Iris Publishers - Open access journal of Oceanography & Marine Biology | Differences in Fish Assemblage Structure Between Taking and No-Taking Protected Areas: The Case of Cayar And Joal-Fadiouth Marine Protected Areas in Senegal 

Authored by Ousmane Diankha

This work is a preliminary comparative study of fish assemblage between a marine protected area where fishing is banned in Joal-Fadiouth (JFMPA) and a fishing authorized marine protected in Cayar (CMPA). It consisted of seasonal sampling between 2015 and 2016. Trophic classification based on food regime was performed in order to describe the fish fauna of these MPA. Multivariate analysis like factorial correspondence analysis and hierarchical classification analysis were carried out to study the spatial differences of fish assemblages. Both MPA had similar number of species, 103 fish species belonging to 45 families. However, a fundamental difference in terms of fish composition, abundance and biomass were noted. Only 38 fish species were shared by these MPA. In other words, among the 103 fish species found in CMPA 65 were not encountered in JFMPA. The total number of individuals in JFMPA was six time higher, and the biomass in JFMPA was triple of that in CMPA. The fish assemblage of CMPA was dominated in terms of abundance by two second-level predators Pagellus bellottii and Galeoides decadactylus (12.4%), while in JFMPA the pelagic herbivores Ethmalosa fimbriata (34%) dominated the fish assemblage. Our results suggest that management strategy in JFMPA seem to be more efficient than that of CMPA. Therefore, fishing activities in CMPA, even controlled seem to have negative effect on fish abundance.

Aware that marine biodiversity is threatened by overfishing and climate change, the implementation of marine protected areas (MPA) has been proposed as alternative solution [1-6] The government of Senegal committed to implement a network of marine protected areas, with a goal of encompassing 10% of its seas and coastal areas within an effectively managed, ecologically representative and well-connected system of MPA by 2020. Therefore, five MPA (Saint-Louis, Cayar, Joal-Fadiouth, Bamboung and Abene MPA) were implemented in 2004 and two in 2014 (Sangomar and Gandoule MPA). In addition, two new MPA were created, Niamone-Kalounaye and Casa-Balantakounda in 2015 and 2016, respectively.

The implementation of MPA network requires a regular monitoring of the fish assemblage over time and space, is essential to assess their performance as tools for conservation and fishery management [7,8] Excepted Bamboung MPA which benefited of a regular monitoring of its fish assemblage from the closing off of the area until 2012 [9] the other MPA established in 2004 were suffering from a lack of information about their fish assemblage composition, structure and dynamic. Therefore, a seasonal monitoring protocol was set by the directorate responsible for the management of this MPA network in collaboration with technical partners such as CRODT (Centre de Recherche Océanographique de Dakar-Thiaroye) and IUPA (Aquaculture and Fisheries Institute of the University of Dakar). This protocol seeks to describe and follow the dynamic of the fish assemblage in the Senegal MPA. The finality of this protocol is to dispose sufficient and reliable information to be able to orientate decision making for effective and sustainable management of marine and coastal resources.

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