In vivo metabolism of aromatic amines by the bay mussel, Mytilus edulis

The hazard posed to aquatic organisms by exposure to aromatic amines will depend on their ability to activate or detoxify these potentially genotoxic compounds. We studied the metabolism of four aromatic amines (p-toluidine, aniline, 2-acetylaminofluorene (2-AAF) and 2-aminofluorene (2-AF)) in Bay mussels (Mytilus edulis) to gain an understanding of their metabolic capabilities in vivo. Mussels rapidly accumulated these compounds from the water column and depurated the majority of their steady-state body burdens as metabolites and unmetabolized parent compounds. The biotransformation pathways of [¹⁴C]-labeled parent compounds were determined by analyses of depurated metabolites and tissue residues. Biotransformation of p-toluidine and aniline resulted in the formation of their corresponding N-acetylated detoxification products. Mussels converted small amounts of 2-AAF into a deacetylated product (2-AF) and a mutagenically active metabolite (N-hydroxy-2-AF). 2-AF was extensively detoxified via N-acetylation, which limited the amount of primary amine available for activation.     

First survey of fishes in the Betty's Bay Marine Protected Area along South Africa's temperate south-west coast

This first survey of fish in the Betty's Bay Marine Protected Area (MPA), on the south coast of South Africa, was conducted using baited remote underwater video systems (BRUVs). A total of 58 deployments recorded 42 species in 20?km², including reef, kelp and sand habitats in protected and exploited zones, at between 5 and 40?m depth. Chondrichthyans accounted for 28% of diversity. Teleost diversity was dominated by Sparidae, Cheilodactylidae, Sciaenidae and Ariidae. Diversity (H′) was highest in kelp and lowest over sand. Species composition differed among habitat and depths, but protection had no effect. Among four commercial species, only Pachymetopon blochii responded positively to protection. The apparent failure of protection may attest to poor compliance, but an investigation into fish size might show an effect. Many species were detected at the western extreme of their range. Diversity in Betty's Bay was predictably lower than in the more eastward Stilbaai MPA, but also lower than in the westward Table Mountain National Park MPA. Fish diversity did not follow a linear increase eastwards from Cape Point. Betty's Bay includes the most easterly protected kelp forests and contains seven species not recorded in the other two areas, and is therefore an important element in the MPA network.     

Marine conservation science and governance in North–West Europe: Conservation planning and international law and policy

Member States of the European Union are increasingly designating marine protected areas (MPAs) to meet globally agreed marine protection targets and regional commitments. A number of studies have examined the impact of the associated European policy on the representation of species and habitats but there is no comprehensive review of their combined impact on marine conservation in Europe. Here a systematic conservation planning framework is used to conduct such a review and compare the existing legislation to three elements of best practice, which are designed to identify MPA networks that achieve conservation goals whilst increasing the likelihood of implementation. In particular, this review investigates the extent to which legislation: (i) translates broad policy goals into explicit targets; (ii) incorporates socio-economic data into the planning process; and (iii) requires a social assessment. Whilst this legislation has widespread political support and has underpinned the rapid expansion of MPA networks, this review shows it largely fails to incorporate these key components from systematic conservation planning. Therefore, if European approaches to marine conservation are to fulfil their goal of halting marine biodiversity loss, it is essential they link existing policy frameworks with transparent strategies that account for local conditions and support implementation.     

Nutritional condition of two coastal rocky fishes and the potential role of a marine protected area

Knowledge of the nutritional conditions of coastal commercial fish populations is key to understanding stock health status, and is essential when making reasonable exploitation and management plans. Here, we present the first results on the condition and feeding preferences of two coastal fish species, Diplodus sargus (Linnaeus, 1758) and Pagellus erythrinus (Linnaeus, 1758). Using stable isotope and biochemical analyses, we tested the potential effects of a marine protected area (MPA) and the occurrence of a dramatic coastal storm on the condition and quality of nutrition. The results suggest that both condition (lipids) and nutrition quality (fatty acids, FAs) in P. erythrinus and D. sargus depend upon on food availability in the area in which they were captured. Pagellus erythrinus individuals inside the MPA stored higher quantities of lipids [46.73 ± 19.00 μg lipid·mg organic matter (OM)^?1] than those outside the MPA (15.63 ± 5.30 μg lipid·mg OM^?1) only before the storm. Diplodus sargus showed different FA signatures inside and outside the MPA before and after the storm. These results suggest that D. sargus increased their quality of nutrition inside (16.62 ± 3.17 μg FA·mg OM^?1) versus outside (7.88 ± 2.36 μg FA·mg OM^?1) the MPA, owing to increased food diversity and availability. Conversely, P. erythrinus did not show differences in nutritional quality inside (18.12 ± 1.13 μg FA·mg OM^?1) or outside (18.81 ± 1.42 μg FA·mg OM^?1) the MPA, possibly because of the increase in ingestion not affecting the studied parameters. In P. erythrinus, the FA concentration decreased after the storm, but in D. sargus, a change in lipid composition was observed. These results suggest that P. erythrinus appears to be more impacted by food quality (different saturated and unsaturated FAs) than D. sargus, owing to a more restrictive diet. We hypothesize that the observed differences between inside and outside the MPA are not only related to the degree of protection, but also to the feeding preferences and behaviour of both fishes.     

高原湖泊溶解有机质的三维荧光光谱特性初步研究

提要近年来,荧光光谱技术被广泛应用于研究天然水体中溶解有机质(Dissolved Organic Matter,DOM)的物理化学特性。为了理解高原湖泊中DOM的组成、荧光光谱特性及其在湖泊水体中的垂直分布情况,作者利用荧光发射光谱、三维荧光光谱研究云贵高原湖泊红枫湖和百花湖中的DOM。结果显示,高原湖泊DOM主要表现为类富里酸荧光,包括可见区和紫外区两种类型的荧光峰,各种天然水体中都有报道的类蛋白荧光在红枫湖DOM中并不明显,而在百花湖DOM中则有较强的类蛋白荧光。溶解有机质所含三种类型荧光峰(PeakA:紫外区类富里酸荧光峰;PeakB:可见区类富里酸荧光峰;PeakC:类蛋白荧光峰)的荧光强度与溶解有机碳之间没有明显的线性相关关系,可能与高原湖泊水体pH值、DOM在湖泊不同深度由于受到光降解、微生物降解等作用存在差异等因素有关。与有机质结构和成熟度有关的荧光峰比值r(A,C)在1.40—2.09范围内,红枫湖南湖、百花湖DOM样品的r(A,C)值随着水体深度有下降的趋势,而红枫湖北湖DOM的r(A,C)值则随着水体深度有较大起伏,揭示了高原湖泊水体中DOM的结构以及分布情况存在差异。另外,r(A,C)值与pH之间具有良好的正相关关系,其相关系数红枫湖南湖DOM为0.95,百花湖两个采样点DOM分别为0.67、0.75,而红枫湖北湖DOM则显示出一定的负相关性(R2=0.45)。     

Increased predation of juvenile European spiny lobster (Palinurus elephas) in a marine protected area

One of the aims of Mediterranean marine protected areas (MPAs) is to increase populations of exploited species, such as the European spiny lobster (Palinurus elephas), which is considered a key species for its commercial and ecological value. Monitoring of temporal patterns in abundance of early benthic stages of P. elephas indicated that predation may be higher inside the Medes Islands MPA relative to adjacent control sites. Tethering experiments were performed to test whether predation rates actually differed within and outside the MPA. Relative mortality of recently‐settled juveniles inside the MPA was much higher than in control sites in adjacent non‐protected areas. Treatments with and without shelter indicated that predation on recently‐settled juvenile spiny lobsters was moderated by the availability of suitable shelter. The decline or absence of fish predators in the fished area may be the reason why juvenile lobsters outside the MPA experience lower predation than within the MPA.     

Centropages typicus (Crustacea,Copepoda) reacts to volatile compounds produced by planktonic algae

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) may play the role of infochemicals and trigger chemotaxis and ecologically relevant responses in freshwater and marine invertebrates. Aquatic grazers use these signals as chemical cues to trace the presence of their food or to detect their predators. However, detailed data are still needed to fully understand the role of these relationships in marine plankton. We investigated the ability of the copepod Centropages typicus to perceive the odour of three planktonic diatoms (Skeletonema marinoi, Pseudonitzschia delicatissima and Chaetoceros affinis) and a dinoflagellate (Prorocentrum minimum). This information is ecologically relevant for orientation, habitat selection, predator avoidance and communication. In addition, as the pH of the medium influences the perception of chemical cues in aquatic environments, we tested the effect of seawater acidification resulting from increasing levels of CO₂, and its influences on the olfactory reactions of copepods. For this reason, our tests were repeated in normal (pH 8.10) and acidified (pH 7.76) seawater in order to simulate future ocean acidification scenarios. Using replicated chemokinetic assays we demonstrated that VOCs produced by Ps. delicatissima and Pr. minimum attract copepods at normal pH, but this effect is lowered in acidified water. By contrast, the odour of S. marinoi mainly induces a reaction of repulsion, but in acidified water and at higher concentrations this toxic diatom becomes attractive for copepods. Our experiments demonstrate, for the first time, that copepods are sensitive to the volatile compounds contained in various microalgae; VOCs prompt chemokinesis according to algal species and odour concentrations. However, seawater acidification induces changes in copepods' perception of odours. These findings highlight the sensitivity of chemically mediated interactions to global changes     

Effects of a submarine eruption on the performance of two brown seaweeds

World oceans are becoming more acidic as a consequence of CO₂ anthropogenic emissions, with multiple physiological and ecological implications. So far, our understanding is mainly limited to some species through in vitro experimentation. In this study, we took advantage of a recent submarine eruption (from October 2011 to March 2012) at ~ 1 nautical mile offshore El Hierro Island (Canary Islands, central east Atlantic) to determine whether altered physical–chemical conditions, mainly sudden natural ocean acidification, affected the morphology, photosynthesis (in situ Chl-a fluorescence) and physiological performance (photo-protective mechanisms and oxidative stress) of the conspicuous brown seaweeds Padina pavonica—a species with carbonate deposition – and Lobophora variegata—a species without carbonate on thallus surfaces – , both with similar morphology. Seaweeds were sampled twice: November 2011 (eruptive phase with a pH drop of ca. 1.22 units relative to standard conditions) and March 2012 (post-eruptive phase with a pH of ca. 8.23), on two intertidal locations adjacent to the eruption and at a control location. P. pavonica showed decalcification and loss of photo-protective compounds and antioxidant activity at locations affected by the eruption, behaving as a sun-adapted species during lowered pH conditions. At the same time, L. variegata suffered a decrease in photo-protective compounds and antioxidant activity during the volcanic event, but its photosynthetic performance remained unaltered. These results reinforce the idea that calcareous seaweeds, as a whole, are more sensitive than non-calcareous seaweeds to alter their performance under scenarios of reduced pH.     

Whose sustainability? Top–down participation and emergent rules in marine protected area management in Indonesia

A review of a major community-based marine protected area programme (CB-MPA) in an Indonesian island archipelago is the point of departure for this article. Despite a well-designed institutional structure to facilitate local participation, local knowledge about the CB-MPA is found to be low and resource access and influence on decision-making in the programme is negligible for the majority of islanders. At the same time, most of those who know about the programme consider it as pertaining to the public authority only. These findings stand in contrast to evidence on non-formal ways of protecting and managing marine areas in the same geographical area but outside the formal MPA institutional framework. In particular, the article identifies a number of emergent rules-in-use in marine management, which operate parallel to legally established MPAs. It is argued that emergent forms of marine area protection such as non-formal self-organising island exclusion zones (IEZ) offer as yet mostly unused potentials for formal MPA development, particularly in those coastal and marine areas without traditional forms of marine and coastal management.     

A sensor package for the simultaneous determination of nanomolar concentrations of nitrite, nitrate, and ammonia in seawater by fluorescence detection

A fluorescence-based chemistry has been developed for the detection of nitrite and nitrate (as excess nitrite following reduction of nitrate to nitrite). Detection limits are 4.6 and 6.9 nM, respectively. The technique capitalizes on the triple bond between the two nitrogen atoms within the diazonium ion formed via the well-known reaction between an acidified nitrite sample and an aromatic primary amine. Fluorescence of π-electrons within this bond allows this reaction to be probed with standard fluorescence spectroscopy. Reverse Flow Injection Analysis (rFIA) is used to correct for background fluorescence from leachates and naturally occurring dissolved organic matter (DOM). Comparisons of samples analyzed for nitrite with this technique and with a highly-sensitive chemiluminescent method [Braman, R.S., Hendrix, S.A., 1989. Nanogram nitrite and nitrate determination in environmental and biological materials by vanadium (III) reduction with chemiluminescence detection. Analytical Chemistry, 61 (24) 2716–2718] showed excellent agreement between the two methods (slope=0.9996 and r²=0.9956). These fluorescent nitrite and nitrate + nitrite chemistries were coupled in a sensor package with a modified version of a fluorescent ammonia chemistry [Jones, R.D., 1991. An improved fluorescence method for the determination of nanomolar concentrations of ammonia in natural waters, Limnology and Oceanography. 36(4) 814–819], which also has a nanomolar detection limit. The throughput rate of the fully automated three-channel instrumentation is 18 samples per hour. A field experiment demonstrated the capability of the nutrient sensor package to determine horizontal gradients in nitrate, nitrite, and ammonia in oligotrophic surface waters.     

Characterization of humic substances in salt marsh soils under sea rush (Juncus maritimus)

Humic substances (HS) from salt marsh soils were characterized and the relationships among HS composition and some geochemical factors were analysed. For this, three salt marshes with the same vegetation cover (Juncus maritimus), but with different geochemical characteristics, were selected. The qualitative characterization of the soil humic acids and fulvic acids was carried out by elemental analysis, FTIR spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy and VACP/MAS ¹³C NMR spectroscopy.HS from salt marsh soils under sea rush (Juncus maritimus) displayed some shared characteristics such as low degree of humification, low aromatic content and high proportion of labile compounds, mainly polysaccharides and proteins. However, although the three salt marsh soils under study were covered by the same type of vegetation, the HS showed some important differences. HS composition was found to be determined not only by the nature of the original organic material, but also by environmental factors such as soil texture, redox conditions and tidal influence. In general, an increase in the humification process appeared to be related to aerobic conditions and predominance of sand in the mineral fraction of the soil, while the preservation of labile organic compounds may be associated with low redox potential values and fine soil texture.     

Characterization of minerals and organic phosphorus species in marine sediments using soft X-ray fluorescence spectromicroscopy

Phosphorus Near Edge X-ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy (P-NEXFS) data were collected on phosphorus containing phases including organic and inorganic compounds and minerals. Although phases containing P in the plus five oxidation state P(V) in a tetrahedral PO₄ structure have similar primary fluorescence peak positions, the size, shape, and positions of secondary spectral features are diagnostic for different compounds and minerals. In particular, calcium phosphates exhibited a notable post-peak shoulder at 2154.5 eV, while oxidized iron phosphates had a distinctive pre-peak feature at 2148 eV. Polyphosphates have a broad secondary peak located approximately 2 eV higher in energy than a similar feature in phosphate esters and diesters. Compounds containing P(V) in structures other than PO₄ tetrahedra such as phosphonates have a primary peak shifted about 1 eV lower than corresponding organo-phosphates. Organo-phosphates with P in the plus three oxidation state P(III) such as phosphines had primary fluorescence peaks shifted still further down in energy (2–3 eV). The substitution of aromatic carbon groups in close proximity to P structures in organic compounds generated both pre- and post-peak features as well as a number of secondary peaks. In addition, X-ray fluorescence mapping of P, Si, Al, Mg, and Na was conducted on a marine sediment sample with sub-micron spatial resolution. Phosphorus was heterogeneously distributed in the sample and not correlated on a broad scale with any other element examined. Much of the P present in the sample was located in small, 0.6–8 μm size, P-rich domains. Several P-rich regions were examined with P-NEXFS using a focused beam with 60 nm resolution and were found to consist of either calcium phosphate or polyphosphate phases. The presence of significant polyphosphate-dominated regions in a marine sediment sample supports the recent observations that such phases can play an important role in marine P cycling. The combination of fluorescence mapping and P-NEXFS data collection on fine particles provides a powerful new tool for environmental phosphorus studies.     

OPA 90's impact at reducing oil spills

OPA 90 set out stringent requirements and liabilities for tankers operating in US national waters. OPA 90 was in response to the public concern caused by the grounding of the Exxon Valdez in 1989. It made ship owners responsible for the cost of pollution incidents and required all tank ships/barges operating in US waters have double hulls by 2015. We model factors influencing oil spills and test whether OPA 90 helped reduce the number of those spills. After accounting for causal factors, both increased liability and double hulls were statistically significant factors in reducing the number of spills.     

Local remineralization patterns in the mesopelagic zone of the Eastern North Atlantic, off the NW Iberian Peninsula

The short-time-scale variability of the remineralization patterns in the domain of Eastern North Atlantic Central Waters (ENACW) off the NW Iberian Peninsula is studied based on biogeochemical data (oxygen, nutrient salts, total alkalinity, pH, dissolved organic matter and fluorescence of dissolved humic substances) collected weekly between May 2001 and April 2002. The temporal variability of inorganic variables points to an intensification of remineralization during the summer and autumn, with an increase of nutrients, total inorganic carbon and fluorescence and a decrease of oxygen. During the subsequent winter mixing, there is a biogeochemical reset of the system, with lower nutrients, total inorganic carbon and fluorescence and higher oxygen. In contrast to inorganic variables, the levels of dissolved organic matter in the ENACW seem to respond to short-term events probably associated with fast sinking particles, where solubilisation of organic matter prevails over remineralization. Applying a previously published stoichiometric model, we observed a vertical fractionation of organic-matter remineralization. Although there is a preferential remineralization of proteins and P compounds in the entire domain of ENACW, the percentage was higher in the upper ENACW (σ<27.10 kg/m³) than in the lower; the percentage of N and P compounds in the oxidised organic matter was >80% for the upper ENACW and 63% for the lower. Likewise, the redissolution of calcareous structures contributes about 6% and 13% to the carbon regenerated in the upper and lower layers of ENACW, respectively.     

Effects of seawater acidification on hydrolytic enzyme activities

We have investigated the effects of seawater acidification on the activities of leucine aminopeptidase (LAPase), β-glucosidase (BGase), phosphatase (P-ase), α-glucosidase (AGase), and lipase (L-ase), which are important promoters of degradation of marine organic matter, including proteins, carbohydrates, organic phosphorus compounds, and lipids. Seawater samples were collected from a eutrophic coastal area, from Tokyo Bay, and from oligotrophic pelagic waters outside the Kuroshio Current. Enzyme activities were measured using fluorogenic substrates added to the seawater samples, which were acidified from pH 8.2 to 5.6 by a chemical buffer. Spontaneous hydrolysis of the substrates was shown to be negligible in heat-inactivated control samples, thus validating our results. LAPase was the most sensitive to acidification; enzyme activity rapidly decreased from pH 8.2 to 7.8, corresponding to a realistic scenario of ocean acidification. L-ase activity also decreased with acidification. Activities of P-ase and BGase were relatively constant across the pH levels examined, suggesting that their activity is not appreciably influenced by acidification. The effect of acidification on P-ase activities differed between the coastal and semipelagic samples, and this was likely due to freshwater influence at the nearshore station. Because of the low activity of AGase in the sample, the effect of acidification on this enzyme could not be examined. The effects of acidification on enzyme activity appear to vary depending on enzyme type and location, but we conclude that acidification will cause changes in the cycling of organic matter in marine ecosystems, in particular to proteinous and lipid substances.     

A multi-model study of the restratification phase in an idealized convection basin

The representation of baroclinic instability in numerical models depends strongly upon the model physics and significant differences may be found depending on the vertical discretization of the governing dynamical equations. This dependency is explored in the context of the restratification of an idealized convective basin with no external forcing. A comparison is made between an isopycnic model including a mixed layer (the Miami Isopycnic Coordinate Ocean Model, MICOM), its adiabatic version (MICOM-ADIAB) in which the mixed layer physics are removed and the convective layer is described by a deep adiabatic layer outcropping at the surface instead of a thick dense mixed layer, and a z-coordinate model (OPA model).In the absence of a buoyancy source at the surface, the mixed layer geometry in MICOM prevents almost any retreat of this layer. As a result, lateral heat exchanges in the upper layers are limited while mass transfers across the outer boundary of the deep convective mixed layer result in an unrealistic outward spreading of this layer. Such a widespread deep mixed layer maintains a low level of baroclinic instability, and therefore limits lateral heat exchanges in the upper layers over most of the model domain. The behavior of the adiabatic isopycnic model and z-coordinate model is by far more satisfactory although contrasted features can be observed between the two simulations. In MICOM-ADIAB, the more baroclinic dynamics introduce a stronger contrast between the surface and the dense waters in the eddy kinetic energy and heat flux distributions. Better preservation of the density contrasts around the dense water patch maintains more persistent baroclinic instability, essentially associated with the process of dense water spreading. The OPA simulation shows a faster growth of the eddy kinetic energy in the early stages of the restratification which is attributed to more efficient baroclinic instability and leads to the most rapid buoyancy restoring in the convective area among the three simulations. Dense water spreading and warm surface capping occur on fairly similar time scales in MICOM-ADIAB although the former is more persistent that the latter. In this model, heat is mainly transported by anticyclonic eddies in the dense layer while both cyclonic and anticyclonic eddies are involved in the upper layers. In OPA, heat is mainly brought into the convective zone through the export of cold water trapped in cyclonic eddies with a strong barotropic structure. Probably the most interesting difference between the z-coordinate and the adiabatic isopycnic model is found in the temperature distribution ultimately produced by the restratification process. OPA generates a spurious volume of intermediate water which is not seen in MICOM-ADIAB where the volume of the dense water is preserved.     

Governing marine protected areas: Social–ecological resilience through institutional diversity

Marine protected areas (MPAs) worldwide are facing increasing driving forces, which represent a major and increasing challenge for MPA governance. The Marine Protected Area Governance (MPAG) project examined a range of different incentives – economic, interpretative, knowledge, legal and participative – employed to address the driving forces and promote effectiveness in 20 case studies across the globe. This paper argues that, regardless of the MPA governance approach adopted (i.e., government-led, decentralised, private or community-led), resilience in MPA governance systems derives from employing a diversity of inter-connected incentives. The significance of institutional diversity to governance systems parallels that of species diversity to ecosystems, conferring resilience to the overall socio–ecological system. The paper concludes that, in the face of strong driving forces, rather than relying on particular types of incentives and institutions, it is important to recognise that the key to resilience is diversity, both of species in ecosystems and of institutions in governance systems.     

Induction of cytochrome P4501A and biliary PAH metabolites in European eel Anguilla anguilla: Seasonal, dose- and time-response variability in field and laboratory conditions

Induction of cytochrome P4501A in fish is a well-known indicator of exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and determination of PAH metabolites in bile by fixed wavelength fluorescence (FF) or synchronous fluorescence spectroscopy (SFS), has become an useful method in monitoring programs. In this work the relationship between cytochrome P4501A (EROD activity) and levels of biliary PAH metabolites was measured in the European eel Anguilla anguilla, in both field and laboratory conditions: organisms were sampled on a seasonal basis from the Orbetello lagoon (Tuscany) to characterize the natural variability of these biological parameters, while in laboratory eels were intraperitoneally injected with benzo[a]pyrene to investigate temporal and dose-dependent induction patterns. Results showed that induction of cytochrome P450 and accumulation of PAHs metabolites in bile are not necessarily correlated either in field, or in laboratory investigations; different seasonal changes were measured in natural conditions and slight variations in dose and time response patterns were also obtained in laboratory exposures.     

Characterization of the binding sites for Al(III) and Be(II) in a sample of marine fulvic acids

A sample of coastal marine fulvic acids (mfua) was studied and its binding site structures that form stable complexes with metal ions were identified. A previously developed self-modeling methodology, based on the coupling of synchronous fluorescence (SyF) spectroscopy with evolving factor analysis (EFA), was used for the analysis of the interactions between mfua and two metal ions that act as probes for binding sites, namely Be(II) and Al(III). Two types of binding site structures were detected, probably of the salicylic acid and catechol types. The values of the conditional stability constants between mfua and the two metal ions were: for Be(II), at pH = 6, log K = 5.32(8); for Al(III), at pH = 4, log K = 5.1(2). The concentration of the corresponding binding sites was found to be less than one half of those found for soil fulvic acid samples.     

Reef fish display station-keeping and ranging behaviour in the Pondoland Marine Protected Area on the east coast of South Africa

This study assessed the role of the Pondoland Marine Protected Area (MPA) in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa by evaluating retention versus ‘spillover’ of exploited fishery species that were tagged in a 400 km² no-take zone of the MPA. From April 2006 to July 2010, 2 124 fish comprising 36 species were tagged in the MPA, with an overall recapture rate of 23%. Findings for four important species (Polysteganus praeorbitalis, Chrysoblephus puniceus, Epinephelus andersoni and Epinephelus marginatus) are presented. Recapture rates ranged from 8% to 60% and time-at-liberty from 0 to 1 390 d. Individuals of all four species displayed highly localised station-keeping behaviour. For all four species, the 95th percentile of intra-study site movements was <750 m (linear distance) and many recaptures were within 250 m of the release site, showing that some fish spend most of their time in the MPA's no-take zone. However, some fish moved beyond the boundary of this zone in a north-easterly direction (range 3–1 059 km), where they would be available to the boat-based fishery in KwaZulu-Natal. The combination of resident individuals with some with ranging behaviour suggests that the MPA can provide a conservation role for these species, while exporting some individuals into nearby fisheries.