Recursos Marinos y Pesquerías

II International Symposium in Marine Science, Vigo-Spain. 27-30 April 2009

24/04/09 ,

Fernández-Márquez, D., Pita, P. and Muiño R. (2009). Spatial and temporal variability in the epibenthic megafauna assemblages in the marine reserve of fishing interest Os Miñarzos: influence of protection. II International Symposium in Marine Sciences. Vigo.

Abstract: The Marine Reserve of Fishing Interest Os Miñarzos (Galicia, NW Spain) is the first marine protected area declared in the whole Iberian Atlantic coast. Although administrative declaration took place on May 2007, it did not become effective until December 2007. The reserve has an extension of 2074 ha and it is made up by two no-take zones (where it is forbidden to practise any activity, excepting scientific research), and by a partially protected area, where restrictive rules about fishing and gathering shellfish were instaured.

This study describes the distribution and abundance of the epibenthic megafauna in the different zones of the reserve to monitor the possible future effects of the protection measures. Here we present our first year monitoring results, which establish the baseline conditions to test the magnitude of the protection effects in the years to come.

We have employed a BACI design (Before-After-Control-Impact), contempling three different level protection zones and uses: a closed area, a partially protected area, and an adjacent non-protected area (control zone). For these three zones species abundance and distribution were estimated by means of 100 m long transects. Two different transect sampling took place in each zone, covering sandy and rocky substrates respectively. Species abundance and distribution have been seasonally estimated in each zone. A SCUBA diver identified and counted the epibenthic megafauna in situ inside a frame of 0.25 m2 each 10 m. Species that could not be identified in situ were photographed or brought to the laboratory for identification.

We analysed the spatial and temporal differences in the composition, diversity and abundance of the epibenthic megafauna assemblages between the zones, in function of protection level, type of substrate, and season of the year.