Collaborative assessment of California spiny lobster population and fishery responses to a marine reserve network Author(s): Matthew C. Kay, Hunter S. Lenihan, Carla M. Guenther, Jono R. Wilson, Christopher J. Miller and Samuel W. Shrout Source: Ecological Applications, Vol. 22, No. 1 (January 2012), pp. 322-335 Published by: Ecological Society of America Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/41416762 Accessed: 22-09-2015 14:45 UTC REFERENCES Linked references are available on JSTOR for this article: http://www.jstor.org/stable/41416762?seq=1&cid=pdf-reference#references_tab_contents You may need to log in to JSTOR to access the linked references. Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at http://www.jstor.org/page/ info/about/policies/terms.jsp JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected]. Ecological Society of America is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Ecological Applications. http://www.jstor.org This content downloaded from 152.3.102.242 on Tue, 22 Sep 2015 14:45:39 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions EcologicalApplications , 22(1),2012, pp. 322-335 ©2012 by the Ecological Society ofAmerica lobster Collaborative assessment of California spiny population and to a marine reserve network fishery responses MatthewC. Kay,1,3Hunter S. Lenihan,1Carla M. Guenther,1Jono R. Wilson,1Christopher J. Miller,2 and SamuelW. Shrout2 1 BrenSchool of Environmental Science and Management, University ofCalifornia, Santa Barbara, California 93106-5131 USA 2CaliforniaLobster* and Trap Fishermen's Association, P.O. Box 2294, Capo Beach, California 92624 USA Abstract.Assessments of the conservationand fisherieseffects of marinereserves typicallyfocus on singlereserves where sampling occurs over narrow spatiotemporal scales. A strategyfor broadening the collection apd interpretationof data is collaborativefisheries research(CFR). Herewe reportresults of a CFR programformed in partto testwhether reservesat theSanta Barbara Channel Islands, USA, influencedlobster size and trapyield, and whetherabundance changes in reservesled to spilloverthat influenced trap yield and effortdistribution near reserve borders. Industry training of scientistsallowed us to sample reserveswith fishery relevant metrics that we comparedwith pre-reserve fishing records, a concurrentport sampling program, fishery effort patterns, the local ecologicalknowledge (LEK) of fishermen,and fishery-independentvisual surveys of lobsterabundance. After six yearsof reserveprotection, there was a four-to eightfoldincrease in trapyield, a 5-10% increasein themean size (carapace length) of legal sized lobsters, and largersize structure of lobsterstrapped inside vs. outsideof threereplicate reserves. Patterns in trapdata were corroboratedby visualscuba surveysthat indicated a four-to sixfoldincrease in lobster densityinside reserves. Population increases within reserves did not lead to increasedtrap yieldsor effortconcentrations (fishing the line)immediately outside reserve borders. The absenceof thesecatch and efforttrends, which are indicativeof spillover,may be due to moderatetotal mortality (Z = 0.59 forlegal sized lobstersoutside reserves), which was estimatedfrom analysis of growthand lengthfrequency data collectedas partof our CFR program.Spillover at theChannel Islands reserves may be occurringbut at levelsthat are insufficientto influence the fishery dynamics that we measured.Future increases in fishing effort(outside reserves) and lobsterbiomass (inside reserves) are likelyand maylead to increasedspillover, and CFR providesan idealplatform for continued assessment of fishery- reserveinteractions. Keywords: California spiny lobster; collaborative fisheries research; ecosystem-based management; effort; fishery dependence; fishing the line; LEK (localecological knowledge); mortality; Panulirus interruptus;spillover; yield. Introduction Murawskiet al. 2007,Sethi et al. 2010,Branch et al. thereis that Humansdepend substantially on the proteinand 2011), widespreadperception management mustembrace new for economicrevenues generated by marinefishing. Con- strategies improvedstewardship ofhuman and natural Lubchencoet cernfor the sustainability of fishing industries and the systems(UN 2002, al. FAO ecosystemsupon whichthey depend has increasedin 2003, 2007). recentdecades due to depletionof fishstocks (Pauly et Marinereserves that prohibit consumptive activities al. 2002,Hilborn et al. 2003,Myers and Worm2003), are common globallyand have the potentialto evidenceof resource collapse (Myers et al. 1997,Mullon simultaneouslyprotect ecosystems and fisheries (UNEP- et al. 2005), and perceivedmanagement failure (Pew WCMC 2008). Empiricalstudies indicate that marine 2003). These suboptimalhuman-resource interactions reserves are generallyeffective conservation tools that impactsocioeconomics (Hamilton and Otterstad1998, increasethe abundanceand mean size of organisms Milich1999), as wellas marineecosystems (Pauly et al. withinreserve borders, especially those organisms 1998,Jackson et al. 2001,Lotze et al. 2006).Although targetedby local fisheries(reviews by Côtéet al. 2001, thescale of thefisheries problem is subjectto debate Halpern2003, Lester et al. 2009).However, most studies (Caddyet al. 1998,Walters 2003, Hampton et al. 2005, proceed with considerableand often unaddressed uncertaintydue to lack of replication(at the reserve level),the absence of data to reserve Manuscriptreceived 27 January2011; revised 5 July 2011; prior implementa- accepted4 August 201 1. Corresponding Editor: K. Stokesbury.tion, and thecollection of data oversmall spatial scales 3E-mail: [email protected] (Osenberget al. 2006). Theseshortcomings are under- 322 This content downloaded from 152.3.102.242 on Tue, 22 Sep 2015 14:45:39 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions January2012 COLLABORATIVELOBSTER RESEARCH 323 standablebecause many reserves are designated as single studythat attributesimproved catches to a nearby areas and/oron politicaltimetables that preclude reserve(Roberts et al. 2001) has been questioned scientificsampling prior to establishment.Regardless, (Hilborn2006). Such uncertaintyis a challengefor manyassessments do not controlfor generallyhigh marinescientists and contributesto stakeholderskepti- spatiotemporalvariability in ecologicalprocesses, and cismregarding the development of reservesas fishery the environmentaldrivers, that contribute to real or managementtools, especially where spillover effects are perceivedreserve effects (Willis et al. 2003,Sale et al. predictedby simplisticmodels that do notaccount for 2005).Reserve studies focused on spinylobster indicate uncertaintyand site-specificfactors (Agardy et al. 2003, thatpopulation increases are commoninside reserves Sale et al. 2005). For marinereserves to reachtheir (MacDiarmidand Breen1993, Edgar and Barrett1997, potentialas conservationand managementtools, there 1999,Kelly et al. 2000, Goñi et al. 2001), but such is a needfor monitoring and assessmentstrategies that increasesare not ubiquitous(MacDiarmid 1991, Mac- fosterstakeholder support and limituncertainty in Diarmidand Breen1993, Acosta 2001, Lipcius et al. measurementsofconservation and fisheryeffects. 2001,Mari et al. 2002,Mayfield et al. 2005),and they One potentialstrategy for limiting uncertainty and providea cautionaryexample regarding the generality of fosteringstakeholder support is the inclusionof for reserveeffects and theneed spatiotemporalcoverage fishermenin reservemonitoring and fisheryresearch. in assessments. Collaborativefisheries research (CFR), in whichfisher- An mechanism whichreserves influence important by men workwith scientists in some or all phases of fisheriesis themovement of adultanimals from within research,is an effectivemeans of increasingthe quality reservesto fishedareas adjacent (spillover).Theory and quantityof data collectedfor managementand that fishedareas to predicts immediatelyadjacent policy assessments(NRC 2004). Additionally,the reserveborders should receive ratesof highest spillover scientificbenefits of CFR are complementedby social of and adults,such that catch rates are juveniles highest benefitsthat often include greater buy-in for manage- nearborders etal. effort (Hilborn 2006).However, high ment and Jentoft1996, and to reserves the (McCay Conway Pomeroy immediatelyadjacent (fishing line)may 2006, and Robertson2009). Due to thesocial localabundance such that catch rates Hartley ultimatelydepress andscientific benefits of CFR, thereare calls nearborders are lowerthan sites farther from reserves widespread to expandthis practice (Pew 2003, U.S. Commissionon (Kellneret al. 2007). Catchrates near reserve borders Ocean Policy2004). Collaborativefisheries research is thatare significantlyhigher than catch rates at sitesfar wellsuited to thestudy of interactions between fisheries fromreserves, or thatare lowerbut accompaniedby and marinereserves. Compared with traditional ecolog- higheffort, are ofteninterpreted as reservespillover ical samplingtechniques (e.g., visual scuba surveys), effects.Such patterns have been observed for reef fishes CFR may be superiorfor studying spillover because in thePhilippines (Russ et al. 2004,Abesamis