The Coconut Island
Marine Reserve in
Kaneohe
Bay
,
Oahu
,
Hawaii
has existed for the last 35 years.
A number of types of fish that are highly prized by
recreational and commercial fishers occur within the reserve and
are presumed to be protected from fishers to various extents
despite the relatively small size of the refuge and the high
mobility of several of these species.
We used conventional tagging and acoustic telemetry
methods to conduct intensive studies on the movement and
residence patterns of four economically valuable species of fish
that are abundant within the Coconut Island Marine Reserve; two
species of trevally - the giant trevally
or ulua (Caranx
ignobilis),
the blue trevally or omilu
(Caranx
melampygus), and two species of
goatfish – the white goatfish or weke
(Mulloides
flavolineatus), and the whitesaddle
goatfish or kumu (Parupeneus
porphyreus) to examine the
effectiveness of the Coconut Island Marine Reserve in providing
protection from fishing for each species. Each
species differs in their patterns of use of the Coconut Island
Marine Reserve. All omilu that
were tracked remained almost exclusively within the marine
reserve. This included omilu
approaching the maximum size attained by this species.
Thus, omilu over the entire size
range for this species essentially remain within the
Coconut
Island
reserve. Ulua on the other
hand moved outside of the marine reserve more frequently and
regularly traveled fairly long distances from
Coconut
Island
to reach nearby reefs. In addition, no mature ulua
were ever captured or observed at
Coconut
Island
and thus the marine reserve not only offers a lower degree of
protection for ulua than for omilu,
but offers protection only for pre-reproductive size ulua.
The two species of goat fishes showed similar movement patterns
and essentially remained within the Coconut Island Marine
Reserve throughout active tracks. During the day goatfish
remained among large schools, but at night individual goatfish
moved onto shallow reef flats where they spent the night
foraging. Each morning the goatfish returned to their
daytime refuge school and spent the entire day within this small
area. Although these two species showed similar movement
patterns both of which indicate a high degree of protection
within the marine reserve, population demographics differ
between the two species and affect the level of protection
offered by the Coconut Island Marine Reserve. Weke
occur in schools of several hundred mature fish, whereas only
immature kumu were found at
Coconut
Island
. Therefore, although the Coconut Island Marine Reserve is
very effective in protecting goatfish that occur within its
boundaries, only pre-reproductive kumu
occupy this habitat in comparison to protection of hundreds of weke
that are reproducing and contributing to the population growth
of this species. Our studies demonstrate that even a small
marine reserve such as
Coconut
Island
can provide an effective refuge from fishing pressure for reef
fishes. However, the degree of protection varies with
species and is dependent upon the movement patterns and life
history characteristics of individual species. In
evaluating the effectiveness of marine reserves or in design of
reserves, it is critical that the behavior, habitat requirements
and life history characteristics of target species are
considered on an individual basis.
For
p
df versions of publications resulting from this study click on
the manuscript below.
Wetherbee,
B.M., K.H. Holland, C.G. Meyer and C.G. Lowe. 2004. Use of a
marine reserve in
Kaneohe Bay
,
Hawaii
by the giant trevally, Caranx ignobilis. Fish.
Res. 67:253-263.
Meyer,
C.G., K.N. Holland, B.M. Wetherbee and C.G. Lowe. 2001. Diet,
resource partitioning and capture vulnerability of Hawaiian
jacks captured in fishing tournaments. Fish.
Res. 53:105-113.
Meyer,
C.G., K.N. Holland, B.M. Wetherbee and C.G. Lowe. 2000. Movement
patterns, habitat utilization, home range size and site fidelity
of whitesaddle goatfish (Parupeneus porphyreus), in a
marine reserve. Env. Biol. Fish.
59:235-242.
Holland,
K.N., C.G. Lowe and B.M. Wetherbee. 1996. Movements and
dispersal patterns of blue trevally (Caranx melampygus)
in a fisheries conservation zone. Fish.
Res. 25:279-292.
Holland,
K.N., J.D. Peterson Jr., C.G. Lowe and B.M. Wetherbee. 1993.
Movements and growth rates of the white goatfish Mulloides
flavolineatus in a fisheries conservation zone. Bull.
Mar. Sci. 52:982-992.
