Predator-prey dynamics in coral reef fish: potential implications of predator removal by fishing (B4.14S)

Task leader: Mr Ameer Abdulla, James Cook University.

Task associate: Dr Bruce Mapstone, James Cook University.

Most coral reef fisheries harvest large predators. These species are specifically targeted as food fishes because of their flavour and because their aggressvie and predatory nature increases their vulnerability to reef fishing gear. Populations of large predators are more vulnerable to overfishing than smaller fish species because they have lower growth, mortality, and birth rates. In coral reef ecosystems, overfishing potential keystone predators such as coral trout, jack, and snapper, can have implications on the dynamics of other populations in the food web.

The Effects of Line Fishing experiment was established to explore the implications of different levels of harvest and the creation of marine reserves on the population structure of a number of commercially targeted fish. By studying the interactions between predators and prey, I aim to model the potential consequences of fishing these predators on their prey and the remaining predators.