Is the recent Cap Roux Marine Protected Area (France, Var) an efficient tool to sustain professional fisheries ?

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Is the recent Cap Roux Marine Protected Area
(France, Var) an efficient tool to sustain
professional fisheries ?
8e Forum halieumétrique, La Rochelle, juin 2007
Catherine Seytre, Patrice Francour EA 3156
Gestion de la Biodiversité Université de
Nice-Sophia Antipolis
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The Cap Roux Marine Protected Area

• Initiated by professional fishermen
• Management tool

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The Cap Roux Marine Protected Area

• Protected since 2004
• 450 ha
• Habitats available

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Monitoring objectives

• Beginning of Reserve Effect
• Effect of MPA on professional fishermen activities

Methods

• Experimental net fishing
• Underwater visual censuses Fish Ecological
  Index (FEI)

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Sampling method of fish assemblages
Experimental net fishing

• Principle
• Net fishing carried out by a professional
  fisherman
• Standardisation of fishing tools
• Calculation
• Biomass
• Species number
• Advantages
• Assessment of reserve effect on profesionnal
  fishermen activities
• Complements UVC

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Sampling method of fish assemblages FEI

• Principle
• 6 censuses
• Presence / absence of target species
• Size class (small/medium vs large)
• Calculation
• Relative species richness
• Mean Index
• Cumulative Index
• Coefficient of Variation
• Bio-indicator
• Easy and quick to implement
• Results pertinence highlights fishing and
  spearfishing pressure

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Results
1,5 kg / 6 species

• Experimental net fishing
• Autumn 2006

9 kg / 9 species
2,4 kg / 4 species
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Results

• Relative species richness

• Little difference IR / OR
• IR values more constant

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Results

• Mean Index

• Little difference (OR/IR) except in autumn 2005
• Poaching in 2006?

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Results

• Cumulative Index

• IR values gt OR
• IR values more constant
• Important seasonal fluctuations OR

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Results

• Coefficient of variation

• Higher CVs IR ? high variability
• Assemblages stabler OR

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Conclusion
Preliminary study of a recent Marine Protected
Area

• FEI in the MPA
• Mean index similar
• Higher Cumulative index
• Higher Coefficient of variation
• Species Richness less variable
• Experimental fishing
• Biomass and Specific Richness are higher

Inside the MPA, the fish assemblage has become
more abundant, but is still over dispersed

• First stage of the reserve effect
• Results of FEI in 2006 due to poaching?

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Conclusion
Preliminary study of a recent Marine Protected
Area

• FEI - species list adapted to small scale
  fisheries
• - noticeable method to detect early
  reserve effect
• FEI (UVC) and Experimental Fishing two
  complementary methods
• Professional Fishermen implication the best way
  to ensure MPA success in the future
• MPA dynamic within 3 years, a reserve effect

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