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The Bird's Head Seascape (BHS), Papua, Indonesia is located within the epicenter of global marine biodiversity and has been the focus of recent conservation efforts to protect marine resources. Here, we provide an overview of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) progress in the BHS over the past decade, including establishment history, changes in management effectiveness and ecosystem health, as well as examining trends in tourism growth. While generally viewed as a conservation success story, we reflect on both successes and challenges in the BHS, identifying where we need to continue to improve and adapt in response to rapid economic and environmental change. As of 2020, BHS MPAs cover 5.1 million ha across 23 MPAs. As expected, management effectiveness is steadily increasing in BHS MPAs—although newer MPAs face substantial capacity gaps. Tourism is rapidly growing—with an almost 3,000% increase in tourist visits between 2007 and 2018. Overall, hard coral cover in monitored BHS MPAs remained stable at 33% from 2010 to 2019, although trends in reef fish biomass were more variable. Given continued conservation challenges in the region, BHS MPAs are successfully preventing biodiversity loss while providing ecosystem services for local communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mesophotic coral ecosystems (MCEs; reefs 30–150 m depth) are poorly studied, with existing research heavily geographically biased away from the most species-rich reef regions. Yet, MCEs are of high interest because of their unique species and potential to act as refuges from the impacts of fishing. Using baited remote underwater video systems, we surveyed reef fish communities from 2 to 85 m depths throughout the Raja Ampat archipelago in West Papua, Indonesia—an area considered the heart of the Coral Triangle where coral reef biodiversity is greatest. We sought to provide the first assessment of fish communities across this depth gradient in the region and identify whether human population density and market access differently affected fish abundance based on depth. Here we show that—similar to shallow reefs—Raja Ampat MCEs are exceptionally diverse, with 152 fish species recorded at depths greater than 40 m. We found that fish community structures were highly depth driven, with declines in fish abundance at increased depth. In contrast to previous studies elsewhere in the world, we found that the proportion of planktivores declined across the shallow reef to MCE depth gradient. While greater human population density correlated with lower Epinephelidae and Lutjanidae abundance (two key fisheries families), we did not find evidence that MCEs provide a depth refuge from fishing. Surprisingly, we also found that fish abundance declined at greater distances from the major regional market—likely caused by historical fisheries pressure in more remote areas. These results both expand upon and contrast some previously established MCE-depth patterns and human impact patterns on fish communities, suggesting that regional context and historical pressures matters. Our findings highlight the need for future MCE studies within the Coral Triangle region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indo-Pacific lionfish have become invasive throughout the western Atlantic. Their predatory effects have been the focus of much research and are suggested to cause declines in native fish abundance and diversity across the invaded range. However, little is known about their non-consumptive effects, or their effects on invertebrates. Lionfish use shelters on the reef, thus there is potential for competition with other shelter-dwelling organisms. We demonstrate similar habitat associations between invasive lionfish, native spiny lobsters (Panulirus argus) and native long-spined sea urchins (Diadema antillarum), indicating the potential for competition. We then used a laboratory experiment to compare activity and shelter use of each species when alone and when lionfish were paired with each native species. Spiny lobsters increased their activity but did not change their shelter use in the presence of a lionfish, whilst long-spined sea urchins changed neither their activity nor shelter use. However, lionfish reduced their shelter use in the presence of spiny lobsters and long-spined sea urchins. This study highlights the importance not only of testing for the non-consumptive effects of invasive species, but also exploring whether native species exert non-consumptive effects on the invasive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Tropical coastal marine ecosystems (TCMEs) are rich in biodiversity and provide many ecosystem services, including carbon storage, shoreline protection, and food. Coastal areas are home to increasing numbers of people and population growth is expected to continue, putting TCMEs under pressure from development as well as broader environmental changes associated with climate change, e.g. sea level rise and ocean acidification. Attention to TCMEs by conservation organizations has increased and although a variety of interventions to promote conservation and sustainable development of TCMEs have been implemented, evidence regarding the outcomes of these—for people or ecosystems—is scattered and unclear. This study takes a systematic mapping approach to identify articles that examine the ecological and social outcomes associated with conservation interventions in TCMEs; specifically in coral reef, mangrove, and seagrass habitats. Methods: We developed a comprehensive framework of conservation interventions and outcomes, drawing on existing frameworks and related evidence synthesis projects, as well as interviews with marine conservation practitioners. We modified existing frameworks to: (i) include features of TCME that are not fully captured in existing frameworks; and (ii) further specify and/or regroup existing interventions or outcomes. We developed a search string informed by habitat, geography, interventions, and outcomes of interest, to search the peer-reviewed primary literature in four bibliographic databases and the grey literature on relevant institutional websites. All searches will be conducted in English. We will screen returned articles at the title and abstract level. Included articles will be screened at full text level and data coding will follow. Number of articles and reasons for excluding at full text level screening will be recorded. At each phase (title and abstract screening, full text screening, data coding), articles will be assessed independently by two members of the review team. Coded data will be reported in a narrative review and a database accessible through an open access, searchable data portal. We will summarize trends in the evidence base, identify interventions and outcomes where evidence can be further assessed in subsequent systematic reviews and where gaps in the literature exist, and discuss the implications of research gaps and gluts for TCME conservation policy, practice, and future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coral reefs face an uncertain future under global climate change, with thermal-induced bleaching increasing in frequency such that corals will soon experience annual severe bleaching (ASB). Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are therefore becoming increasingly important as a conservation tool. Here we evaluate (i) Indonesia's coral reefs' spatial variation in ASB, (ii) whether reefs projected to have a later onset of ASB (i.e. possible climate refugia) are protected within MPAs, and (iii) the ASB risk profiles for reefs related to MPAs receiving priority investments. Our results highlight considerable variability across Indonesia's reefs being at risk of ASB. The ASB risk before 2028 is greater for coral reefs protected by MPAs versus those outside MPA boundaries. The ASB risk before 2025 is greater for coral reefs protected by priority MPAs versus those protected by non-priority MPAs. Overall, our results show that only ∼45% of the coral reef areas that are currently located within MPAs will likely act as thermal refugia (ASB > 2044). This is unsurprising given that the MPA network in Indonesia has been established over many decades, with most MPAs designated before suitable bleaching risk projections were available to inform MPA placement. Our results highlight the scope to further incorporate potential climate refugia for reefs into new MPA designations. This study also provides strategic information, which can support the development of Indonesia's long-term MPA and coral reef conservation strategy to effectively manage, mitigate, and adapt to the impacts of climate change on coral reefs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marine protected areas (MPAs) are considered the go-to tool for marine area-based conservation, having rapidly expanded in many countries, yet an understanding of progress and achievement in implementation remains vastly unexplored. Here, we assess the status and trends of coverage and protection, ecological conditions, marine resource use, human well-being, and management effectiveness of MPAs in the Sunda Banda Seascape (SBS), Indonesia, and provide the first comprehensive overview of marine conservation in the region. The SBS, located in the world's epicenter for marine biodiversity, has 85 designated MPAs (8.1 million ha) as of 2018, accounting for 35% of the national target of 23.4 million ha MPAs by 2020. Most SBS MPAs were recently initiated or established, and their management was strongly influenced by policy and governance changes at the national and provincial levels. SBS MPAs protect more than 30% of mangrove, seagrass, and coral reef habitats in the seascape, and surveys indicate relatively healthy coral reef conditions. Fishing is one of the most common livelihoods in the MPA communities; 90% of fishers use traditional gear types for fishing and destructive fishing is identified as the greatest threat to marine resources in the MPAs. Our findings suggest that balancing the expansion of MPAs with strengthening their management effectiveness and integrating diverse social-ecological local contexts are important aspects to achieve effective, equitable marine conservation. [Display omitted] • As of 2018, the Sunda Banda Seascape (SBS) has 85 marine protected areas (MPAs). • Ecological and social conditions and marine resource use are varied across provinces. • Most MPAs are recently initiated or established with limited management effectiveness. • There is a need to balance the expansion of MPAs with strengthening existing MPAs. • MPAs should tailor implementation to diverse social-ecological local contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]