Effect of fisheries and benthic habitat on the ecological and functional diversity of fish at the Cayos Cochinos coral reefs (Honduras)

The Cayos Cochinos archipelago forms part of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System (MBRS) and is one of the first marine protected areas (MPAs) created in Honduras in 1993. However, it has endured historical fishery exploitation prior to protective efforts. The objective of this study was to evaluate the fish assemblages of the archipelago from an ecological and functional diversity perspective in order to test the hypothesis that the low live coral cover, reduced habitat complexity, and overfishing have decreased the biological, ecological, and functional diversity of fish. Our results indicate that the fish assemblages have a high species richness and ecological diversity, compared with other reefs of the MBRS. The sub-massive corals sustain the fish ecological and functional diversity, while leafy corals were associated with low functional diversity. Also, we identified sites with fish assemblages that are in good condition (e.g., Roatan Bank), which can be considered to be a control point for the evaluation of other sites within this MPA. Unfortunately, we also identified sites that were overexploited (e.g., Salamandinga), with low live coral cover and reduced habitat complexity, which also generated a low ecological and functional diversity. This study highlights a functional approach to evaluate fish assemblage conservation in MPAs. This work revealed that habitat complexity loss and overfishing negatively affect functional fish diversity.