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No-take marine conservation areas or reserves where fishing for parrotfish is prohibited makes coral reefs more resilient to coral bleaching and other disturbances indicates a new scientific study.
Lead author of the study Dr. Peter Mumby, who underwent a three-year Pew Marine fellowship project to better understand the health of coral reefs, says the added resilience is important as it shows that protecting parrotfish through such measures, increases the ability of corals to adapt to warming oceans.
According to the Pew Charitable Trusts, Dr. Mumby along with four scientists used a simulation model to study the effects of marine reserves and climate change in Belize.
The study found that in the near term corals are six times more likely to regrow after a disturbance if parrotfish are protected.
In the long term, the study showed that aggressive reduction of greenhouse gas emissions improved coral reef resilience.