Conservation benefits of marine reserves for fish populations

We synthesize the results of empirical studies of marine reserves to assess the potential benefits of protection for fish populations. Our meta-analys es demonstrate that the overall abundance of fishes inside reserves is, on average, 3.7 times higher than outside reserve boundaries. This enhancement is mainly a result of a significant increase in abundance of species that are the target of fisheries. Non-target species are equally abundant inside and outside reserves. Large-bodied species also respond more to protection , irrespective of their fishery status. Species within genera show great he terogeneity in their response to protection despite similarities in their l ife histories. Our study confirms that marine reserves benefit fish populat ions and highlights the need for monitoring prior to reserve establishment to provide more accurate, habitat-controlled studies of the effects of mari ne reserves on fish populations.