Abstract

Although they are a significant target of spear fisheries in Micronesia, nominally herbivorous reef fish have a number of functional activities that are crucial in preserving the resilience of coral reefs. Although iconic species are given protection in some places, the effects of fishing on the ecology are little known. By combining capture data with species-specific criteria of ecological relevance and sensitivity to fishing, this study aimed to identify the main possible ecological hazards to herbivorous reef fish from the fishery. There were found to be regional and national ecological concerns.

The difficulties managers may encounter locally in turning attention away from intensively fished species were emphasized by an interview-based study of fishers’ preferences for particular species. Opportunities were found to reduce the ecological dangers caused by a sizable portion of the Micronesian fishery. If implemented, changing fishermen’s targeting behavior toward opportunistically caught species may prove practicable in most nations and may ease fishing pressure on functional roles with low redundancy. We have not yet evaluated how well the policy alternatives backed by the current strategy will support reef function and resilience. However, we believe that by educating fishermen about the consequences of their selective behavior, the species’ conservation may actually advance. Therefore, measures to reduce the catch rates of highly sought-after species as well as initiatives to encourage more deliberate targeting practices may supplement the advantages of the current networks of marine protected areas.

Keywords:  Fish; Ecology; Micronesia: Herbivorous; Spearfishing