Activity patterns of wild European lobster Homarus gammarus in coastal marine reserves: implications for future reserve design

Abstract

MEPS Marine Ecology Progress Series Contact the journal Facebook Twitter RSS Mailing List Subscribe to our mailing list via Mailchimp HomeLatest VolumeAbout the JournalEditorsTheme Sections MEPS 429:197-207 (2011) - DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/meps09102 Activity patterns of wild European lobster Homarus gammarus in coastal marine reserves: implications for future reserve design Even Moland1,*, Esben Moland Olsen1,2, Halvor Knutsen1,2, Jan Atle Knutsen3, Svein Erik Enersen1, Carl André4, Nils Chr. Stenseth2 1Institute of Marine Research, Nye Flødevigvei 20, 4817 His, Norway 2Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), Department of Biology, University of Oslo, PO Box 1066 Blindern, 0316 Oslo, Norway 3Department of Environment, County Governor of Aust-Agder, PO Box 788 Stoa, 4809 Arendal, Norway 4Department of Marine Ecology-Tjärnö, University of Gothenburg, 452 96 Strömstad, Sweden *Email: even.moland@graduates.jcu.edu.au ABSTRACT: European lobster Homarus gammarus in Norway has been in decline over the last 30 to 40 yr, and the species is currently red listed according to International Union for Conservation of Nature criteria. In 2006, experimental lobster reserves were established in the coastal Skagerrak, southern Norway, allowing for studies in the absence of disturbance by fishing gear. We present behavioural data from individual lobsters (n = 10) within 2 of the reserves. These data were obtained from data storage tags which logged in situ temperature and depth of specific individuals for up to 1 yr. To the best of our knowledge, these are the first direct measurements of depth obtained from freely behaving lobsters. Net movement exhibited by recaptured lobsters, measured as the distance between global positioning system positions recorded at the site of capture and recapture ranged from 15 to 580 m. Lobsters used habitats within a depth range of 1 to 57 m, and experienced sea temperatures ranging from 2°C during late winter (February to March) to 18°C during late summer (August to September). ­Lobster activity levels declined from September, reaching a minimum during February and March. From April, activity levels resumed. Seasonal variation in activity was correlated to water temperature (r2 = 0.55). Lobsters were more active during nighttime than during daytime, and there was a tendency for lobsters to reside in more shallow water during nighttime versus daytime. The present study suggests that future reserves for European lobster should be designed to include deeper habitat (30 to 50 m) in areas where such habitat exists when the management objective is long-term ­protection. KEY WORDS: Archival tag · Behaviour · Marine reserve design · Diel rhythm · Data storage tag · Decapoda · Data storage tag · DST Full text in pdf format PreviousNextCite this article as: Moland E, Moland Olsen E, Knutsen H, Knutsen JA, Enersen SE, André C, Stenseth NC (2011) Activity patterns of wild European lobster Homarus gammarus in coastal marine reserves: implications for future reserve design. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 429:197-207. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps09102 Export citation RSS - Facebook - Tweet - linkedIn Cited by Published in MEPS Vol. 429. Online publication date: May 16, 2011 Print ISSN: 0171-8630; Online ISSN: 1616-1599 Copyright © 2011 Inter-Research.