California Marine Protected Areas Increased Lobster Catch Near Reserve Boundaries

This study examined whether Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) established in 2012 along California's coast benefit the local spiny lobster fishery through spillover, where lobsters move from protected areas into fishing zones. Researchers compared lobster populations inside and outside two new MPAs using diver surveys, and analyzed fishing data (catch, effort, catch-per-unit-effort) from commercial fishing blocks with and without MPAs for 6 years before and after MPA establishment in 2012. Lobster density increased three times faster inside MPAs compared to fished areas over 6 years. Total lobster catch increased 225% in the fishing block containing MPAs despite a 35% reduction in fishable area. Fishing effort more than doubled in the MPA-containing block, but catch-per-unit-effort remained unchanged. Regional lobster catch increased 57% while fishing effort increased 73% across all study areas. This provides rare quantitative evidence that Marine Protected Areas can deliver on promises to enhance fisheries, not just conservation. That matters for gaining fisher support and demonstrating that protecting ocean areas can benefit both wildlife and fishing communities.

Citation

Lenihan, Hunter S.; Gallagher, Jordan P.; Peters, Joseph R.; Stier, Adrian C.; Hofmeister, Jennifer K. K.; Reed, Daniel C. (2021). Evidence that spillover from Marine Protected Areas benefits the spiny lobster (Panulirus interruptus) fishery in southern California. Scientific Reports.

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