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Summary

Description

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (SAFMC) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have implemented a network of eight marine protected areas (MPAs) between Cape Hatteras, NC and the Florida Keys to protect seven species of grouper and tilefish, all members of the deepwater snapper-grouper complex. In May 2010, the NOAA Fisheries Laboratory in Panama City, FL completed its sixth annual survey of the MPA sites. Previously, four pre-closure surveys were conducted (2004, 2006-2008) and now two years of post-closure data have been collected (2009 and 2010). A remotely operated vehicle (ROV) was used to examine the areas with four main objectives: 1) establish estimates of species composition and fish abundance, especially for species of grouper and tilefish; 2) describe habitat features; 3) document the relationship between habitat and species assemblages; and 4) begin to investigate any changes in fish species composition and/or abundances between pre- and post-closure data as well as comparisons between areas inside and outside the MPAs. In 2010, we focused our survey on the Florida, Edisto, and northern South Carolina MPAs. Four of the targeted species were observed including; speckled hind (Epinephelus drummondhayi), yellowedge grouper (Epinephelus flavolimbatus), snowy grouper (Epinephelus niveatus), and blueline tilefish (Caulolatilus microps). While not all of the target species were observed, numerous other members of the snapper-grouper complex were present including seven different species of grouper, which is more than any year prior to the implementation of the fishery closures in early 2009. While lionfish (Pterois volitans/miles) abundances were down from 2009, they still remain relatively high as they were more abundant than the most common grouper, scamp (Mycteroperca phenax) at all surveyed MPAs. Gag grouper are an important species in the snapper-grouper complex and, while not targeted by these MPAs, were more abundant in 2010 than in any other survey year. This study has presented a unique opportunity to examine MPA sites before implementation of fishing restrictions, thus providing fishery managers with robust pre-closure data upon which efficacy evaluations of closures can be made.

Document Information

Document Type
Report

Document Format
Acrobat Portable Document Format

Publication Date
2011-02-01

Contact Information

Metadata Contact
Andrew David
andy.david@noaa.gov
850-234-6541 x208

Extents

Geographic Area 1

-82.08333333333° W, -79.96666666667° E, 26.26666666667° N, 24.46666666667° S

Gulf Of Mexico And South Atlantic Ocean

Time Frame 1
2010-05-04 - 2010-05-09 17+0000

.

Item Identification

Title: South Atlantic MPA: year 6 of an evaluation of habitat and fish assemblages in a network of reserves.
Status: Completed
Publication Date: 2011-02-01
Abstract:

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (SAFMC) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have implemented a network of eight marine protected areas (MPAs) between Cape Hatteras, NC and the Florida Keys to protect seven species of grouper and tilefish, all members of the deepwater snapper-grouper complex. In May 2010, the NOAA Fisheries Laboratory in Panama City, FL completed its sixth annual survey of the MPA sites. Previously, four pre-closure surveys were conducted (2004, 2006-2008) and now two years of post-closure data have been collected (2009 and 2010). A remotely operated vehicle (ROV) was used to examine the areas with four main objectives: 1) establish estimates of species composition and fish abundance, especially for species of grouper and tilefish; 2) describe habitat features; 3) document the relationship between habitat and species assemblages; and 4) begin to investigate any changes in fish species composition and/or abundances between pre- and post-closure data as well as comparisons between areas inside and outside the MPAs. In 2010, we focused our survey on the Florida, Edisto, and northern South Carolina MPAs. Four of the targeted species were observed including; speckled hind (Epinephelus drummondhayi), yellowedge grouper (Epinephelus flavolimbatus), snowy grouper (Epinephelus niveatus), and blueline tilefish (Caulolatilus microps). While not all of the target species were observed, numerous other members of the snapper-grouper complex were present including seven different species of grouper, which is more than any year prior to the implementation of the fishery closures in early 2009. While lionfish (Pterois volitans/miles) abundances were down from 2009, they still remain relatively high as they were more abundant than the most common grouper, scamp (Mycteroperca phenax) at all surveyed MPAs. Gag grouper are an important species in the snapper-grouper complex and, while not targeted by these MPAs, were more abundant in 2010 than in any other survey year. This study has presented a unique opportunity to examine MPA sites before implementation of fishing restrictions, thus providing fishery managers with robust pre-closure data upon which efficacy evaluations of closures can be made.

Purpose:

1) establish estimates of species composition and fish abundance, especially for species of grouper and tilefish;

2) describe habitat features;

3) document the relationship between habitat and species assemblages;

4) begin to investigate any changes in fish species composition and/or abundances between pre- and post-closure data as well as comparisons between areas inside and outside the MPAs.

Physical Location

Organization: Panama City Laboratory
City: Panama City
State/Province: FL

Document Information

Document Type: Report
Format: Acrobat Portable Document Format
Status Code: Final

Support Roles

Author

CC ID: 820876
Date Effective From: 2010
Date Effective To:
Contact (Person): David, Andrew
Address: 3500 Delwood Beach Road
Panama City, FL 32408
Email Address: andy.david@noaa.gov
Phone: 850-234-6541 x208
Fax: 850-235-3559
Contact Instructions:

Phone or email

Author

CC ID: 820878
Date Effective From: 2010
Date Effective To:
Contact (Person): Harter, Stacey
Address: 3500 Delwood Beach Road
Panama City, FL 32408
Email Address: Stacey.Harter@noaa.govs
Phone: 850-234-6541
Fax: 850.235.3559
Contact Instructions:

Contact by email preferred.

Metadata Contact

CC ID: 820879
Date Effective From: 2010
Date Effective To:
Contact (Person): David, Andrew
Address: 3500 Delwood Beach Road
Panama City, FL 32408
Email Address: andy.david@noaa.gov
Phone: 850-234-6541 x208
Fax: 850-235-3559
Contact Instructions:

Contact by email preferred.

Extents

Extent Group 1

Extent Group 1 / Geographic Area 1

CC ID: 820874
W° Bound: -82.08333333333
E° Bound: -79.96666666667
N° Bound: 26.26666666667
S° Bound: 24.46666666667
Description

Gulf Of Mexico And South Atlantic Ocean

Extent Group 1 / Time Frame 1

CC ID: 820873
Time Frame Type: Range
Start: 2010-05-04
End: 2010-05-09 17+0000
Description:

.

Access Information

Security Class: Unclassified
Data Access Procedure:

Open to everytone

Data Access Constraints:

Download from specified link

URLs

URL 1

CC ID: 820880
URL: https://data.nodc.noaa.gov/coris/library/NOAA/CRCP/project/1693/1693_2010_S_Atlantic_Rprt_SAFMC_Final.pdf
Name: South Atlantic MPA: year six of an evaluation of habitat and fish assemblages in a network of reserves.
URL Type:
Online Resource
File Resource Format: pdf
Description:

Report itself

Catalog Details

Catalog Item ID: 55532
GUID: gov.noaa.nmfs.inport:55532
Metadata Record Created By: Lee M Weinberger
Metadata Record Created: 2019-02-14 14:51+0000
Metadata Record Last Modified By: SysAdmin InPortAdmin
Metadata Record Last Modified: 2022-08-09 17:11+0000
Metadata Record Published: 2022-02-28
Owner Org: SEFSC
Metadata Publication Status: Published Externally
Do Not Publish?: N
Metadata Last Review Date: 2022-02-28
Metadata Review Frequency: 1 Year
Metadata Next Review Date: 2023-02-28