Fish stocks double near marine reserves - DNA tells the story

New Scientist Article: 
DNA suggests marine reserves boost commercial fishing
 24 May 2012 by Michael Slezak

If you protect fish, there will be more of them to catch. That's the reasoning conservationists have long used to persuade commercial fisheries of the benefits of marine reserves. Now they may have DNA confirmation.

Earlier research had shown that marine reserves result in larger fish that spawn more offspring, but researchers were left speculating exactly where the baby fish ended up and whether they truly help replenish other areas.

Now, with the use of new DNA profiling techniques, scientists have shown that by devoting less than a third of an area to a marine reserve network, you can double the number of juvenile fish that settle in the rest of the area. (Current Biology, DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2012.04.008)

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