Into the deep: assessing previously unexplored Coral Reefs from the mesophotic zone

Methods

Summary

Local fisheries management will be assessed on Guanaja based on ecological models of the marine surrounding. Key inputs for the modelling equations include catch data and biomass data of relevant species and functional groups. Catch data will be collected through participatory technics with local stakeholders. Data on biomass is available for coral reef habitats from 16 shallow water reef sites periodically surveyed from 2006 to 2016. Additional fieldwork will be conducted to describe species composition and biomass from yet unrepresented habitats, particularly gorgonian plains, algal mats, and upper mesophotic coral reef systems. For these, video transect lines will be recorded using a remotely operated vehicle, from the surface.

Pre Analysis Plan

The construction of a mass balanced model and the subsequent simulation runs will be assisted by the software Ecopath with Ecosim (EwE) for which the required input parameters are biomass (B), catches (Ca), turnover rates (P/B), consumption rates (Q/B) and diet composition.