APPLICATIONS OF MARINE REFUGIA TO COASTAL FISHERIES MANAGEMENT

Marine fisheries refugia, unaltered areas that serve as sources of rep lenishment, can potentially compensate for recruitment and ecosystem o verfishing and enhance fishery yields for some coastal stocks. The eff icacy of refugia in fisheries management is virtually untested, despit e the existence of many marine parks and reserves. Evidence from exist ing marine reserves indicates that increased abundance, individual siz e, reproductive output, and species diversity occurred in a variety of marine species in refuges of various sizes, shapes, and histories in communities ranging from coral reefs to temperate kelp forests. Fisher y yield enhancement in areas surrounding refuges occurred in the few s tudies where yields were examined. The export of propagules required t o enhance fisheries in areas surrounding refugia adds a level of compl exity to the design of fishery refugia beyond that of terrestrial rese rves. Fishery refugia design should consider species life histories, o ceanographic regimes, habitat quality, and socioeconomic factors. Furt her evaluation of existing marine refuges and the investigation of exp erimental refugia over appropriate time spans will help resolve questi ons of optimal sizes, shapes, and distribution of fishery refugia.