Conservation: Fishing for lessons on coral reefs.

Abstract

A global study has identified coral reefs with greater fish biomass than would be predicted given human and environmental pressures. These outliers might teach us something about sustainable coral-reef management. See Letter p.416 The health of the world's coral reefs, which provide goods and services for millions of people, is declining. Effective management of these ecosystems requires an understanding of the underlying drivers of reef decline. In a study that spans the gap between ecology and the social sciences, Joshua Cinner and colleagues develop a Bayesian hierarchical model, using data from more than 2,500 reefs worldwide, to predict reef fish biomass based on various socioeconomic drivers and environmental conditions. They identify 15 bright spots — sites where reef biomass is significantly higher than expected. The bright spots are found not only among iconic remote and pristine areas, but also where there are strong sociocultural institutions and high levels of local engagement. On the basis of this analysis, the authors argue for a refocus of coral reef conservation efforts away from locating and protecting remote, pristine sites, towards unlocking potential solutions from sites that have successfully confronted the coral reef crisis.