Great Barrier Reef Protected Zones Create Bigger and More Abundant Coral Trout

It turns out that protected areas are more important than ever for coral reefs. Scientists have found that coral trout in protected "green zones" are not only bigger and more abundant than those fished in "blue zones," but are also better able to cope with cyclone damage.

In this latest study, the researchers examined the Great Barrier Marine Park, looking at underwater surveys carried out from 1983 to 2012 on reefs spread across more than 40 percent of the marine park.

The marine park was rezoned in 2004, and marine reserves where fishing is prohibited (called "green zones" because of their color on the zoning maps of the marine park) were expanded to cover about one-third of the total Park area. These green zones previously made up less than five percent of the park.

The researchers found that the reef's network of green zones are yielding wide-scale population increases for coral trout. The researchers also found that reefs in green zones supported higher numbers of large, reproductively-mature coral trout, even after being damaged by cyclones.

"It's heartening to know the green zones are working as we had expected," said Michael Emslie, one of the researchers, in a news release. "Among the world's coral reefs, fishing on the Great Barrier Reef is relatively light but it has still reduced the number and average size of the few fish species that are taken by fishers. Data since the 1980s show that green zones have been effective in restoring numbers of coral trout to their former levels."

The findings reveal that these zones are huge in terms of helping fish species. This shows that these zones are effective measures for conservation.

The findings are published in the journal Current Biology.

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