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EFFECT OF CORAL BLEACHING ON FISH IN THE WESTERN INDIAN OCEAN

09/12/2010

A new ReefBase publication was released recently. This report reflects findings of the project which evaluated the effects of coral bleaching and mortality on the coral reef communities, fish and fisheries in the western Indian Ocean through a combination of field studies before and after the coral bleaching event in 1998, and the development of a historical database on benthic and fish communities. Investigators repeated fish community survey in Kenya, Tanzania, Seychelles, Mauritius, Maldives and Reunion before 1998 to determine the changes in fish communities. A database of all historical published and unpublished studies on benthic and fish abundance and production in the Western Indian Ocean produced a meta analysis of the spatial and temporal patterns of change. In addition, the proposal undertook a survey of fishing communities in five countries (Kenya, Tanzania, Madagascar, Mauritius and Seychelles) to determine their independence and likely responses to disturbance on coral reef resources. Finally, the project providing support for coral reef and fish landing monitoring program of the Wildlife Conservation Society in Kenya.

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