Small community-based Marine Protected Areas enhance local fish stocks and hard coral habitats

A fundamental question in coral reef conservation is whether small community-based Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) can be effective in conserving healthy coral reefs and restoring depleted fish stocks. Eight commercially important fish families (density and size), benthic cover and coral recruitment were examined in three small-sized and well-enforced community-based MPAs (<1 km2) and compared with adjacent reef areas where fishing is allowed (non-MPAs) in Kenya. The dataset was collected using standardized underwater survey techniques; line-belt transects and photo-quadrat methods. The MPAs exhibited higher density of reef fishes >25 cm total length and contained six times more medium to larger individuals of herbivorous fishes (i.e., Siganidae, Acanthuridae and Scaridae) than non-MPAs. Hard coral cover in MPAs was 3 - 5 times greater than in adjacent non-MPAs. Two of three MPAs had 3 - 4 times more coral recruits than non-MPAs. It was concluded that small community-based MPAs can benefit exploited fish populations and provide higher coral cover and recruits, potentially forming important nodes in MPA networks for effective coral reef conservation.