An Integrated Biogeographic Assessment of Reef Fish Populations and Fisheries in Dry Tortugas: Effects of No-take Reserves NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science Center for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment Christopher F.G. Jeffrey Mark E. Monaco Greg Piniak NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries Vernon R. Leeworthy NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science Center for Coastal Fisheries and Habitat Research Mark Fonseca August 2012 NOAA TECHNICAL MEMORANDUM NOS NCCOS 111 NOAA NCCOS Center for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment An Integrated Biogeographic Assessment of Reef Fish Populations and Fisheries in Dry Tortugas: Effects of No-Take Reserves Prepared by: NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) Center for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment (CCMA) Biogeography Branch Silver Spring, MD USA August 2012 Editors Christopher F.G. Jeffrey Vernon R. Leeworthy Mark E. Monaco Greg Piniak Mark Fonseca NOAA Technical Memorandum NOS NCCOS 111 United States Department National Oceanic and of Commerce Atmospheric Administration National Ocean Service Rebecca Blank Jane Lubchenco David Kennedy Acting Secretary Administrator Assistant Administrator Citations Citation for entire document: Jeffrey, C.F.G., V.R. Leeworthy, M.E. Monaco, G. Piniak, M. Fonseca (eds.). 2012. An Integrated Biogeo- graphic Assessment of Reef Fish Populations and Fisheries in Dry Tortugas: Effects of No-take Reserves. NOAA Technical Memorandum NOS NCCOS 111. Prepared by the NCCOS Center for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment Biogeography Branch. Silver Spring, MD. 147 pp. Example citation for an individual chapter: Jeffrey, C.F.G., L. Jiangang, J.S. Ault, S.G. Smith, V. Ransibrahmanakul. 2012. Physical and Oceanographic Features of the Tortugas Ecological Reserve Study Area. pp 7-20. In: C.F.G. Jeffrey, V.R. Leeworthy, M.E. Monaco, G. Piniak, M. Fonseca (eds.). 2012. An Integrated Biogeographic Assessment of Reef Fish Popula- tions and Fisheries in Dry Tortugas: Effects of No-take Reserves. NOAA Technical Memorandum NOS NC- COS 111. Prepared by the NCCOS Center for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment Biogeography Branch. Silver Spring, MD. 147 pp. Acknowledgements The editors and authors would like to thank the many contributors to this report. Their efforts to review, edit, design and format the document are greatly appreciated. Many thanks to: Chris Caldow, Alicia Clarke, Kim- berly Edwards, Jamison Higgins, Sarah D. Hile, Todd Kellison, Kevin McMahon and Sam Tormey. The covers for this document were designed and created by Gini Kennedy (NOAA). Cover photos were pro- vided by NCCOS Center for Coastal Fisheries and Habitat Research and NCCOS Center for Coastal Moni- toring and Assessment’s Biogeography Branch. Government contract labor was provided by CSS-Dynamac, Fairfax, VA under NOAA contract number DG133C11CO0019. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute endorsement or recommendation for their use by the United States government. ABOUT THIS DOCUMENT The Tortugas Integrated Biogeographic Assessment presents a unique analysis of demographic changes in living resource populations, as well as societal and socioeconomic benefits that resulted from Tortugas Eco- logical Reserves during the first five years after their implementation. Prepared by NOAA’s National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS), Center for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment Biogeography Branch, this assessment is one of a series of such projects designed to provide managers with critical information on the distribution of marine resources under their jurisdiction. Over the past decade, NCCOS has applied an integrated biogeographic assessment approach to inform the management of marine resources within both coral reefs and National Marine Sanctuaries since 1998. To date, nine Office of National Marine Sanctuaries (ONMS) sites and most of the coral reef ecosystems in U.S. states and territories have had some level of biogeographic characterization or mapping completed through this partnership. Nearly two dozen scientists, researchers and managers contributed to this biogeographic assessment. Partners include: NCCOS, ONMS, National Marine Fisheries Service, University of Miami and University of Massachusetts, Amherst. The results of this ecological characterization are available online. For more information on this and similar projects visit the NCCOS web site, http://coastalscience.noaa.gov/, or direct questions and comments to: Chris Caldow, CCMA Biogeograhy Branch Chief National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science Center for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment (301) 713-3028 x164 [email protected] Christopher F.G. Jeffrey, Marine Biologist National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science Center for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment Biogeography Branch (301) 713-3028 x134 [email protected] TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary i Christopher F.G. Jeffrey and Vernon R. Leeworthy Chapter 1: Introduction 1 Christopher F.G. Jeffrey and Vernon R. Leeworthy Introduction and Background 1 Rationale for Implementation of the Tortugas Ecological Reserve and Boundary Selection 3 Expected Outcomes from Implementation of the Tortugas Ecological Reserve 3 Purpose of This Integrated Assessment 4 Definition of Study Areas 4 References 6 Chapter 2: Physical and Oceanographic Features of the Tortugas Ecological Reserve Study Area 7 Christopher F. G. Jeffrey, Jiangang Luo, Jerald S. Ault, Steven G. Smith and Varis Ransibrahmanakul Introduction and Background 7 Integration of Bathymetric and Benthic Habitat Information 7 Synthesis and Summary of Oceanic Features in the Tortugas Ecological Reserve Study Area 15 Summary and Conclusion 18 References 19 Chapter 3: Reef Fishes and Macroinvertebrates of the Tortugas Ecological Reserve Area and the Dry Tortugas National Park 21 Christopher F.G. Jeffrey, Jerald S. Ault and Steven G. Smith Introduction and Background 21 Historical Trends And Patterns In Fisheries Landings And Reef Fish Assemblages of the Tortugas Region, 1981 To 1999 22 Ecosystem-Based Approaches To Rebuilding And Monitoring Reef Fish Assemblages, 2000 To 2007 23 Status And Trends of Coral Reef Fish Populations in the TERSA, 1999 – 2006 25 Summary and Conclusion 27 References 28 Chapter 4: Characterization of Benthic Communities 31 Greg Piniak, Shay Viehman, Christine Addison and Nicole Fogarty Introduction and Background 31 Data Collection and Analysis 31 Results and Discussion 32 Other Benthic Habitat Studies In the Dry Tortugas 39 Summary and Conclusion 41 References 42 TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter 5: Characterization of Reef and Shelf Nekton Assemblages 43 John Burke, Vanessa McDonough, Michael Burton, Carolyn Currin, Mark Fonseca and Christopher F.G. Jeffrey Introduction and Background 43 Section A. Reef Fish Assemblage Structure at Reef-Sand Interfaces 44 Section B. Additional Center for Coastal Fisheries and Habitat Research Studies 57 Summary and Conclusion 67 References 69 Chapter 6: Social and Economic Effects of Ecological Reserves on Commercial Fisheries in Dry Tortugas 71 Vernon R. Leeworthy and Christopher F.G. Jeffrey Introduction and Background 71 Macroeconomic Conditions Affecting Revenues from Dry Tortugas Commercial Fisheries and Implications for the Tortugas Ecological Reserves 72 Assessment of Fishers’ Knowledge, Attitudes, and Perceptions of Tortugas Ecological Reserves And Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary 95 Summary and Conclusions 98 References 101 Chapter 7: Social and Economic Effects of Tortugas Ecological Reserve to Recreation Businesses that Utilize the Dry Tortugas Area 103 David K. Loomis, Christopher Hawkins, Douglas Lipton and Robert B. Ditton Introduction and Background 103 Results of the 2000 Socioeconomic Impact Analysis 104 Post Tortugas Ecological Reserve Social and Economic Impacts 106 to Recreational Businesses – 2006 Discussion and Recommendations 111 Summary and Conclusions 112 References 114 Appendix I 115 Appendix II 141 Appendix III 145 Tortugas Integrated Biogeographic Assessment Executive Summary Christopher F.G. Jeffrey1,2 and Vernon R. Leeworthy3 The Tortugas Integrated Biogeograph- ic Assessment presents a unique anal- ysis of demographic changes in living resource populations, as well as soci- etal and socioeconomic benefits that resulted from the Tortugas Ecological Reserves during the first five years af- ter their implementation. In 2001, state Executive Summary Executive and federal agencies established two no-take reserves within the region as part of the Florida Keys National Ma- The Dry Tortugas National Park and surrounding areas are home to coral rine Sanctuary. The northern reserve reef ecosystems that support diverse faunal assemblages and fish. Photos: Dry Tortugas National Park. (Tortugas Ecological Reserve North) was established adjacent to the Dry Tortugas National Park, which was first declared a national monument in 1935. The reserves were designed to protect a healthy coral reef ecosystem that supports diverse faunal assemblages and fisheries, serves as important spawning grounds for groupers and snappers, and includes essential feeding and breeding habitats for seabirds. The unique ecological qualities of the Tortugas region were recognized as far back as 1850, and it remains an important ecosystem and research area today. The two main goals of the Tortugas Ecological Reserve Integrated Ecological Assessment were: 1) to de- termine if demographic changes such as increases in abundance, average size and spawning potential of exploited populations occurred in the Tortugas region