Poor Knights Islands Marine Reserve
Encyclopedia
The Poor Knights Islands Marine Reserve is a protected area
off the coast of the North Island of New Zealand
. The reserve, established in 1981 and covering an area of 2400 ha, is administered by the Department of Conservation. It surrounds the Poor Knights Islands
and adjacent rock stacks. It is one of the worlds 10 most popular sites for scuba diving
. with dive trips regularly leaving from the town of Tutukaka.
The reserve has also been one of the primary areas studied and documented by Wade Doak, one of New Zealand's most prominent marine experts and advocates for marine reserves.
. No commercial fishing
is permitted within one nautical mile (1,852 m) and long lining is the only commercial fishing permitted between one and three nautical miles. The islands are a popular diving location due to the variety of marine
fauna found there, and are popular also for their intriguing landforms, which include natural arches and caves.
(Pagrus auratus) to the establishment of a no-take reserve around the Poor Knights Islands. The Poor Knights and two reference locations, Cape Brett and the Mokohinau Islands
, were sampled biannually for four years using baited underwater video (BUV).
Following full marine reserve status at the Poor Knights in October 1998, snapper showed significant increases in abundance and biomass relative to fished control locations. This was particularly apparent for large snapper (>270 mm), whose numbers increased rapidly to levels 7.4 times higher in the final survey compared to the initial pre-reserve survey, and total snapper biomass increased by 818%. There was no significant increase in the abundance, biomass or size of snapper at the reference locations over this time.
While the incredible increase in snapper density resulted from the immigration of adult fish into the reserve, rather than from within-reserve recruitment, these results suggests that partial fishing regulations, as implemented in the early years of the reserve, are ineffective for protecting targeted species.
Protected area
Protected areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognised natural, ecological and/or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the enabling laws of each country or the regulations of the international...
off the coast of the North Island of New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. The reserve, established in 1981 and covering an area of 2400 ha, is administered by the Department of Conservation. It surrounds the Poor Knights Islands
Poor Knights Islands
The Poor Knights Islands are a group of islands off the east coast of the Northland Region of the North Island of New Zealand. They are located to the northeast of Whangarei, and lie offshore half way between Bream Head and Cape Brett. Uninhabited since the 1820s, they are a nature reserve and...
and adjacent rock stacks. It is one of the worlds 10 most popular sites for scuba diving
Scuba diving
Scuba diving is a form of underwater diving in which a diver uses a scuba set to breathe underwater....
. with dive trips regularly leaving from the town of Tutukaka.
The reserve has also been one of the primary areas studied and documented by Wade Doak, one of New Zealand's most prominent marine experts and advocates for marine reserves.
History of Fishing in the reserve
When the reserve was originally founded in 1981, commercial fishing was banned, but recreational fishing was still allowed. A full ban on fishing was finally implemented seventeen years later in 1998.Currently, it is prohibited to disturb marine life or remove rocks or shells in the marine reserveMarine reserve
For the United States Marine Corps Reserve see: Marine Forces ReserveA marine reserve is an area of the sea which has legal protection against fishing or development. This is to be distinguished from a marine park, but there is some overlap in usage...
. No commercial fishing
Commercial fishing
Commercial fishing is the activity of catching fish and other seafood for commercial profit, mostly from wild fisheries. It provides a large quantity of food to many countries around the world, but those who practice it as an industry must often pursue fish far into the ocean under adverse conditions...
is permitted within one nautical mile (1,852 m) and long lining is the only commercial fishing permitted between one and three nautical miles. The islands are a popular diving location due to the variety of marine
Marine (ocean)
Marine is an umbrella term. As an adjective it is usually applicable to things relating to the sea or ocean, such as marine biology, marine ecology and marine geology...
fauna found there, and are popular also for their intriguing landforms, which include natural arches and caves.
Effects of the Change in Fishing Regulations
A study examined the response of snapperAustralasian snapper
The Australasian snapper or Pagrus auratus is a species of porgie found in coastal waters of New Zealand and Australia. Although it is almost universally known in these countries as snapper it does not belong to the Lutjanidae family...
(Pagrus auratus) to the establishment of a no-take reserve around the Poor Knights Islands. The Poor Knights and two reference locations, Cape Brett and the Mokohinau Islands
Mokohinau Islands
The Mokohinau Islands are a small group of islands that lie off the northeast coast of New Zealand's North Island. The islands are northwest of Great Barrier Island and approximately east of Bream Head. Most of them are managed by the Department of Conservation as nature reserves and wildlife...
, were sampled biannually for four years using baited underwater video (BUV).
Following full marine reserve status at the Poor Knights in October 1998, snapper showed significant increases in abundance and biomass relative to fished control locations. This was particularly apparent for large snapper (>270 mm), whose numbers increased rapidly to levels 7.4 times higher in the final survey compared to the initial pre-reserve survey, and total snapper biomass increased by 818%. There was no significant increase in the abundance, biomass or size of snapper at the reference locations over this time.
While the incredible increase in snapper density resulted from the immigration of adult fish into the reserve, rather than from within-reserve recruitment, these results suggests that partial fishing regulations, as implemented in the early years of the reserve, are ineffective for protecting targeted species.
External links
- Poor Knights Islands Marine Reserve at the Department of Conservation