Successful Trends in the Ecological Reserves in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary

The National Marine Sanctuary Program Successful Trends in the Ecological Reserves in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary

US Coral Reef Task Force Steering Committee Meeting

Billy D. Causey, Ph.D. Southeast Regional Director Office of National Marine Sanctuaries San Juan, Puerto Rico November 3, 2009 Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary

• 2900 nm2 / 9800 km2 • Jurisdiction to mean high tide • Surrounds Florida Keys • Co-trustee Management with State of Florida • 60% State Waters • 40% Federal Waters • 1600 Keys / 1800 miles of shoreline Threats to Coral Reefs

• Climate Change

• Land-based Sources of Pollution

• Habitat Loss and Destruction

• Overfishing Threats to Coral Reefs

Overfishing Can be Managed At Local Levels What the Florida Keys reef fishery used to be?

An “average day” of fishing in the Florida Keys in the 1930s-1950s.

Ault et al, 2008 Commercial Fishing

Commercial lobster vessel cited for possession of egg bearing and undersize spiny lobster Recreational Fishing Southeast Florida Regional Reef Fish Landings Composition

Reef Fish Landings 68% Recreational 5% Headboat 27% Commercial 100% Total Florida’s Human Population Growth Dynamics

6,000,000 16000000 South Florida 14000000 Florida 5,000,000 12000000 10000000 4,000,000 8000000 6000000 4000000 3,000,000 Population Size 2000000 0 2,000,000 1830 1860 1890 1920 1950 1980 2010

S.Population FL Size 1,000,000 Year 0 250000 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 Year South Florida Fishing Fleet 200000

Recreational 150000

100000 Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, Monroe, Collier, Registered Vessels Registered 50000 Commercial

0 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 Ault et al. 2005. Bulletin of Marine Science Year Current Management Benchmarks: FL Keys Multispecies Reef Fish Community 100

90 GRUNTS 80 GROUPERS SNAPPERS

50 Overfishing (30% SPR) 40

20 % Spawning Potential Ratio Potential Spawning % 10

0 Black Coney Gag Goliath Graysby Nassau Red Hind Red Hind Rock Scamp Speckled Hind Yellowedge Yellowfin Yellowmouth Black Blackfin Cubera Dog Gray Hogfish Lane Mutton Red Schoolmaster Silk Vermillion Yellowtail Margate Bluestriped Cottonwick French Sailors Tomtate White

Exploited Coral Reef Fishes Ault, J.S,, Bohnsack, J.A., and G.A. Meester. 1998. Fishery Bulletin 96:395-414 (Best Publication Award in Fishery Bulletin & NOAA Certificate of Achievement 2002) Ault, J.S., Smith, S.G., and J.A. Bohnsack. 2005. ICES Joournal of Marine Science 62:417-423 Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary

Marine Zones • Sanctuary Preservation Areas • Special-Use Areas • Ecological Reserves • Wildlife Management Areas • Existing Management Areas FKNMS Marine Zoning Plan

• 18 Sanctuary Preservation Areas • 4 Research-Only Areas No • 2 Ecological Reserves Take (1997 and 2001) Zones

• 27 Wildlife Management Areas • 19 Existing Management Areas Ecological Reserves • 2 Areas - 9 snm and 151 snm

• Areas of high habitat and species diversity

• Representative Keys marine ecosystem

• Generally good water quality

• Encompass large enough areas to include a range of habitats

• Provide natural spawning, nursery, and permanent residence areas for the replenishment and genetic protection of marine life

• Protect and preserve all habitats and species particularly those not protected by fishery management regulations.

Ecological Reserves Western Sambo Ecological Reserve - 9 snm Tortugas Ecological Reserve Implemented July 1, 2001 518 sq k 151 sq mi

7 Separate Jurisdictions • South Atlantic FMC • Gulf of Mexico FMC • Highly Migratory FM • Nat’l Park Service • Nat’l Marine Sanctuary • State of Florida – FWC • State – Gov & Cabinet

Dry Tortugas NP March 2008 42² nm RNA Fishery Reserves for Spiny Lobsters: Are they Effective?

Carrollyn Cox Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission Fish & Wildlife Research Institute Western Sambo Ecological Reserve

Key West Western Sambo Ecological Reserve

Hawk Channel Hawk Channel Reef tract

Reef tract N

W E

9 ² nautical mile S 32 ² km 0 5 10 15 20 Kilometers Abundance of legal-sized Lobsters

Western Sambo Ecological Reserve

70 SE)

- 60

30 Reserve

20 Fishery

Abundance (n lobsters/hr +/ (n lobsters/hr Abundance 0 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 1998 2000 2002 2004 Cox & Hunt 05 Size-Frequency of Male Spiny Lobsters

Western Sambo Ecological Reserve

Reserve Fishery

20 Frequency

25 ‘05 25 ‘05 50 50 75 ‘03 75 ‘03 100 ‘01 100 ‘01 ’99 125 ’99 125 ‘97 ‘97 Cox & Hunt 05 Black Grouper, Exploited, Protected and Fished (Ault & Bohnsack 2008) 0.35

0.30 * 0.25 * * 0.20

0.15

Mean Density Mean * 0.10 * * * 0.05 * * * * * 0.00 *

-0.05 19961994 -1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

Fishery Regulations minimum length: 1985 - 18”, Feb 1990 - 20”,Dec 1998- 24”, Jan 1 2001 – 22”; 1986 - 5/fisher/day Yellowtail Snapper, Exploited, Protected and Fished (Ault & Bohnsack 2008) 16

10 *

8 * * Mean Density 6 * 4

0 199619941997 -1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

Fishery Regulations: 1985 - 12” Minimum length, 1986 – max 10/day Reef Fisheries, Coral Reef Ecosystems & Hurricanes?

2004

2005 Tortugas Ecological Reserve Building Sustainable Fisheries in Florida’s Coral Reef Ecosystem: Positive Signs in the Dry Tortugas

Jerald S. Ault

Schooling permit in Tortugas Bank Ecological Reserve, June 2004. Baseline RVC Surveys: 1999 and 2000 Tortugas Bank NTMR Y# Y# Y# # Y# Y# Y#Y# Y#Y#Y# Y# Y#Y# # Y# # Y# Y# Y# Y#Y# Y#Y Y# # Y# Y# # Y# Y# Y# Y# #Y Y# Y# Y# Y# # Y Y# Y# Y#Y# # Y# Y# Y# Y#YY#Y# Y# Y# #Y#Y#Y# Y#Y# Y Y# Y Y# Y# Y#YY#Y#Y# Y# Y# Y# Y# Y# Y# Y# Y# # #Y# Y# Y# Y# YY# Y# Y # Y# Y# # # Y# Y# # Y#Y Y# Y# YY# Y Y## Y Y# Y# Y# Y# Y Y# Y#Y# Y# Y# Y#Y# #Y#Y#Y# Y# Y# Y# Y Y# # # Y# Y# Y# YY# #Y Y# # # Y# Y# #Y # Y# Y# Y Y# Y Y##YY#Y# Y# Y# Y# Y Y Y# Y# Y# Y# Y#YY# Y# Y# Y# Y#Y# # Y# Y# Y# Y# # Y# Y#Y# Y Y# Y# Y# Y Y# Y# #Y# Y# Y#Y# Y# Y# Y#Y# Y# Y# Y Y# Y# Y# Y# Y# Y# Y# #Y# Y#Y# Y# Y# Y# Y# Y# #Y# Y# Y# # # Y## Y# # Y# Y# Y Y# Y Y YY# Y# Y#Y# Y#Y# Y# YY# #Y#Y# Y# Y# Y# Y# # YY Y# Y# Y# Y# Y Y# Y# Y#Y# Y# Y# Y# Y# Y## Y# Y# Y# Y# Y Y# Y# Y#Y# Y# Y# Y# Y# Y# Y# Y#Y# Y# # Y# Y# Y# # Y# Y# Y Y# Y Y# Y# # Y# Y#Y# Y# Y# Y Y# Y# Y# Y# Y# Y#Y# Y# Y# Y# Y# Y# Y# Y# Y# Y# Y# Y# Y# Y# Y# Y# Y# Y# Y# Y# Y# Y# Y# #Y DryTortugas Y# Y# Y# Y# Y# Y# Y Y# Y# Y# Y# Y#Y# Y# Y# # Y# Y# Y Y# Y#Y# Y# Dep_grid Y# Y# Y# Y# Y# Y#Y# -3 - 0 Y# Y# Y# Y# Y# Y# Y#Y# Y# Y# # -6 - -3.01 Y# Y Y#Y# Y# Y# -9 - -6.01 Y# # Y# # Y# Y# Y Y Y# Y# -12 - -9.01 # Y# Y# Y # Y# Y# Y# Y# Y -15 - -12.01 Y# Y# # Y#Y# #Y# Y# -18 - -15.01 Tortugas Bank Y# YY# Y# YY# Y# Y# -21 - -18.01 Y# Y# Fished -24 - -21.01 Dry Tortugas -27 - -24.01 -30 - -27.01 National Park -33 - -30.01 Y# Y# -36 - -33.01 # Y# Y# Y -39 - -36.01 Y# Y# Y# Y# -50 - 39.01 Y# Y# # Y -1418 - -50.01 Y# No Data Black Grouper 2000

S# S# S# #S S# S# S S# S# # S# S#S S# # # S# S# #S # S# S S# S# # S# S# S S# S# S S# S #S# # S# SS# S# S# S# S S# S# S# # # S# S S S# # #S S# S# S# S S# # #S S# S # S# S# S# S # S# S# S S# S# S# #S# S# S# S# S# # S# S# #S S S## S# S# S S# #S S# S# # S# S# # S# S# S S#S S# S# S# S# S# S# S# S# S#S#S# S# S# S# #S S# S# # S# # S S# S S# #S S# S# S# S# S# # S# S S# S# S# S# S# S# S# S# # S# S# S# S S# S# S# S# S# S# S# # S S#S# S# S# S# S# S# S# S# S# S# S# # S# S# S# S# S S# # S# S# S# # S S S# S# S# S# S# #S#S S# S# S# S# # S S#S# S# DryTortugas S# S# S# S# # S S# #S S# Black Grouper 2000 # #S S# #S 0 S# S# S# S# S# S#S S# S# #S S# 0.001 - 0.75 S# S# #S 0.75 - 1.5 #S 1.5 - 3 #S 3 - 5.25 S# 5.25 - 7.5 Black Grouper 2004

#S S#S# S# S##S #S #S#S # S# # #S #S #SS# S#S# S# #S S#S S #SS# S#S# S# #S S# #S# S# ## S S#S# S#S# S# SS #S # #S S# # S #S S# S # S# S# #S S# SS# S# S# ## #S #S S# S# SS S# S# #S# S# S# S# #SS #SS# #S# #S #S S# #S # S# S# S# #S SS# S# S# # #S S# #S#S# S# S# SS##S S# S# S# S##S #SS# S#S# # #S # S# # #S#S#S# S S #SS##S S S# S S# S# S# S# # #S#S S S# S#S#S# S# #S #S#S S# #S S# # S# # # S# #SS# S# S S S# S# S# #S S# S#S #S S# S# # S##S #S S #S# S# S# S# # # S# # S S# S# S S# S# S S# # S S# #SS# #S S# S# S# S# # S# #S S# S# S #S S# # S# S# # S# S# S# S#S S# S# S#S# S #S S#S S#S# S# S# S# S# S# # S #S# #S# S S # S# S S# S# S# S S# S# # #S S S# S# SS# S# S# # # S# S##S S# # S# S# SS# S# #S# S# S# S# S S# S# S# S# ## S#S# # #S S# SS# SS# S# S# # SS# S# S# S S# # #S# S# S# #S S SS# DryTortugas

S# S# Black Grouper 2004 S# S# S# #S 0 S#S# S#S# S#S#S#S# # # S SS# #S 0.001 - 0.75 #S 0.75 - 1.5 S# #S 1.5 - 3 #S 3 - 5.25 #S 5.25 - 7.5 Percentage Population Size Change in 2004 relative to 1999-2000 Baseline Estimates

Bank Fished Bank MPA National Park Total Domain Signif. Black Grouper + 84% + 120% + 128% + 124% *** Red Grouper - 43% + 38% - 9% - 2% ns Hogfish - 27% + 6% + 50% - 19% ns Mutton Snapper - 45% + 303% + 142% + 109% *** Yellowtail Snapper - 19% + 367% + 132% + 181% * Gray Snapper - 96% - 51% + 270% + 39% ns White Grunt + 7% + 24% + 2% + 4% ns Bluestriped Grunt + 50% + 13% + 242% + 159% ns Spotted Goatfish + 133% + 326% + 175% + 198% *** Redband Parrotfish + 121% + 26% + 26% + 56% ns Foureye Butterfly + 86% - 18% + 32% + 13% ns Purple Reeffish + 31% + 42% + 263% + 76% *** (Ault, et al, 2004) Response of Tortugas Reserves to Protection Pre-Implementation: 1999-2000 2008 RVC Survey

Fished Area Fished Area 25.0% Pre-exploited 18.8% Phase Exploited Phase

Tortugas Ecological Reserve Tortugas Ecological Reserve 36.2% 64.0%

Relative Frequency Relative Dry Tortugas National Park Dry Tortugas National Park

8.0% 37.3%

Fork Length (cm) 2007-2008 Annual Report Measuring impacts of the Tortugas North Ecological Reserve: A comparative analysis of differing levels of protection on coral reef and adjacent ecosystems of the Tortugas Banks, FL Principal Investigators: John Selden Burke, [email protected] Shay Viehman, [email protected] Gregory A. Piniak, [email protected] J. Christopher Taylor, [email protected] Findings: • Significant changes have occurred in the reef fish community following the establishment of the TNER • Increase in abundance of large fishes • A general decline in abundance of small fishes was evident • These opposing trends suggest that mortality rates of prey species increased due to the observed increases in predator abundance • These observed trends provide strong correlative evidence of a reserve effect and suggest that the TNER has achieved an important initial objective • To reverse the decline of commercially exploited fish stocks around the Tortugas Currents – Dispersal Highways

Gulf of Mexico Regional Circulation Bathymetry

Gulf FLORIDA Stream

Florid a Loop Current Bahamas

Everglades Biscayne Bay Florida Current Nat'l Park

Cuba

Cape Sable Yucatan Florida Bay

Dry Tortugas Marquesas Keys Key West

Pourtales Terrace

Current Meters Flori da C urrent

(Lee and Williams - Univ of Miami) Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary

Marine Zones • Sanctuary Preservation Areas • Special-Use Areas • Ecological Reserves • Wildlife Management Areas • Existing Management Areas

South Carysfort Reef – February 13, 2009

Photo: Bill Precht - FKNMS South Carysfort Reef – February 13, 2009

Photo: Bill Precht - FKNMS Questions?