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Full no-take marine reserves (MRs) act as tools for biodiversity protection that reduce or remove human-induced disturbances and support the recovery of harvested species. Even if not designed specifically for fisheries management, MRs have the potential to enhance locally and distantly fished populations. This study quantified contemporary catch per unit effort (CPUE) of rock lobsters (RLs) with respect to weight and abundance inside and outside two central New Zealand MRs (Kapiti MR established in 1992, Taputeranga MR established in 2008) using commercial fishing methods (pots), and compared it to historical CPUE data. On average, mean CPUE and mean RL size were significantly greater inside than outside at both MRs. Contemporary CPUE at both MRs was approximately twice that of historical CPUE prior to the reserves being established. At Taputeranga, but not at Kapiti MR, we observed a gradient in CPUE with distance from the centre of the reserve. MRs had higher CPUE at reefs that were fully protected (entire reef in the MR) than at partially protected reefs (reef spans the MR boundary), which in turn had higher CPUE than unprotected reefs (entire reef outside the MR). Our results indicate that RL populations are responding positively to protection, but that factors such as the amount of reef area protected and proximity to reserve boundary contribute differently to RL responses. Our findings contribute to the design of MRs with respect to the habitat they protect and to a better understanding of the interactions between MRs and local fisheries.

Monitoring and assessing the effectiveness of no-take zones (NTZs) is critical, not just for the effective management of marine resources, but also for informing and gaining support from community stakeholders. The Galapagos Marine Reserve (GMR) established a network of coastal NTZs in 2001, yet, to date no study has investigated their effectiveness in protecting and enabling key species to recover. Using data from the Galapagos National Park Directorate annual Lobster Population Monitoring Program from 2012 to 2014, this study evaluated the recovery of the commercially valuable red spiny lobster (Panulirus penicillatus) inside NTZs in the GMR. It was hypothesized that NTZs would present higher lobster abundances or sizes when compared with adjacent fished zones. However, the study found no significant differences in these comparisons. Overall the findings indicate that > 11 years of protection has had no appreciable effect on lobster abundances or sizes inside the NTZs. This paper explores possible reasons for the lack of response in NTZs, and concluded that non-compliance and shortcomings within the enforcement framework of the GMR are the key factors limiting the functionality of these NTZs. Additionally, it also evaluates the limitations of the current monitoring program and highlights the need for a more comprehensive and long-term program to be implemented. As the new zoning scheme for NTZs in the GMR that began in 2016 is still to be determined, this information should be considered by decision makers to improve the effectiveness of NTZs and sustainable management of the GRM's coastal resources.

Anthropogenic threats to the global marine environment are increasing, and the Convention of Biological Diversity has set a target of 10% global ocean protection by 2020. Social factors are an important component of coastal marine protected area and no-take marine reserve creation. In order to understand social factors influencing marine reserve creation in New Zealand, public surveys were conducted in 2005 and 2011 about marine protection and threats to the marine environment (Territorial Sea and Exclusive Economic Zone). These results are compared to an experts' opinion survey of threats to the New Zealand marine environment, and actual marine protection levels. Generally, the New Zealand public identified similar New Zealand originated threats to the marine environment as those identified by experts, in contrast to expert identified global threats originating from climate change, which were minimally identified by the public. Experts identified that shallow, coastal waters were under greater threat than deep water habitats. On average, the New Zealand public thought that ~30% of New Zealand’s marine environment was protected by no-take marine reserves, and that 36% should be protected, while in fact only 0.3% is protected by no-take marine reserves. There is considerable potential for publicly driven marine protection initiatives in New Zealand with sufficient awareness, education, and outreach programs to better inform New Zealanders about actual marine protection levels. The results of this study are globally important, as similar knowledge gaps about marine environmental issues have been identified in the United States and the United Kingdom.