The spawning migrations of an exploited Albulid in the tropical Pacific: implications for conservation and community-based management - Université de Perpignan Via Domitia Access content directly
Journal Articles Environmental Biology of Fishes Year : 2020

The spawning migrations of an exploited Albulid in the tropical Pacific: implications for conservation and community-based management

Alexander Filous
  • Function : Author
Robert Lennox
  • Function : Author
Raphael Raveino
  • Function : Author
Alan Friedlander
Steven Cooke
  • Function : Author
Andy Danylchuk
  • Function : Author

Abstract

Teleost fish that form predictable spawning aggregations and undertake reproductive migrations can be particularly vulnerable to overexploitation. To support community-based management of an artisanal fishery that targets bonefish (Albula glossodonta) spawning aggregations, we used a combination of acoustic telemetry, biological sampling, and remote imagery to reveal the spatiotemporal spawning migrations of bonefish on Anaa Atoll in the Tuamotu Archipelago, French Polynesia. The spawning migrations of bonefish tracked with acoustic telemetry were restricted to the northern section of the atoll, with 99.6% of all detections at offshore spawning habitats occurring on fixed acoustic receivers adjacent to the atoll’s artisanal fish trap complex. Male bonefish undertook spawning migrations more frequently than females and these spawning migrations were common during the Austral winter and fall. The movements of bonefish spawning aggregations coincided with the lunar cycle, as a network analysis revealed an increase in network size and the diversity of habitat use within our acoustic array throughout the duration of the waning moon. Our results highlighted the need for the management of the artisanal trap fishery to prevent the overharvest of bonefish during their peak spawning periods. In response to the spatiotemporal management recommendations derived from this research, the local government established an Educational Managed Marine Area that includes the atoll’s bonefish spawning migratory corridor adjacent to Tukuhora village and a Rahui (i.e., seasonal closure) to improve the sustainability of the fishery.
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Dates and versions

hal-02978284 , version 1 (26-10-2020)

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Alexander Filous, Robert Lennox, Raphael Raveino, Alan Friedlander, Eric Clua, et al.. The spawning migrations of an exploited Albulid in the tropical Pacific: implications for conservation and community-based management. Environmental Biology of Fishes, 2020, 103 (9), pp.1013-1031. ⟨10.1007/s10641-020-00996-3⟩. ⟨hal-02978284⟩
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