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Sustainable reference points for multispecies coral reef fisheries

Lookup NU author(s): Emeritus Professor Nick Polunin

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Abstract

© 2023, Springer Nature Limited. Sustainably managing fisheries requires regular and reliable evaluation of stock status. However, most multispecies reef fisheries around the globe tend to lack research and monitoring capacity, preventing the estimation of sustainable reference points against which stocks can be assessed. Here, combining fish biomass data for >2000 coral reefs, we estimate site-specific sustainable reference points for coral reef fisheries and use these and available catch estimates to assess the status of global coral reef fish stocks. We reveal that >50% of sites and jurisdictions with available information have stocks of conservation concern, having failed at least one fisheries sustainability benchmark. We quantify the trade-offs between biodiversity, fish length, and ecosystem functions relative to key benchmarks and highlight the ecological benefits of increasing sustainability. Our approach yields multispecies sustainable reference points for coral reef fisheries using environmental conditions, a promising means for enhancing the sustainability of the world’s coral reef fisheries.


Publication metadata

Author(s): Zamborain-Mason J, Cinner JE, MacNeil MA, Graham NAJ, Hoey AS, Beger M, Brooks AJ, Booth DJ, Edgar GJ, Feary DA, Ferse SCA, Friedlander AM, Gough CLA, Green AL, Mouillot D, Polunin NVC, Stuart-Smith RD, Wantiez L, Williams ID, Wilson SK, Connolly SR

Publication type: Article

Publication status: Published

Journal: Nature Communications

Year: 2023

Volume: 14

Issue: 1

Online publication date: 04/09/2023

Acceptance date: 18/08/2023

ISSN (print): 0028-0836

ISSN (electronic): 2041-1723

Publisher: Springer Nature

URL: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-41040-z

DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41040-z

PubMed id: 37666831


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Funding

Funder referenceFunder name
Australian Research Council
NSERC Canada Research Chair

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