Spillover effects of a Mediterranean marine protected area on the European spiny lobster Palinurus elephas (Fabricius, 1787) resource

1. An assessment is made of the reserve’s benefits within the no-take area of Su Pallosu (Western Mediterranean) and in its neighbouring fishing ground in the 12 years since its establishment. 2. Using tag recapture data, Palinurus elephas were found up to 50km from the centre of the reserve. 3. Experimental CPUE inside the no-take area indicated significant increases over time in both abundance and biomass. The percentage increase in biomass from 1997, the year before all forms of fishing were banned, to 2009 was about 500%. Commercial surveys performed in 2008–2009 in the surrounding areas showed a negative gradient of lobster CPUE with increasing distance from the border of the MPA. The most productive zone was located within about 6 km from the reserve boundary. 4. The results show that, to date, adult spillover has aided local fishing. The small size of the study area makes it easy to record a significant biological response after the first year of protection. However, for a long-lived species such as P. elephas, a 12 year horizon can provide only partial evidence of these benefits.