Study of the "reserve effect” in the marine protected area of Larvotto

The AMPN is carrying out, in collaboration with the ECOMERS laboratory, the monitoring of fish populations in the marine protected area of Larvotto and in France (Beaulieu, Saint Jean Cap Ferrat, Menton).

The data is collected on similar sites: Posidonia meadow and rock blocks of the dikes. Counts are made by scuba diving, using visual counts, along transects whose width and length are adapted to each environment (seagrass or rock). The comparison between a protected area, the Larvotto, and unprotected areas, makes it possible to analyze the “reserve effect”. The first results show quite marked differences, with more fish species in the Larvotto reserve and larger abundances and sizes. These results are the first to characterize the beneficial effect of the Larvotto marine protected area. These monitorings will be carried out regularly in the future to measure the long-term effects of the protection offered.