Habitat utilization and space use in coral reef fish: behaviours and life histories at risk from threats posed by climate change

Artisanal coastal fisheries are important to sustain livelihoods in tropical areas. In the Philippines, conservation and management through the use of marine protected areas (MPAs) have proven successful in ensuring more resilient fish stocks and predicta ble catches for fishers operating in areas adjacent to MPAs. However, the benefits from well managed MPAs are reliant upon a relatively stable environment. Perturbations in the climate system can swamp the positive effects achieved through effective manag ement of human activities. It is now recognised that post industrialisation anthropogenic discharge of CO2 into Earths atmosphere is changing our planets climate system. For fish, and people in coastal areas, this change will manifest itself through ocean warming, sea level rise, ocean acidification and more severe storms. Mitigation and adaptation to future climate change in tropical coastal areas will involve integrated management informed by knowledge that can predict the outcome of alternative managem ent options. Here, we propose a study designed to map the space use of an important fish species, harvested by artisanal fishers in the Philippines. Our work will be performed by using acoustic telemetry, a method that involves tagging of individual fish with an acoustic transmitter and surveillance of tagged individuals by an array of receivers. We will map the habitat in our study area and we will deploy temperature loggers at various depths to relate fish movement to both habitat features and ambient t emperatures. The knowledge thus obtained will enable us to more specifically predict the risks facing this and similar species under climate change. This, in turn, will have bearings on management decisions as well as further scientific enquiry into the c onsequences of climate change for coral reef fish ecology and behaviour.