NEW YORK: A study produced at James Cook University has found removing predatory fish such as coral trout, snapper and emperor fish significantly changes the make-up of the reef’s ecosystem.
“A healthy coral reef contains a diverse array of species of all different kinds,” co-author and PhD student April Boaden said.
“That level of diversity is what helps make reefs resilient to change.”
The researchers studied fish populations in a variety of zones – from marine reserves to commercial fishing areas – and compared the health of their respective ecosystems.
In zones that permitted fishing, they found a disproportionate number of prey and not enough predators to keep them in check.
Pristine and protected reef environments had up to five times the number of predators.
The removal of species at the top of a reef’s food chain not only threatened its natural balance but added to a host of human-inflicted challenges for the marine environments, Boaden said.
But unlike climate change and run-off pollution, fishing impacts were relatively easy to manage, she said.
“We know we can mitigate it through zoned reserves,” she said. “It’s something we know how to do.”
Her study, written with ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies colleague Prof Mike Kingsford, is published in Ecosphere journal.
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