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Threatened fish species thrive at Rowley Shoals
Globally threatened humphead maori wrasse and bumphead parrotfish are “thriving in abundance” in Western Australia’s Rowley Shoals – an isolated chain of coral atolls closed off from fishing for more than 20 years.
New research, led by the Australian Institute of Marine Science, shows fish diversity and abundance has remained remarkably stable at the Rowley Shoals, indicating marine reserves are hugely beneficial in maintaining fish communities at isolated reefs.
Drawing on 14 years of data from baited remote underwater video stations (BRUVS), the research compared fish species at Rowley Shoals with other remote reefs facing ongoing fishing pressure in northern Western Australia.