Search:
You are here: Home › Resources › Publications & Reports ›
This study presents long-term data (1977–2005) from before and after park establishment, on the abundance of spiny lobster Jasus edwardsii from fixed sites in a no-take marine park and a recreationally fished marine park, to assess the efficacy of no-take vs. partial protection. The authors submit that lobster densities were comparable between both marine parks prior to park establishment, but the response of lobster populations differed markedly following protection. They conclude that long-term data from fully fished and partially protected sites suggest long-term declines in lobster populations and reflect regional patterns in catch per unit effort estimates for the fishery. Also, the long-term patterns presented provide an unequivocal example of the recovery of lobster populations in no-take MPAs, but clearly demonstrate that allowing recreational fishing in MPAs has little benefit to populations of exploited species such as J. edwardsii.
