VOL 12 THE REPUBLIC OF PALAU VOL 12 THE REPULBIC OF PALAU GLOBAL REEF EXPEDITION FINAL REPORT Renée D. Carlton, Alexandra C. Dempsey, Katie Lubarsky, Steven Lindfield, Ph.D., Mohammed Faisal, Ph.D., and Samuel Purkis, Ph.D. NEW CALEDONIAPALAU TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................ 2 1.0 INTRODUCTION .............................................. 6 2.0 METHODS ©2020 Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation. All Rights Reserved. 2.1 Site Descriptions............................................. 12 Science Without Borders® 2.2 Coral Reef Community Surveys ................................. 13 The findings presented in this report were collected as part of the Global Reef Expedition through the support provided by His 2.3a) Benthic Cover Assessments .................................... 13 Royal Highness Prince Khaled bin Sultan. 2.3b) Fish Assessments............................................. 15 All research was completed under a permit issued by the Ministry of Natural Resources, Environment, and Tourism, Republic 3.0 RESULTS of Palau, Permit Number: RE-15-01. This report was developed as one component of the Khaled bin Sultan Living Ocean Foundation’s Global Reef Expedition: The Republic of Palau research project. 3.1 Benthic Community Assessment ................................ 20 3.2a) Kayangel State ............................................... 20 The Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation (KSLOF) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing science-based 3.2b) Ngarchelong State ............................................ 22 solutions to protect and restore ocean health. KSLOF was incorporated in California as a 501(c)(3), public benefit, Private 3.2c) Ngaraard State ............................................... 24 Operating Foundation in September 2000. Since then, the Living Oceans Foundation has worked to conserve the world’s oceans through research, outreach, and education. 3.2d) Ngardmau State .............................................. 25 www.livingoceansfoundation.org 3.2e) Ngaremlengui State, Ngatpang State, and Aimeliik State ............ 26 3.2f) Koror State ................................................... 29 Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation 3.2g) Peleliu State.................................................. 30 821 Chesapeake Avenue #3568 3.2h) Angaur State ................................................. 31 Annapolis, MD 21403 [email protected] 3.2 Fish Community Assessment ................................... 32 3.3a) Species Richness of the Fish Assemblage ........................ 32 Chief Scientist: Dr. Samuel Purkis Director of Science Management: Alexandra C. Dempsey 3.3b) Fish Density.................................................. 34 Marine Ecologist: Renée D. Carlton 3.3c) Fish Biomass................................................. 35 3.3d) Size Distribution of Fish ........................................ 36 Photo Credit: All photos ©Keith Ellenbogen/iLCP unless otherwise noted. 4.0 DISCUSSION ................................................ 40 5.0 CONSERVATION RECOMMENDATIONS ........................... 46 Citation: Global Reef Expedition: The Republic of Palau. Final Report. Carlton, R., Dempsey, A., Lubarsky, K., Lindfield, S., Faisal, M., and Purkis, S. (2020) Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation, Annapolis, MD. Vol 12. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ........................................... 48 ISBN: 978-0-9975451-7-3 LITERATURE CITED .............................................. 50 APPENDICES ................................................... 52 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY PALAU PALAU lower live coral cover, likely due to damage sustained from In summary, the following conservation measures could these disturbances. help to ensure the long-term sustainability of Palau’s coral reefs and nearshore fisheries: The Khaled Bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation (KSLOF) embarked on the Global Reef Expedition (GRE) to better understand the status of coral reefs FISH COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT Implement additional fisheries around the world. This ambitious five-year scientific mission was designed to The fish communities of Palau were in relatively good management regulations assess the impact of anthropogenic and natural disturbances on coral reef condition, with similar reef fish biomass and density as other nearby countries surveyed in the south and western Improve marine conservation ecosystems and provide communities with the findings so they can inform Pacific. Within Palau, fish biomass and density were near population centers marine conservation and management plans. Our mission to Palau in January higher outside of the lagoonal sites across states when compared to inside, as was the proportion of large fish. 2015 allowed us to observe some of the most beautiful and pristine coral 3 Expand no-take, no-entry areas Across all states, diversity, biomass, and fish size were reefs in the western Pacific Ocean. We found the benthic communities to be generally smaller inside of the lagoon; fish density did not show a clear pattern between sites inside and outside in good condition and the reef fish communities to be comparable to other KSLOF commends the people of Palau for the prioritizing of the lagoon. The differences in fish biomass were conservation of its marine resources. Expansion of nearby countries surveyed in the south and western Pacific. With additional driven by differences in fish size rather than abundance. current management plans will help ensure the longevity In general, fish populations were less diverse and management of local fishing pressure, particularly near more populated areas, it of the coral reefs and fish communities for generations to characterized by smaller fish and lower biomass inside of is possible that the fish communities can be some of the best in the world. come. the lagoons. Across all states, the fish communities closest to human population centers, such as in Koror, showed the largest disparity in fish diversity and biomass between KSLOF brought an elite team of scientists from around where Palauans can focus their conservation efforts sites inside and outside of the lagoon. These findings the world, including local experts from the Coral Reef for the long-term sustainable use of Palau’s marine indicate the fish communities are experiencing higher Research Foundation (CRRF) and the Palau International resources. anthropogenic pressures near populated areas, likely due This report provides Coral Research Center (PICRC), to complete an to increased fishing pressure and possible land-based an assessment of assessment of the benthic and fish communities in BENTHIC COMMUNITY ASSESSMENTS pollution. Palau. The team used a standardized methodology to coral reefs and reef survey reefs around the islands of Babeldaob, Kayangel, Overall, the benthic communities studied in Palau were fishin Palau along Ngeruangel, Koror and the Rock Island Southern Lagoon, some of the best managed and most pristine reefs RECOMMENDATIONS Peleliu, and Anguar. This report presents the findings and surveyed on the Global Reef Expedition, particularly with conservation Based on the findings from this research mission, it recommendations by state, as marine conservation in compared to other parts of the south and western Pacific. is clear the conservation efforts in Palau are helping Palau is frequently enforced at the state level. Surveying The overall average live cover was the highest observed recommendations that maintain a stable coral reef ecosystem, particularly the reefs of Palau provides critical data that KSLOF will on the Global Reef Expedition within this region of the could help preserve outside of the lagoon. Many of the conservation and incorporate with our global database to gain a better world. It is worth noting that our study occurred prior to these remarkable coral protected areas focus restrictions within the lagoon understanding of the status and resilience of coral reefs the global bleaching event in late 2015, when some of the and require special use permits for non-Palauan’s and reefs for the use and globally. highest coral bleaching was observed at other locations. tourism, with some areas requiring fishing permits. Coral diversity was high across all states, with a slightly enjoyment of future Palau is well known for its advanced coral reef higher diversity being observed outside of the lagoon. conservation efforts. Palauan’s have been practicing Implementing fisheries management regulations such generations. Generally, live coral cover was slightly higher outside of conservation for hundreds of years and, to date, as fish size and catch limits, as well as additional the lagoon than inside, which is likely due to the inherent have protected nearly 80% of its exclusive economic gear restrictions will help curb the overexploitation of ecological differences of these to reef zones. The high live zone (EEZ). This report provides a strong baseline these nearshore lagoonal reefs. It may be prudent to coral cover observed inside the lagoon was encouraging understanding of the differing status of coral reef consider increasing protection in areas adjacent to large as it indicates there may be less stress on these reefs, communities around Palau, so that this information population centers, such as around Koror to be more possibly due to the successful establishment of many can be used to make informed marine conservation restrictive and expand no-take, no-entry area size to allow conservation areas. Two