In order to properly assess human impacts and appropriate restoration goals, baselines of
pristine conditions on coral reefs are required. In Saudi Arabian waters of the central Red
Sea, widespread and heavy fishing pressure has been ongoing for decades. To evaluate
this influence, we surveyed the assemblage of offshore reef fishes in both this region as
well as those of remote and largely unfished southern Sudan. At comparable latitudes, of
similar oceanographic influence, and hosting the same array of species, the offshore reefs
of southern Sudan provided an ideal location for comparison. We found that top predators
(jacks, large snappers, groupers, and others) dominated the reef fish community biomass
in Sudan’s deep south region, resulting in an inverted (top-heavy) biomass pyramid. In
contrast, the Red Sea reefs of central Saudi Arabia exhibited the typical bottom-heavy
pyramid and show evidence for trophic cascades in the form of mesopredator release.
Biomass values from Sudan’s deep south are quite similar to those previously reported in
the remote and uninhabited Northwest Hawaiian Islands, northern Line Islands, Pitcairn
Islands, and other remote Pacific islands and atolls. The findings of this study suggest
that heavy fishing pressure has significantly altered the fish community structure of Saudi
Arabian Red Sea reefs. The results point towards the urgent need for enhanced regulation
and enforcement of fishing practices in Saudi Arabia while simultaneously making a
strong case for protection in the form of marine protected areas in the southern Sudanese
Red Sea.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:kaust.edu.sa/oai:repository.kaust.edu.sa:10754/336498 |
| Date | 12 1900 |
| Creators | Kattan, Alexander |
| Contributors | Berumen, Michael L., Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering (BESE) Division, Irigoyen, Xabier, Thorrold, Simon R. |
| Source Sets | King Abdullah University of Science and Technology |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Rights | 2015-12-01, At the time of archiving, the student author of this thesis opted to temporarily restrict access to it. The full text of this thesis became available to the public after the expiration of the embargo on 2015-12-01. |
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