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CCMA Findings Justify Enlargement of Marine Protected Areas in Hawaii
A recent study of the main Hawaiian Islands by the Center for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment demonstrates that existing Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) contain higher fish biomass, larger overall fish size, and higher biodiversity than adjacent areas of similar habitat quality, but that they are too small to provide a substantial conservation benefit to adjacent areas where reef fish populations may be over fished. These results justify expansion of the current system of MPAs, and establish criteria to develop a functioning network of MPAs to benefit both fisheries and biodiversity. The study, Coupling Ecology and GIS to Evaluate Efficacy of Marine Protected Areas in Hawaii, authored by scientists from NCCOS and Hawaii’s Division of Aquatic Resources, is published in the current issue of Ecological Applications and available on the internet: http://www.esajournals.org/esaonline/?request=get-toc&issn=1051-0761&volume=017&issue=03. For more information contact Alan Friedlander at (808) 259-3165 or alan.friedlander@noaa.gov.
CCMA-Led Benthic Habitat Mapping Effort of Puerto Rican Conservation Areas will Assist Resource Management
Scientists from the Center for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment conducted a joint scientific research mission to develop the first comprehensive benthic habitat maps of Conservation Areas, high priority marine protected areas on Puerto Rico’s western coast. The Caribbean Fishery Management Council and University of Puerto Rico participated in the effort on board the NOAA ship NANCY FOSTER from April 14 to April 24, 2007 to help collect data for the maps needed to advance management of these areas. The mission explored and characterized grouper spawning grounds and high density coral reef habitats. High resolution multibeam sonar data were collected at Bajo de Cico, Abrir La Sierra Bank, and Mona Island, and underwater video of the seafloor was collected at 84 sites. For more information including data availability (near future) see http://ccma.nos.noaa.gov/products/biogeography/usvi_nps/overview.html, or contact Tim Battista at (301) 713-3028 x171 or Tim.Battista@noaa.gov
CCMA Helps to Identify Sources and Distribution of Marine Debris to Improve Modeling/Monitoring/Removal Efforts at GRNMS
As part of the National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) and National Marine Sanctuary Program’s Long-Term Agreement, Center for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment scientists conducted an initial characterization of Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary (GRNMS) to refine models predicting the density of debris and improve future monitoring and removal efforts. Based on these results, NCCOS and GRNMS staff have been funded to continue research efforts in coordination with the NOAA Office of Response and Restoration’s Marine Debris Program and to conduct outreach efforts to reduce inputs of debris into the sanctuary by recreational fishermen and boaters. Scientists will establish permanent transects within GRNMS to quantify long-term trends in the types, abundance, impacts, and accumulation rates of debris. For more information, contact Laurie Bauer at (301) 713-3028 ext. 236 or Laurie.Bauer@noaa.gov.