Interrelationships Between Corals and Fisheries

There is extensive concern about the impact of fishing on coral reef structure and, conversely, the impact of decreasing coral on fisheries. Written by a team of notable authorities in coral reef research and fisheries management, this book examines the short- and long-term consequences of trends in coral health for fisheries. It addresses current and emerging threats as well as challenges and opportunities for managing corals and associated fisheries. Its inclusive coverage makes this an important resource for both researchers and environmental resource managers.

Interrelationships Between Corals and Fisheries is derived from a workshop held by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council in Tampa, Florida in May 2013, where world authorities came together to discuss the current problems in managing tropical fisheries and offered suggestions for future directions for both researchers and environmental resource managers. This book addresses current and emerging threats as well as challenges and opportunities for managing corals and associated fisheries. It provides an information baseline toward a better understanding of how corals and the consequences of coral condition influence fish populations, especially as they relate to management of those populations.

The book contains content from presentations modified as a result of interactions and discussions with colleagues and peer reviews by global experts in corals and fisheries. Many chapters include additional materials not presented in the workshop. There are also papers that were not presented at the workshop but contribute to the central theme of the book. Topics covered include:

• Global decline in coral reefs and impacts on fishery yields



• Distribution and diversity in the Gulf of Mexico



• Implementation of Coral Habitat Areas of Particular Concern (CHAPCs)



• Deepwater coral/sponge habitats



• Coral populations on offshore platforms



• Mangrove connectivity for sustaining coral reef fisheries



• Restoring deepwater coral ecosystems and fisheries after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill



• Predictive mapping of coral reef fish

Covering a range of subject matter, most of the chapters offer suggestions for future research on the interrelationships between corals and fisheries. In addition, the final chapter presents a summary on these interrelationships and discusses managing them for the future.