Acoustic telemetry and network analysis reveal seasonal spatial overlap between gadid species in a subarctic coastal marine protected area

The Gilbert Bay marine protected area (MPA) was established in Labrador, Canada to protect a resident population of Atlantic cod ( Gadus morhua) and associated habitat. However, fisheries removals outside MPA boundaries have contributed to population decline and increases in potentially competing sp...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inCanadian journal of fisheries and aquatic sciences Vol. 81; no. 11; pp. 1547 - 1559
Main Authors King, Benjamin G.C., Morris, Corey J., Green, John M., Gregory, Robert S., Snelgrove, Paul V.R., Cote, David, Pennell, Curtis J.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Ottawa Canadian Science Publishing NRC Research Press 11.07.2024
Subjects
Acoustic telemetry
Acoustics
Boundaries
Conspecifics
Fish harvest
Fish populations
Fisheries
Gadus ogac
Marine protected areas
Network analysis
Population decline
Population studies
Protected areas
Protected species
Recovery
Spatial analysis
Summer
Telemetry
Winter
Greenland
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Summary:The Gilbert Bay marine protected area (MPA) was established in Labrador, Canada to protect a resident population of Atlantic cod ( Gadus morhua) and associated habitat. However, fisheries removals outside MPA boundaries have contributed to population decline and increases in potentially competing species may hinder recovery. Using acoustic telemetry and network analyses, we compared movements of Gilbert Bay cod ( n = 23), conspecifics from offshore environments (offshore Atlantic cod, n = 19), and Greenland cod ( Gadus ogac, n = 14) within and outside MPA boundaries from August 2014 to June 2017. Similar summer space use resulted in species overlap at seaward MPA boundaries and outside the MPA. In winter, Gilbert Bay cod and Greenland cod distributions overlapped within some MPA areas, and offshore Atlantic cod were absent. Some Gilbert Bay cod remained within the MPA year-round. Summer vulnerability to fisheries harvest outside MPA boundaries and winter overlap with competing Greenland cod within the MPA, may collectively challenge Gilbert Bay cod population recovery. Our study demonstrates the utility of acoustic telemetry and network analyses in evaluating animal movements for MPA management.
ISSN:0706-652X
1205-7533
DOI:10.1139/cjfas-2023-0272