Fish assemblages across the Mediterranean Sea and the effects of protection from fishing = I Popolamenti ittici nel Mediterraneo e gli effetti della protezione dall’impatto della pesca

Several studies have assessed the effectiveness of individual marine protected areas (MPAs) in protecting fish assemblages, but regional assessments of multiple parks are scarce. Here fish surveys using visual census were done in marine parks and fished areas at 31 locations across the Mediterranean Sea. Fish species richness, diversity and biomass (especially of top predators) were higher in MPAs compared to fished areas, and community structure differed significantly between MPAs and fished areas. Results suggest that MPAs are generally effective means to protect and recover fish populations and assemblages.