interest and in particular, {P}. elongatus, {P}. grandisquamis, {C}. nigrodigitatus, {E}ucinostomus melanopterus, {N}eochelon falcipinnis and {P}olydactylus quadrifilis, which dominate the community, highlights the importance of {A}kanda mangrove as a nursery for the juveniles of these species. {T}he results of our study are a first step in understanding the fish communities of a {G}abon marine protected area, which can support the decision making management plans, zonation and initiate a monitoring program for the estuarine and marine protected ecosystems.},
  keywords = {{D}iversity ; {C}ommunities ; {M}angroves ; {C}onservation ; {N}ursery ; {F}isheries ; {GABON}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{R}egional {S}tudies in {M}arine {S}cience},
  volume = {59},
  numero = {},
  pages = {102805 [16 ]},
  ISSN = {2352-4855},
  year = {2023},
  DOI = {10.1016/j.rsma.2022.102805},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010087633},
}