Harvest of endangered marine invertebrates in a priority area for conservation in Brazil
The harvesting of marine organisms for aquarium and ornamental art crafts is a very common and widespread activity, threatening a number of coral reef species. The goal of this manuscript is to report the intensive harvesting of two marine invertebrate species, the starfish Oreaster reticulatus and...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Fund for Support and Development of Protected Areas "Bear Land"
2018-11-01
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| Series: | Nature Conservation Research: Заповедная наука |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://ncr-journal.bear-land.org/article/156 |
| _version_ | 1828199674352238592 |
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| author | Flavia C.F. Pinheiro Hudson T. Pinheiro Thiago J.F. Costa João B. Teixeira João L. Gasparini Jean-Christophe Joyeux Agnaldo S. Martins |
| author_facet | Flavia C.F. Pinheiro Hudson T. Pinheiro Thiago J.F. Costa João B. Teixeira João L. Gasparini Jean-Christophe Joyeux Agnaldo S. Martins |
| author_sort | Flavia C.F. Pinheiro |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The harvesting of marine organisms for aquarium and ornamental art crafts is a very common and widespread activity, threatening a number of coral reef species. The goal of this manuscript is to report the intensive harvesting of two marine invertebrate species, the starfish Oreaster reticulatus and the gorgonian Phyllogorgia dilatata, in reef environments of a national priority area for the creation of a Marine Protected Area (MPA) in the Espírito Santo State, central coast of Brazil. These species were present on the 2003 Brazilian Red List of Endangered species as threatened of extinction, but P. dilatata was removed from the most recent 2014 Brazilian Red List, while O. reticulatus is currently considered vulnerable. Neither species have been assessed by IUCN. The harvest of these invertebrates was registered in 17% of the 51 days of monitoring (ten expeditions between March 2005 and February 2006), with catches of up to 24 starfishes and 1000 gorgonians in a single day. Starfishes used to be sold to local traders for US$ 0.50 each, and each gorgonian for US$ 0.15. This starfish is already in decline on a regional scale, and the actual harvesting rate of the gorgonian could lead to the extinction of the local population in about 17 years of exploitation. Due to the ecological importance of these two endangered species, their harvest threatens the entire local rocky reef ecosystem. Further ecological and fisheries studies on these species should be conducted, and the definition and creation of the MPA could help to manage all the unsustainable activities conducted and expected in the region. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T10:59:11Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-96ced52c60524fa09bbdda99f55796d2 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2500-008X 2500-008X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T10:59:11Z |
| publishDate | 2018-11-01 |
| publisher | Fund for Support and Development of Protected Areas "Bear Land" |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nature Conservation Research: Заповедная наука |
| spelling | doaj.art-96ced52c60524fa09bbdda99f55796d22022-12-22T03:36:00ZengFund for Support and Development of Protected Areas "Bear Land"Nature Conservation Research: Заповедная наука2500-008X2500-008X2018-11-0134788110.24189/ncr.2018.050Harvest of endangered marine invertebrates in a priority area for conservation in BrazilFlavia C.F. Pinheiro0Hudson T. Pinheiro1Thiago J.F. Costa2João B. Teixeira3João L. Gasparini4Jean-Christophe Joyeux5Agnaldo S. Martins6Associação Ambiental Voz da Natureza; Federal University of Espírito SantoAssociação Ambiental Voz da Natureza; University of California Santa Cruz; California Academy of SciencesAssociação Ambiental Voz da NaturezaAssociação Ambiental Voz da Natureza; State University of Santa Cruz Federal University of Espírito SantoFederal University of Espírito SantoFederal University of Espírito SantoThe harvesting of marine organisms for aquarium and ornamental art crafts is a very common and widespread activity, threatening a number of coral reef species. The goal of this manuscript is to report the intensive harvesting of two marine invertebrate species, the starfish Oreaster reticulatus and the gorgonian Phyllogorgia dilatata, in reef environments of a national priority area for the creation of a Marine Protected Area (MPA) in the Espírito Santo State, central coast of Brazil. These species were present on the 2003 Brazilian Red List of Endangered species as threatened of extinction, but P. dilatata was removed from the most recent 2014 Brazilian Red List, while O. reticulatus is currently considered vulnerable. Neither species have been assessed by IUCN. The harvest of these invertebrates was registered in 17% of the 51 days of monitoring (ten expeditions between March 2005 and February 2006), with catches of up to 24 starfishes and 1000 gorgonians in a single day. Starfishes used to be sold to local traders for US$ 0.50 each, and each gorgonian for US$ 0.15. This starfish is already in decline on a regional scale, and the actual harvesting rate of the gorgonian could lead to the extinction of the local population in about 17 years of exploitation. Due to the ecological importance of these two endangered species, their harvest threatens the entire local rocky reef ecosystem. Further ecological and fisheries studies on these species should be conducted, and the definition and creation of the MPA could help to manage all the unsustainable activities conducted and expected in the region.http://ncr-journal.bear-land.org/article/156endangered marine invertebratesgorgonianharvestMarine Protected AreaOreaster reticulatusPhyllogorgia dilatatastarfish |
| spellingShingle | Flavia C.F. Pinheiro Hudson T. Pinheiro Thiago J.F. Costa João B. Teixeira João L. Gasparini Jean-Christophe Joyeux Agnaldo S. Martins Harvest of endangered marine invertebrates in a priority area for conservation in Brazil Nature Conservation Research: Заповедная наука endangered marine invertebrates gorgonian harvest Marine Protected Area Oreaster reticulatus Phyllogorgia dilatata starfish |
| title | Harvest of endangered marine invertebrates in a priority area for conservation in Brazil |
| title_full | Harvest of endangered marine invertebrates in a priority area for conservation in Brazil |
| title_fullStr | Harvest of endangered marine invertebrates in a priority area for conservation in Brazil |
| title_full_unstemmed | Harvest of endangered marine invertebrates in a priority area for conservation in Brazil |
| title_short | Harvest of endangered marine invertebrates in a priority area for conservation in Brazil |
| title_sort | harvest of endangered marine invertebrates in a priority area for conservation in brazil |
| topic | endangered marine invertebrates gorgonian harvest Marine Protected Area Oreaster reticulatus Phyllogorgia dilatata starfish |
| url | http://ncr-journal.bear-land.org/article/156 |
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