Bacheler, N. M., et al., (2016). No evidence of increased demersal fish abundance six years after creation of marine protected areas along the southeast United States Atlantic coast. Bulletin of Marine Science, 92(4), 447-471.
This study evaluates whether Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) created along the southeast United States Atlantic coast led to increases in demersal fish abundance after their establishment. Using over a decade of underwater video surveys conducted before and up to six years after MPA creation, the authors compared fish communities inside MPAs with nearby fished areas. The results show no detectable increase in species richness or abundance of commercially important demersal fish inside MPAs compared to outside areas. Community structure also changed similarly inside and outside MPAs, indicating that observed trends were not attributable to protection alone. The study concludes that MPAs do not automatically deliver fisheries benefits, and that their effectiveness depends on factors such as size, placement, enforcement, species biology and broader environmental drivers, highlighting the need for careful, evidence-based design rather than assuming protection alone will lead to stock recovery.
