Intense Scuba Diving Does Not Alter Activity Patterns of Predatory Reef Fish: Evidence from a Protected Tourism Hotspot

Medientyp: E-Book

Titel: Intense Scuba Diving Does Not Alter Activity Patterns of Predatory Reef Fish : Evidence from a Protected Tourism Hotspot

Beteiligte: Pereñíguez López, José Manuel [Verfasser:in]; Alós, Josep [Verfasser:in]; Aspillaga, Eneko [Verfasser:in]; Rojo, Irene [Verfasser:in]; Calò, Antonio [Verfasser:in]; Hackradt, Carlos [Verfasser:in]; Hernández-Andreu, Ramon [Verfasser:in]; Mourre, Baptiste [Verfasser:in]; García-Charton, José Antonio [Verfasser:in]

Erschienen: [S.l.]: SSRN, 2023

Umfang: 1 Online-Ressource (32 p)

Sprache: Englisch

DOI: 10.2139/ssrn.4372915

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Schlagwörter: accelerometers ; Acoustic Telemetry ; Biologging ; human-disturbance ; rocky-reef fish ; fish behaviour

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Beschreibung: The rise of nature-based tourism has provided a new avenue for disturbing animal behaviour, especially in protected areas. One of the most important tourism sectors in aquatic environments is scuba diving, an activity considered sustainable given its non-extractive nature and capability of bringing relevant socio-economic benefits to local communities. However, knowledge about its impact on the behaviour and activity of aquatic animals is still scarce. Here, we used biotelemetry techniques to assess the importance of scuba diving in modulating the activity patterns of the dusky grouper (Epinephelus marginatus, Lowe 1834), a marine predatory fish of high interest for fishing and tourism. We implemented Hidden Markov Models (HMMs) on high-resolution acceleration data using a temporal and spatial control while controlling for a set of environmental variables (i.e. photoperiod, time-of-day, moon phase, temperature, wave height, and intensity and direction of marine currents) within a multiple-use marine protected area, and diving tourism hot-spot, of the western Mediterranean Sea. Our results underlined the more decisive influence of environmental-related stressors on the activity patterns of the dusky grouper compared to the impact of scuba diving. A high heterogeneity existed in the response against most of the stressors, including the presence of scuba divers. Overall, the activity of dusky grouper was higher at night than at day, showing a positive relationship with wave height, water temperature, and current intensity and a negative one with the moon phase. Remarkably, our findings, based on novel biotelemetry tools, differed substantially from the common wisdom accepted for this species. In conclusion, there is no clear evidence of scuba divers influence on the general activity patterns of the dusky grouper. Beyond their relevance from an ecological perspective, these results provide useful insights for the sustainable management of coastal resources and blue growth, suggesting the compatibility of small-scale fishery and scuba diving, two sectors that commonly interact within marine protected areas

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