Is the recent Cap Roux Marine Protected Area (France, Var) an efficient tool to sustain professional fisheries ? 8e Forum halieumétrique, La Rochelle, juin 2007 Catherine Seytre, Patrice Francour EA 3156 « Gestion de la Biodiversité » Université de Nice-Sophia Antipolis

The Cap Roux Marine Protected Area Initiated by professional fishermen  Management tool

The Cap Roux Marine Protected Area - Protected since ha - Habitats available

Monitoring objectives Beginning of Reserve Effect Effect of MPA on professional fishermen activities Methods  Experimental net fishing  Underwater visual censuses : Fish Ecological Index (FEI)

Sampling method of fish assemblages : Experimental net fishing Principle Principle:  Net fishing carried out by a professional fisherman  Standardisation of fishing tools Calculation: Calculation:  Biomass  Species number Advantages: Advantages:  Assessment of reserve effect on profesionnal fishermen activities  Complements UVC

Sampling method of fish assemblages : FEI  Principle  Principle:  6 censuses  Presence / absence of target species  Size class (small/medium vs large) Calculation  Calculation:  Relative species richness  Mean Index  Cumulative Index  Coefficient of Variation  Bio-indicator  Bio-indicator:  Easy and quick to implement  Results pertinence: highlights fishing and spearfishing pressure

Results Experimental net fishing: Experimental net fishing: Autumn ,5 kg / 6 species 9 kg / 9 species 2,4 kg / 4 species

Results Relative species richness: Relative species richness:  Little difference IR / OR  IR values more constant

Results MeanIndex Mean Index:  Little difference (OR/IR) except in autumn 2005  Poaching in 2006?

Results Cumulative Index: Cumulative Index:  IR values > OR  IR values more constant  Important seasonal fluctuations OR

Results Coefficient of variation: Coefficient of variation:  Higher CVs IR  high variability  Assemblages stabler OR

Conclusion FEI in the MPA FEI in the MPA  Mean index similar  Higher Cumulative index  Higher Coefficient of variation  Species Richness less variable Experimental fishing Experimental fishing  Biomass and Specific Richness are higher Preliminary study of a recent Marine Protected Area  First stage of the reserve effect  Results of FEI in 2006: due to poaching? Inside the MPA, the fish assemblage has become more abundant, but is still over dispersed

Conclusion Preliminary study of a recent Marine Protected Area FEI - species list adapted to small scale fisheries - noticeable method to detect early reserve effect FEI (UVC) and Experimental Fishing: two complementary methods Professional Fishermen implication: the best way to ensure MPA success in the future MPA dynamic: within 3 years, a reserve effect