Τίτλος:
Evidence-based marine protected area planning for a highly mobile endangered marine vertebrate
Γλώσσες Τεκμηρίου:
Αγγλικά
Περίληψη:
Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) now form an important part of marine conservation and fisheries management; hence, there is broad interest in developing procedures that optimize their design. We used data collected over a 10-year period (2003-2012) from direct surveys and. >100. adult male and female loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) tracked with devices, including GPS loggers and Fastloc GPS-Argos, to consider the optimum design for a MPA at a globally important breeding area, where there is already an existing national marine park aiming to protect the population (Zakynthos, Greece). Turtles primarily used areas very close to shore (approx. 7. km in length by 1. km in width, within the. <10. m isobath) for breeding and foraging activity at different times of the year. We calculated that this small nearshore coastal zone encompassed 72% of all turtle GPS locations recorded in the MPA, and is therefore important for conservation management. We developed an index to evaluate the suitability of the existing and proposed conservation zones based on (1) home range area use by turtles in these zones versus (2) zone size, so that the benefit to turtles could be maximized while minimizing the negative impacts to other stakeholders (e.g., boat operators). With this evidence-based approach, we propose a modification to the existing MPA that might both enhance local economic tourism activities and better safeguard this key sea turtle breeding population. The approaches used here will have general application for the design of MPAs used by mobile species that can be tracked. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd.
Συγγραφείς:
Schofield, G.
Scott, R.
Dimadi, A.
Fossette, S.
Katselidis, K.A.
Koutsoubas, D.
Lilley, M.K.S.
Pantis, J.D.
Karagouni, A.D.
Hays, G.C.
Περιοδικό:
Biological Conservation
Λέξεις-κλειδιά:
Argo; biological survey; breeding population; breeding site; conservation management; conservation planning; data acquisition; decision support system; endangered species; feeding behavior; fishery management; GPS; marine park; phenology; reserve design; tourism development; turtle, Aegean Islands; Greece; Ionian Islands; Zakynthos [Ionian Islands]; Zakynthos National Marine Park, Caretta; Caretta caretta; Cheloniidae; Testudines; Vertebrata
DOI:
10.1016/j.biocon.2013.03.004
