Abundance and size frequency distributions of invertebrates, and the nature of habitats, prior to declaration of the marine conservation area

Abstract

With the assistance of The Nature Conservancy, local fishermen implemented a total closure on fishing of commercially important invertebrates for three years around much of the coastline of two islands within an MCA of 83 km2 at the Arnavon Islands, located between Choiseul and Ysabel Islands, in the north of Solomon Islands. The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) and the International Centre for Living Aquatic Resources Management (ICLARM) have organised the monitoring program. The overall aim of the monitoring program is to determine if the number and size of commercially important invertebrates increases in the MCA relative to fished areas.