South Atlantic MPAs

Background information

In February 2009, the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (SAFMC) designated eight Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) between Cape Hatteras, NC, and the Florida Keys to protect seven species of the deepwater snapper-grouper complex. These consist of five species of grouper including snowy grouper (Epinephelus niveatus), yellowedge grouper (E. flavolimbatus), warsaw grouper (E. nigritus), speckled hind (E. drummonhayi), and misty grouper (E. mystacinus) and two species of tilefish including tielfish (Lopholatilus chamaeleonticeps) and blueline tilefish (Caulolatilus microps). These species are considered to be overfished based on recent stock assessments. In addition, most of the grouper species are protogynous hermaphrodites attracted to high-relief sites where they aggregate to spawn and are thus susceptible to targeted fishing operations which may selectively remove males. The closed areas are known to contain habitat which supports populations of economically valuable reef fish including the seven targeted species and other reef fish. In 2004, the NOAA Fisheries Laboratory in Panama City volunteered to conduct annual pre-closure investigations of the MPAs and then to evaluate the efficacy of the closures since they have been made. Our goal is to conduct examinations of five of the MPAs including Snowy Wreck, NC, two sites in South Carolina (Edisto and Northern South Carolina), Georgia and North Florida.

South Atlantic MPAs: From Florida to North Carolina

Objectives

The objectives of the pre-closure study include:

• Establish baseline estimates of reef fish density and species composition associated with bottom features within and outside the MPAs and then compare this to post-closure data to examine the effectiveness of the closed areas.
• Map and describe habitat features
• Document the relationship between habitat and species assemblages