Pweevo 2012. Bilan de l’état de santé du récif par stations vidéo rotatives STAVIRO

• Conducted within the AMBIO project, this work deals with coral reef fish communities and associated habitats, in the New Caledonian lagoons. It relies on remote unbaited underwater video observations, using the STAVIRO rotating technique. • The study takes place in the Pouebo area, part of the New Caledonian World Heritage site, and encompassing three no-take marine reserves enclosed within a Locally Managed Area (LMA). • The sampling design covers the entire area, and was stratified according to reef geomorphology and protection status. 86 stations were validated within 4 days. They were analyzed to characterize the habitat surrounding each station, and fish communities, based on a species list that includes fished species, emblematic species and functionally important species. • 32 indicators were computed and mapped (Sextant server). 24 indicators were analysed using the PAMPA computing tool. Outcomes were organized in a dashboard per management objective (biodiversity conservation and fisheries management). • 131 fish and turtle species, belonging to 18 families were observed. Surgeonfish and parrotfish were most frequently observed (86% and 67% of stations), and then parrotfish (63%). • Twenty-two species of butterflyfish were observed, as well as several sharks, indicating an overall good ecological status of the reef, but turtles, humphead wrasses and rays were rarely seen. • There was no significant effect of protection upon the overall species assemblage, nor on the barrier reef. But on intermediate reefs, it differed between the Pewhane reserve and unprotected areas. • In Pewhane, coral cover and butterfly fish abundance were higher in reserve, and fished species, carnivore and herbivore species, surgeon fish and grouperswere more abundant in the living coral habitat. Target species were also abundant on the inner slope of the barrier reef, but with higher abundances outside reserves for surgeon fish, parrotfish and groupers. On the fringing reef, coral cover and fish-related indicatorswerehigher outside the LMA. • Finally, the ecological status in the area appears satisfactory with abundant key coral reef species and coral cover. Yet, the protection effects differ between the barrier reef, the intermediate reef and the fringing reef. Biodiversity ; Fish ; Habitat ; Underwater video; STAVIRO ; Monitoring and assessment; Marine Protected Area ; MPA; World Heritage; Coral reefs; New Caledonia ; Indicator; Dashboard ; Map server ; Sextant ; PAMPA