@article{eggleston_parsons_2008, title={Disturbance-induced 'spill-in' of Caribbean spiny lobster to marine reserves}, volume={371}, ISSN={["1616-1599"]}, DOI={10.3354/meps07699}, abstractNote={Marine reserves have the potential to enhance fisheries productivity by increasing total spawning potential or by spillover, the migration of juveniles and adults from reserves to non-reserve areas. Spillover has been the focus of many studies and has been an important argument in promot- ing the benefits of marine reserves to gain public support. Few studies, however, have examined mechanisms for colonization or migrations into marine reserves. The present study provides direct field evidence that disturbance from a sport diving fishery can elevate the abundance of Caribbean spiny lobster Panulirus argus in nearby marine reserves—particularly in reserves containing rela- tively high densities of non-disturbed lobsters—presumably through conspecific attraction where lobsters follow chemical cues to undisturbed sites in marine reserves. Population redistribution fol- lowing fishery disturbance has implications for marine reserve design and application. For example, risk-averse fishery management strategies might locate reserves adjacent to intensely fished areas to enhance spill-in of mobile species.}, journal={MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES}, author={Eggleston, David B. and Parsons, Darren M.}, year={2008}, pages={213–220} }
 @article{eggleston_parsons_kellison_plaia_johnson_2008, title={Functional response of sport divers to lobsters with application to fisheries management}, volume={18}, ISSN={["1939-5582"]}, DOI={10.1890/06-1409.1}, abstractNote={Fishery managers must understand the dynamics of fishers and their prey to successfully predict the outcome of management actions. We measured the impact of a two-day exclusively recreational fishery on Caribbean spiny lobster in the Florida Keys, USA, over large spatial scales (>100 km) and multiple years and used a theoretical, predator-prey functional response approach to identify whether or not sport diver catch rates were density-independent (type I) or density-dependent (type II or III functional response), and if catch rates were saturated (i.e., reached an asymptote) at relatively high lobster densities. We then describe how this predator-prey framework can be applied to fisheries management for spiny lobster and other species. In the lower Keys, divers exhibited a type-I functional response, whereby they removed a constant and relatively high proportion of lobsters (0.74-0.84) across all pre-fishing-season lobster densities. Diver fishing effort increased in a linear manner with lobster prey densities, as would be expected with a type-I functional response, and was an order of magnitude lower in the upper Keys than lower Keys. There were numerous instances in the upper Keys where the density of lobsters actually increased from before to after the fishing season, suggesting some type of "spill-in effect" from surrounding diver-disturbed areas. With the exception of isolated reefs in the upper Keys, the proportion of lobsters removed by divers was density independent (type-I functional response) and never reached saturation at natural lobster densities. Thus, recreational divers have a relatively simple predatory response to spiny lobster, whereby catch rates increase linearly with lobster density such that catch is a reliable indicator of abundance. Although diver predation is extremely high (approximately 80%), diver predation pressure is not expected to increase proportionally with a decline in lobster density (i.e., a depensatory response), which could exacerbate local extinction. Furthermore, management actions that reduce diver effort should have a concomitant and desired reduction in catch. The recreational diver-lobster predator-prey construct in this study provides a useful predictive framework to apply to both recreational and commercial fisheries, and on which to build as management actions are implemented.}, number={1}, journal={ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS}, author={Eggleston, David B. and Parsons, Darren M. and Kellison, G. Todd and Plaia, Gayle R. and Johnson, Eric G.}, year={2008}, month={Jan}, pages={258–272} }
 @article{parsons_eggleston_2007, title={Potential population and economic consequences of sublethal injuries in the spiny lobster fishery of the Florida Keys}, volume={58}, ISSN={["1323-1650"]}, DOI={10.1071/MF06149}, abstractNote={

Animals that interact with but are not retained by fishing gears may later die. The population and economic consequences of these sublethal fishery interactions are seldom known but may be significant. In the present study, a population model was used to quantify potential population and economic consequences of injuries that Caribbean spiny lobsters (Panulirus argus) sustain from fishing activities in the Florida Keys, USA. Injuries generated by the fishery are known to reduce growth and elevate mortality. Simulation modelling results indicated that injuries may reduce adult lobster abundance and associated landings by ≥50% in areas with high recreational fishing effort. When simulated injuries were ~20 times lower (representing areas with lower fishing effort), these injuries were only responsible for a 5 and 8% reduction in the adult lobster population and commercial landings respectively. Important parameters within the model (growth, time in stage and mortality of injured lobsters) were altered by ±10% to assess model sensitivity. Final results changed <10% (with the exception of one 15% change), suggesting that model output was relatively insensitive to variation in key parameters. When the impact of sublethal injuries was applied to the entire spiny lobster fishery in the Florida Keys, adult stock biomass and annual commercial landings were reduced by 900 and 160 t (US$1.6 million) respectively. These results suggest that sublethal fishery interactions can lead to high population and economic losses, and highlight the need to incorporate sublethal injuries into stock assessments and economic models.
}, number={2}, journal={MARINE AND FRESHWATER RESEARCH}, author={Parsons, D. M. and Eggleston, D. B.}, year={2007}, pages={166–177} }
 @article{parsons_eggleston_2006, title={Human and natural predators combine to alter behavior and reduce survival of Caribbean spiny lobster}, volume={334}, ISSN={["0022-0981"]}, DOI={10.1016/j.jembe.2006.01.020}, abstractNote={Fishing disturbance can have indirect negative effects on animal behavior and survival, but receives little attention compared to measures of direct fisheries extraction. We quantified changes in the density of Caribbean spiny lobster Panulirus argus when exposed to experimental human disturbance and injury typical of sport-diver harvest attempts in the field. A complementary study in a large seawater arena quantified lobster sheltering behavior and survival when exposed to the single and combined effects of human disturbance and triggerfish Balistes capriscus predators. Human disturbance and injury of lobsters in the field caused lobsters to emigrate from shelters that had been typically occupied over successive days. Similarly, both the presence of triggerfish predators and human disturbance promoted decreased lobster shelter fidelity to individual shelters in the arena. Overall shelter use and gregariousness increased in the presence of natural triggerfish predators but not as a function of human disturbance. Decreased shelter use and gregariousness by lobsters when exposed to human disturbance may have contributed to their decreased survival when exposed simultaneously to triggerfish. These results highlight how human disturbance and injury of lobsters can alter their behavior and reduce subsequent survival in the presence of their natural predators, and illustrate the need to incorporate the negative effects of sport-divers into models that estimate population demographic rates.}, number={2}, journal={JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL MARINE BIOLOGY AND ECOLOGY}, author={Parsons, DM and Eggleston, DB}, year={2006}, month={Jul}, pages={196–205} }
 @article{parsons_egli_2005, title={Fish movement in a temperate marine reserve: New insights through application of acoustic tracking}, volume={39}, ISSN={["1948-1209"]}, DOI={10.4031/002533205787521703}, abstractNote={In this review we present the progression of research that has led to the current level of understanding of snapper (Pagrus auratus: Sparidae) movement and protection effects in NE New Zealand marine reserves. Mark and recapture, florescent elastomer tags, acoustic tracking at
 varying spatial scales and geolocation tags were applied to examine fish behavior. Results from each method revealed new insight into teleost behavior. This advocates the importance of using the appropriate method depending on the spatial and temporal scales, to avoid making premature conclusions.
 We propose that the continuum of movement behaviors observed may have resulted partially from a range of factors that change once a marine reserve is established. Examining movement and response to protection in no-take reserves is crucial to provide a scientific basis for efficient future
 marine reserve design.}, number={1}, journal={MARINE TECHNOLOGY SOCIETY JOURNAL}, author={Parsons, D and Egli, D}, year={2005}, pages={56–63} }
 @article{parsons_eggleston_2005, title={Indirect effects of recreational fishing on behavior of the spiny lobster Panulirus argus}, volume={303}, ISSN={["0171-8630"]}, DOI={10.3354/meps303235}, abstractNote={Sublethal disturbance may lead to behavioral modifications that have detrimental con- sequences for the individual. Sublethal disturbance is an indirect effect of fishing that has seldom been examined. In summer 2003, we conducted surveys on the Caribbean spiny lobster Panulirus argus in the Florida Keys, USA, before and after a 2 d mini-season exclusively for recreational sport- divers to assess the frequency of injured lobsters. We also conducted (1) a tethering experiment to assess the influence of disturbance and injury on predation-induced mortality, and (2) Y-maze labo- ratory experiments to assess the effect of injury and disturbance on the shelter choice of conspecifics. Injury surveys revealed an immediate increase (to 27.16%) in the percentage of injured lobsters from pre- to post mini-season within patch reef habitats, but only a small increase in injured lobsters amongst patch head habitats. Tethering trials revealed that injured lobsters were more likely to suc- cumb to predation than uninjured controls, while the shelter choice experiments demonstrated that the usual ability to attract conspecifics was altered by injury. Considering the ability of this fishery to unintentionally injure >25% of the lobster population in patch reef habitats in just 2 d, the potential population consequences to spiny lobsters must be examined.}, journal={MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES}, author={Parsons, DM and Eggleston, DB}, year={2005}, pages={235–244} }
 @article{parsons_shears_babcock_haggitt_2004, title={Fine-scale habitat change in a marine reserve, mapped using radio-acoustically positioned video transects}, volume={55}, ISSN={["1323-1650"]}, DOI={10.1071/MF03190}, abstractNote={

Large-scale changes in subtidal reef habitats have occurred within the Leigh Marine Reserve (New Zealand) since its establishment in 1976. To determine the extent of habitat change within Goat Island Bay, video transects positioned by a radio acoustic positioning telemetry (RAPT) system were used to map habitats within a Geographic Information System (GIS) framework. This map was compared to a map of the same area constructed 22 years earlier in 1978. Visual categorisation of habitats was consistent with the quantification of habitat-forming species within quadrats, justifying the creation of a map based on visually interpreted video footage. Furthermore, the large-scale changes in habitats were consistent with smaller-scale changes in community structure identified at permanent sites located in the study area. The most obvious changes were the total disappearance of ‘urchin barrens’ across all depths and the recovery of kelp forest in water <8 m, caused by a trophic cascade related to predator recovery. In water > 12 m, the extent of kelp forest and sponge flats was found to decrease by 25 and 33%, respectively, while turfing algal habitat had increased by 50%. This increase in turfing algal habitat had not been previously documented due to the spatial scale of traditional sampling methods.
}, number={3}, journal={MARINE AND FRESHWATER RESEARCH}, author={Parsons, DM and Shears, NT and Babcock, RC and Haggitt, TR}, year={2004}, pages={257–265} }
 @article{parsons_babcock_hankin_willis_aitken_rk o'dor_jackson_2003, title={Snapper Pagrus auratus (Sparidae) home range dynamics: acoustic tagging studies in a marine reserve}, volume={262}, ISSN={["1616-1599"]}, DOI={10.3354/meps262253}, abstractNote={The home-range size and location of reef-associated snapper Pagrus auratus: Sparidae
were investigated by use of a radio acoustic-positioning telemetry (RAPT) system. Tags were surgically
implanted in 5 snapper that were subsequently monitored every minute for a period of 5 mo,
and then intermittently over another 7 mo. Site fidelity was high amongst these fish, with home
ranges not exceeding 650 m in diameter or 139 600 m2 in area. Eleven other snapper received tags by
feeding and were tracked for periods of up to 2.5 d. Site fidelity was also high for these fish, with standardised
estimates of home-range size not differing between the 2 groups. Home ranges overlapped
considerably, indicating that the fish were not territorial. The location of the home ranges generally
remained stable throughout the entire tracking period, although 1 fish relocated its home range by
~220 m. A new method of home-range estimation was developed, which matched the level of detail
provided by the RAPT system, to directly estimate the time spent in an area. The relevance of this
method and the residential behaviour of these fish are discussed, with reference to the general
understanding of animal behaviour, previous investigations into snapper movement, and the selective
capacity that may be imposed by marine reserves on fish behaviour.}, number={2003}, journal={MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES}, author={Parsons, DM and Babcock, RC and Hankin, RKS and Willis, TJ and Aitken, JP and RK O'Dor and Jackson, GD}, year={2003}, pages={253–265} }