The effects of marine protected areas on ecosystem recovery and fisheries using a comparative modelling approach
Résumé
The overexploitation of many marine stocks calls for the development and assessment of tools to support recovery, rebuilding and conservation of marine resources. Here, we assessed the potential contributions to fisheries sustainability and ecosystem recovery at the local level of three multiple-use Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in the Northwestern Mediterranean Sea ecosystem. For each MPA, we built a food-web model for each management (MU): the Fully Protected Area (FPA), the Partially Protected Area (PPA) and the Unprotected Area (UPA) surrounding the MPA. Using the nine food-web models we characterized and compared the structure and functioning of each MU, we assessed differences and similarities within and among the three MPAs, and evaluated if the ecosystem response to full protection led to specific ecosystem functional traits that are shared among the three MPAs. We showed differences among MUs in terms of ecosystem structure and functioning. Overall, FPAs presented most positive effect of protection in terms of ecosystem structure and functioning, and were followed by PPAs. The effects of protection on neighboring non-protected areas were hardly noticeable. Similarities between Cerbère-Banyuls and Medes Islands MPAs were observed, while Cap de Creus MPA showed the least benefits from protection. This is likely due to similarities in the configuration of the protection areas, levels of enforcement and establishment, and the impact of recreational and artisanal fisheries. Our study illustrates that well-enforced Mediterranean MPAs can yield local positive impacts on the structure and functioning of marine ecosystems that can contribute to fisheries sustainability.
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