Status and Trends in the Florida Keys - Coral Reef Fish

James A. Bohnsack, Ph.D.Director, Protected Resources and Biodiversity Division

Southeast Fishieries Science CenterNOAA National Marine Fisheries Service

FKNMS Advisory Council PresentationSoutheast Fisheries Science Center

21 February 2017 Marathon, FL

1

3

It is not just about fish

Photo: J.A. Bohnsack 1983 Looe Key Reef

Habitat

1988 1998 2001Griffin, Kellog, Garrison & Shinn 2002

USGS 2002The Shifting Baseline Syndrome is a change in perception of ecological change from generation to generation as true natural conditions drift away from previous conditions. Pauly, 1995

Kuffner and Toth 2016A geological perspective on the degradation and conservation of western Atlantic coral reefs. Conservation Biology

Nassau Grouper Landings

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500

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80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89Year

Cub

a M

etric

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s

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1.6

Flor

ida

Met

ric T

ons

CubaHeadboats

Bohnsack, 2003, Gulf & Carib Research

Shifting Baselines

Nassau Grouper Landings

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500

1,000

1,500

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2,500

70 72 74 76 78 80 82 84 86 88Year

Cub

a M

etric

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0.9

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ida

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ric T

ons

CubaHeadboats

Bohnsack, 2003, Gulf & Carib Research

Nassau Grouper Landings

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1,000

1,500

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60 62 64 66 68 70 72 74 76 78 80 82 84 86 88Year

Cub

a M

etric

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s

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1

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Flor

ida

Met

ric T

ons

CubaHeadboats

Shifting Baseline

Bohnsack, 2003, Gulf & Carib Research

Biscayne National Park Creel Survey

Harper et al., 2000. Mar. Fish. Rev

78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87

Nassau Grouper

Jolthead Porgy

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Extreme Events 2004-2005 – The Florida Keys experienced six Hurricanes or tropical storms in 18 months.

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Ecosystem threats

Boaters in Biscayne National Park

Human population growth and demands

Less protective More protective

No Regulation

General RegionalRegulation

Marine Protected Area

(added protection)

Marine Reserve (no extraction)

Marine Protected Area Protection Gradient

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Examples of spatial management in southern Florida. The ecosystem is a unifying concept, but no agency can monitor it all.Efficiencies can be achieved by combining effort and working together.

Spatial Based Management (no take)Ecosystem Function 2001

2007Ecological Reserve, Tortugas, FKNMS, FLResearch Natural Area, Dry Tortugas Nat. Park

Ecosystem Structure 20011994

Tortugas South, FKNMS, FLGeorges Bank Fishery Closures

Wilderness Value 2001 Tortugas North Ecol. Reserve, FKNMS, FLLand / Seascape 1990 Fla Keys Nat. Marine Sanctuary, FLMultiple Habitats 1997 Sambo Ecological Reserve, FKNMS, FLSpecial Habitat 2000

19971993

Coral Reef Protection ActSanctuary Protected Areas, FKNMS, FLOculina HAPC

Special places 1981196119601947

Looe Key Nat. Marine Sanctuary, FLBuck Is. National Monument, USVIJohn Pennekamp CR State ParkFlorida Bay, Everglades National Park, FL

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NOAA Fisheries Quarter 4 Update Stock Status as of December 31, 2015

SE Stocks Overfished and Undergoing Overfishing

Fish Stock Sustainability Index (FSSI):

Reef Fish Vulnerability to Fishing• High value• Large size• Long lives (decades)• Low adult natural mortality• Delayed reproduction• Many species• Many change sex • Location is predictable

in time and space• Aggressive behavior & No fear of humans• Vulnerable to fishing gear

0.00

0.01

0.02

0.03

0.04

134164194224254284314344374404434464494524554584614644674704734764

Length (mm)

Freq

uenc

y

F =

0.00

0.02

0.04

0.06

0.08

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134164194224254284314344374404434464494524554584614644674704734764

Length (mm)

Freq

uenc

y

F = F2001

0.00

0.02

0.04

0.06

134164194224254284314344374404434464494524554584614644674704734764

Length (mm)

Freq

uenc

y

F = 0

F = Fmsy =0.13

F = F2001 = 0.52

“Juvenescense”

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1979 1981 1983 1985 1987 1989 1991 1993 1995 1997 1999 2001

Fish

ing

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talit

y Ra

te

Frec Fcomm

RecreationalCommercial

Estimated Fishing Mortality Componentsand Fish Population Effects

Ault et al. 2014 Endg Sp Res

“The concept of marine reserves is simple:

If protected from human interference, nature will

take care of itself ”

Deplete Target Species

Bycatch Mortality of target and

non-target species

CauseHabitat Damage

Colonization & Growth Abundance Diversity

Spillover Reproduction & Dispersal

Larval DispersalMPA Theory

Photo by David McClellan, NMFS

Recreational fishing boats line the corner of a Sanctuary Preservation Area in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary

Fishing the Line

Benefits of Marine Reserves• Protect Ecosystem Structure and Function

– (Goods and Services)• Provide Fishery Benefits

• Increase Scientific Understanding of Marine Ecosystems

• Increase Public Education & Appreciation• Enhance Non-Extractive Economic

Benefits

Problems ?• How Many ?• What size ?• Total area ? (20-30% minimum)• Location ? (NIMBY)• Fishing Displacement ? (Crowding)• Highly migratory species ?• Uncertainty ?• Acceptance / Compliance / Enforcement ?

Coral reefs are complex and difficult to monitor.

Habitat is spatially heterogeneous.

Reef fishes are highly diverse (>382 species), and despite high site fidelity, are mobile and highly variable in space and time.

Acknowledgments – 35 years of contributions

NMFS -SEFSCJ.A. BohnsackJ. Schull M.W. MillerB. RuttenbergG.T. KellisonD.B. McClellan D.E. Harper A.M. EklundNOAA Corp (multiple)

NPS - DOI

M. FeeleyA. AtkinsonM. PattersonT. Zigler

NHAW 2010

RSMAS – U of Miami

J.S. Ault S.G. SmithJ. BlondeauJ. LuoD. Bryan

FFWCC

J. Hunt. A. Acosta

(many others)

B. WalkerK. Kilfoyle

NOS-NCCOSM. Monaco

FDEPOur Fla ReefsJ. Walczak

New in 2010

2009

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Species Observed

Species AbundanceIndividual Sizes

Habitat Type, Depth %Cover, Relief, CompositionProfile

Frequency of Occurrence

Biomass

DerivedMeasured

Tactical innovation: circular plot visual censuses in a small increment of space and time based on ambient visibility:

Low-relief hard-bottom

Patchy hard-bottom

Low-relief spur & groove

Medium-profile reef

High-relief spur & groove

Patch reefs

Rocky outcrops

Reef terrace

Pinnacles

Degree of PatchinessLow High

Ver

tica

l Rel

ief

Low

Hig

hLink Reef Fish Spatial Abundance to Benthic HabitatsInnovation: objectively classify all reef habitat by two variables

Each habitat provides a unique biodiversity signature based on composition

Stratification Variables:Cross-Shelf Habitat typeHabitat relief and patchinessDepthGeographical SubregionSpatial Management Zone

(e.g, no-take reserves, angling only)

Stratified Random DesignHeterogeneous Spatial Distribution

Strategic innovation: stratify based on data variance; not habitat area. Include spatial management zone as a stratum.

HAWK CHANNEL

Nearshore

Inshore Patch

MidchannelOffshore

Patch

Reef FlatFore Reef

Deep Reef

TransitionFlorida Bay

HawkChannel

FloridaReef Tract

Cross-Shelf Habitat Classification

35

2014 Samples by Domain(n = 436) Dry Tortugas (810 km 2) 1999 - 2014(n = 433} Florida Keys (500 km 2) 1980 - 2014(n = 320) SE Fla Coast (253 km 2) 2013 - 2015

Dry TortugasFlorida Keys

SE FlaFlorida reef tract (~1563 km 2) dividedinto 3 sampling domains

Requires accurate & precise habitat maps(NOS & FWC)

(200 x 200 m cells)Innovation: better maps allowed shift to 100 x 100m cells in 2014

Cross-shelf habitat classification

Florida Keys ~500 km2

mapped reef

- 500

0

500

1000

1500

2000

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3000

1994- 1997 1 2 3 4 5

Years protected

Per

cen

t C

han

ge

Blackgrouper

Graysnapper

Yellowtailsnapper

St ripedparrot f ish

Stotp lightparrot f ish

Protected areas

- 500

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

1994- 1997 1 2 3 4 5

Years protected

Per

cen

t C

han

ge

Blackgrouper

Graysnapper

Yellowtailsnapper

St ripedparrot f ish

Stotp lightparrot f ish

Protected areas

- 500

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

1994- 1997 1 2 3 4 5

Years protected

Per

cen

t C

han

ge

Blackgrouper

Graysnapper

Yellowtailsnapper

St ripedparrot f ish

Stotp lightparrot f ish

Protected areas

Not exploited

Exploited

- 500

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

1994- 1997 1 2 3 4 5

Years protected

Per

cen

t C

han

ge

Blackgrouper

Graysnapper

Yellowtailsnapper

St ripedparrot f ish

Stotp lightparrot f ish

Fished areas

Yellowtail Snapper, Exploited, Protected and Fished

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

Mea

n D

ensi

ty

* **

*

1994 -1997

Fishery Regulations: 1985 - 12” Minimum length, 1986 – max 10/day

Stoplight Parrotfish, Protected and Fished

0

1

2

3

4

1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

Mea

n De

nsity

1994 -1997

*

* * * **

**

***

**

No Fishery Regulations

Striped Parrotfish, Protected and Fished

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

Mea

n De

nsity

1994 -1997

*

***

* * * *

*

*

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Sample sites

Reef Terrace

Low-Relief Hardbottom

Rocky Outcrops

Pinnacles

Low-ReliefSpur & Groove

Medium Profile Reef

High-ReliefSpur & Groove

Patchy Hardbottom in Sand

Reef Terrace PatchReefs

Tortugas Domain~325 km2

mapped reef

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Tortugas MPA Management EvaluationSublegal size

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Adaptive ManagementTortugas Bank North Ecological Reserve(No-take) in 2001

Dry TortugasNational Park

__

Recreational angling only

Tortugas BankFished

DTNP RNANo-take 2007

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Measure Management Effectiveness MPAs

OPEN ACCESS

NO TAKE

RECREATONAL ANGLING ONLY

Partnerships

Tortugas Cruises

MPA Success Attributes

Di Franco et al 2016. Five key attributes can increase MPA performance for small-scale fisheries management. www.nature.com/scientificreports 6:38135

Healthier fish stocks: averaged 2x fish numbers (>25 cm TL)5x large fish biomass14x shark biomass

than fished areas

1. No-take rule established2. Well-enforced3. Age (>10 yr)4. Large size (>100 km2)5. Isolation (deep water or sand)

Graham, E.J., R.D. Stuart-Smith, T.J. Willis, et al. 2014. Global conservation outcomes depend on MPA with five key features. Nature 506:216-220.

Healthier fish stocks, Higher fishermen incomes, Social acceptance

1. Well-enforced2. Management plan present3. Fishermen engagement in

MPA management4. Fishermen represented on

MPA Board5. Sustainable fishing promoted

Common Beliefs / Myths

• Ocean resources cannot be exhausted.• Spatial boundaries can’t be enforced.• People can have no significant impact

on ocean resources.– The solution to pollution is dilution– Recreational angling is not a problem– Fishing is decoupled from coral health