Reef sharks exhibit site-fidelity and higher relative abundance in marine reserves on the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef

Carcharhinid sharks can make up a large fraction of the top predators inhabiting tropical marine ecosystems and have declined in many regions due to intense fishing pressure. There is some support for the hypothesis that carcharhinid species that complete their life-cycle within coral reef ecosystems, hereafter referred to as “reef sharks”, are more abundant inside no-take marine reserves due to a reduction in fishing pressure (i.e., they benefit from marine reserves). Key predictions of this hypothesis are that (a) individual reef sharks exhibit high site-fidelity to these protected areas and (b) their relative abundance will generally be higher in these areas compared to fished reefs. To test this hypothesis for the first time in Caribbean coral reef ecosystems we combined acoustic monitoring and baited remote underwater video (BRUV) surveys to measure reef shark site-fidelity and relative abundance, respectively. We focused on the Caribbean reef shark (Carcharhinus perezi), the most common reef shark in the Western Atlantic, at Glover''s Reef Marine Reserve (GRMR), Belize. Acoustically tagged sharks (N = 34) were detected throughout the year at this location and exhibited strong site-fidelity. Shark presence or absence on 200 BRUVs deployed at GRMR and three other sites (another reserve site and two fished reefs) showed that the factor “marine reserve” had a significant positive effect on reef shark presence. We rejected environmental factors or site-environment interactions as predominant drivers of this pattern. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that marine reserves can benefit reef shark populations and we suggest new hypotheses to determine the underlying mechanism(s) involved: reduced fishing mortality or enhanced prey availability.     

Abundance and distribution of inshore fish in fished and protected areas in Lake Kariba,Zimbabwe

Abundance and size distribution of inshore fish populations was assessed by fishing with standard Lundgren survey gill-nets in areas open to fishing and reserved areas that are protected from fishing activities.The direct gradient analysis technique — Detrended Canonical Correspondence Analysis — revealed that fish abundance and their composition in Lake Kariba are strongly structured by lake morphometry.The comparison between fished and reserve areas showed that there was a significant reduction in mean length of commercially fished species in the fished areas and the size distribution curves were skewed, lacking small and large length classes. There was a higher abundance of non-commercial species in the fished areas. It was also revealed that the mochokid Synodontis zambezensis Peters 1852, was the most abundant species and was present at all depths sampled in all the stations.There were indications that non-commercial species were important in terms of abundance in the fished areas. These included S. zambezenzis, Schilbe intermedius (Ruppell, 1832) and other smaller species. This was attributed to them being selected against in the gill-nets.     

Fiji’s largest marine reserve benefits reef sharks

To provide more information about whether sharks benefit from no-take marine reserves, we quantified the relative abundance and biomass of reef sharks inside and outside of Namena, Fiji’s largest reserve (60.6 km²). Using stereo baited remote underwater video systems (stereo-BRUVs), we found that the abundance and biomass of sharks was approximately two and four times greater in shallow and deep locations, respectively, within the Namena reserve compared to adjacent fished areas. The greater abundance and biomass of reef sharks inside Namena is likely a result of greater prey availability rather than protection from fishing. This study demonstrates that marine reserves can benefit sharks.     

马鞍列岛褐菖鲉Sebasticus marmoratus栖息地适宜性评价

为了评估趋礁鱼类在岛礁海域的生境适宜度,选取马鞍列岛的褐菖鲉(Sebasticus marmoratus)为指示物种,以2009年获取的水深、盐度、叶绿素a、浊度和底质数据作为褐菖鲉春、冬季栖息地指示因子,建立栖息地适宜度曲线,并计算各站点的栖息地适宜性指数(HSI)。结果显示:1)绿华、花鸟、嵊山沿岸站点HSI普遍较低,枸杞岛、三横山、东库山沿岸站点褐菖鲉HSI相对较高,其中最大值1.0出现在枸杞岛沿岸的站点;2)春季褐菖鲉幼鱼的适宜水深在6 m左右,成鱼适宜在8—12 m的水深处生存;冬季褐菖鲉对8—12 m的水深适宜性良好;3)春季所有褐菖鲉的适宜盐度为30PSU,冬季幼鱼的适宜盐度为27—31PSU,成鱼的适宜盐度为27PSU、31PSU;4)随着叶绿素a和浊度值的增大,褐菖鲉适宜性逐渐降低。底质类型为岩时最适合褐菖鲉生存。5)相关分析显示,褐菖鲉丰度与底质类型相关性最大,而与叶绿素a、浊度呈显著负相关。研究结果表明,初级生产力和浑浊程度越高对褐菖鲉丰度抑制越明显。底质类型是褐菖鲉丰度分布的重要影响因子,其中分布有较多大型海藻的岩礁生境是其最适宜的栖息地。利用2010年春、冬季环境调查和渔获数据进行HSI模型验证,资源丰度随HSI值升高而增加,因此构建的模型可用于趋礁鱼类在岛礁海域的栖息地适宜性分析。     

Larval export from marine reserves and the recruitment benefit for fish and fisheries

Marine reserves, areas closed to all forms of fishing, continue to be advocated and implemented to supplement fisheries and conserve populations. However, although the reproductive potential of important fishery species can dramatically increase inside reserves, the extent to which larval offspring are exported and the relative contribution of reserves to recruitment in fished and protected populations are unknown. Using genetic parentage analyses, we resolve patterns of larval dispersal for two species of exploited coral reef fish within a network of marine reserves on the Great Barrier Reef. In a 1,000 km(2) study area, populations resident in three reserves exported 83% (coral trout, Plectropomus maculatus) and 55% (stripey snapper, Lutjanus carponotatus) of assigned offspring to fished reefs, with the remainder having recruited to natal reserves or other reserves in the region. We estimate that reserves, which account for just 28% of the local reef area, produced approximately half of all juvenile recruitment to both reserve and fished reefs within 30 km. Our results provide compelling evidence that adequately protected reserve networks can make a significant contribution to the replenishment of populations on both reserve and fished reefs at a scale that benefits local stakeholders.     

Spatial and temporal variation of abundance,biomass and diversity within marine reserves in the Philippines

Aim The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of protection duration (years of fishing closure) and location (distance from shore) on reef fish diversity. Location Danajon Double Barrier Reef, Bohol, Philippines. Methods Reef fish abundance and size structure, by species, were obtained monthly using replicated underwater visual belt transects (n = 8; 70 × 5‐m belt transects) over 3 years (2002–2005) at eight sites that included six marine reserves and two unprotected reef areas. We analysed species accumulation curves, diversity indices and abundance–biomass comparison (ABC) curves within and across the study sites to assess the influence of protection duration and location. Results Analyses showed that longer protection duration impacted reef fish diversity at both inshore and offshore sites by shifting ABC curves from higher abundance than biomass curves at fished sites to higher biomass than abundance curves at most of the protected sites. Protection duration did not significantly influence either the rate of species accumulation within sites or the 12 diversity indices measured across the study sites. The offshore sites consistently showed higher rates of species accumulation and diversity indices values than inshore sites with similar protection duration. One protected offshore young marine reserve site that has been assessed as the least well‐managed showed patterns more consistent with the fished sites. Main conclusions Analyses showed that protection duration mainly impacted diversity by increasing the dominance of large‐bodied species and enhancing total biomass. Besides protection duration, reserve location influenced species accumulation curves and diversity indices.     

Large-scale associations between macroalgal cover and grazer biomass on mid-depth reefs in the Caribbean

Since the 1970s, macroalgae have become considerably more abundant on many Caribbean reefs and overfishing of grazing fishes has been implicated as a contributory factor. We explored relationships between algal cover and grazers (biomass of herbivorous fishes and abundance of the sea-urchin Diadema antillarum) on mid-depth reefs (12-15 m) in 19 areas at seven locations in Jamaica, Barbados, Belize, Grand Cayman and Cuba, between April 1997 and April 1998. Diadema antillarum density was never >0.01 m^-2, while herbivorous fish biomass (acanthurids and scarids ⁸ cm total length) varied from 2-5 g m^-2 in Jamaica to 17.1 g m^-2 in Barbados, and was strongly correlated, negatively with macroalgal cover and positively with 'cropped' substratum (sum of 'bare', turf and crustose-coralline substrata) cover. However, overfishing of herbivorous fishes alone cannot explain the widespread abundance of macroalgae, as even on lightly fished reefs, macroalgal cover was mostly >20%. Herbivorous fish populations on those reefs were apparently only able to maintain approximately 40-60% of reef substratum in cropped states, but due to low space-occupation by coral and other invertebrates, 70-90% of substratum was available to algae. The abundance of macroalgae on lightly fished reefs may therefore be a symptom of low coral cover in combination with the continuing absence of Diadema antillarum.     

Isolated reefs support stable fish communities with high abundances of regionally fished species

Anthropogenic impacts at isolated and inaccessible reefs are often minimal, offering rare opportunities to observe fish assemblages in a relatively undisturbed state. The remote Rowley Shoals are regarded as one of the healthiest reef systems in the Indian Ocean with demonstrated resilience to natural disturbance, no permanent human population nearby, low visitation rates, and large protected areas where fishing prohibitions are enforced. We used baited remote underwater video systems (BRUVS) to quantify fish assemblages and the relative abundance of regionally fished species within the lagoon, on the slope and in the mesophotic habitat at the Rowley Shoals at three times spanning 14 years and compared abundances of regionally fished species and the length distributions of predatory species to other isolated reefs in the northeast Indian Ocean. Fish assemblage composition and the relative abundance of regionally fished species were remarkably stable through time. We recorded high abundances of regionally fished species relative to other isolated reefs, including globally threatened humphead Maori wrasse (Cheilinus undulatus) and bumphead parrotfish (Bolbometopon muricatum). Length distributions of fish differed among habitats at the Rowley Shoals, suggesting differences in ontogenetic shifts among species. The Cocos (Keeling) Islands typically had larger‐bodied predatory species than at the Rowley Shoals. Differences in geomorphology, lagoonal habitats, and fishing history likely contribute to the differences among remote reefs. Rowley Shoals is a rare example of a reef system demonstrating ecological stability in reef fish assemblages during a time of unprecedented degradation of coral reefs.     

Evidence of artisanal fishing impacts and depth refuge in assemblages of Fijian reef fish

Protection from fishing generally results in an increase in the abundance and biomass of species targeted by fisheries within marine reserve boundaries. Natural refuges such as depth may also protect such species, yet few studies in the Indo Pacific have investigated the effects of depth concomitant with marine reserves. We studied the effects of artisanal fishing and depth on reef fish assemblages in the Kubulau District of Vanua Levu Island, Fiji, using baited remote underwater stereo-video systems. Video samples were collected from shallow (5–8 m) and deep (25–30 m) sites inside and outside of a large old marine reserve (60.6 km², 13 years old) and a small new marine reserve (4.25 km², 4 years old). Species richness tended to be greater in the shallow waters of the large old reserve when compared to fished areas. In the deeper waters, species richness appeared to be comparable. The difference in shallow waters was driven by species targeted by fisheries, indicative of a depth refuge effect. In contrast, differences in the abundance composition of the fish assemblage existed between protected and fished areas for deep sites, but not shallow. Fish species targeted by local fisheries were 89% more abundant inside the large old reserve than surrounding fished areas, while non-targeted species were comparable. We observed no difference in the species richness or abundance of species targeted by fisheries inside and outside of the small new reserve. This study suggests that artisanal fishing impacts on the abundance and species richness of coral reef fish assemblages and effects of protection are more apparent with large reserves that have been established for a long period of time. Observed effects of protection also vary with depth, highlighting the importance of explicitly incorporating multiple depth strata in studies of marine reserves.     

Effects of reef-top gathering and fishing on invertebrate abundance across take and no-take zones

Gathering of molluscs on the reef-top, largely by women, is part of the traditional fishery practised by Bedouin in South Sinai, Egypt. The catch is dominated by Tridacna spp. and Octopus spp. Within the Nabq Managed Resource Protected Area, on the southern Gulf of Aqaba coast, a network of no-take zones (NTZs) was established (in 1995) to promote sustainable management of finfish stocks. Since this zoning also applied to exploitation of invertebrates, surveys of large species of molluscs and echinoderms across selected NTZs and adjacent fished areas were conducted (over 2000-2002) to assess any effects of gathering. Pooled data from all three years showed significantly higher abundances of Tridacna and Tectus dentatus in the NTZs, with greater abundances occurring at the reef edge zone. Size-frequency distributions revealed both a greater size range of Tridacna and a greater mean size of both Tridacna and Te. dentatus, within the NTZs, as compared to the fished areas. The size-frequency distribution of gleaned Tridacna, determined from discarded shells, also showed a smaller size range than did live Tridacna within the NTZs. By contrast, holothurians, which are not currently exploited by the local Bedouin, showed greater abundance in fished areas than in NTZs. Large diadematid sea urchins, along with the non-commercial strombs, Strombus gibberulus and Strombus fasciatus, were also significantly more abundant within fished areas, an effect presumed due to reduced predation pressure from fish as a result of fishing. Within the fished areas, there was a positive relationship between local abundance of Tridacna and of diadematids, thought to be due to high densities of the urchins acting as a deterrent against gathering. The establishment of NTZs has led to significant differences in invertebrate populations between take zones (TZ) and no-take zones. However, since there can be little or no spillover of adults of less mobile or sedentary invertebrates from NTZs to fished areas, any benefit to the fishery will depend largely on the greater larval production and export from protected populations.     

Environmental and ecological factors influencing the spillover of the non-native kelp, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Undaria pinnatifida</Emphasis>, from marinas into natural rocky reef communities

The non-native kelp, Undaria pinnatifida, is considered one of the world’s worst invasive species. The northeast Atlantic is a hotspot of Undaria invasion, yet there is limited knowledge on its invasion dynamics. In the UK its distribution is strongly associated with artificial structures, primarily marina and harbour pontoons, with relatively few records of Undaria on natural substrates. Here, the southwest UK is used as a case region, to explicitly link Undaria distribution-abundance patterns in artificial marina habitats with those in natural rocky reef habitats. Using a mixture of in situ recording and video survey techniques, Undaria was found at all thirteen marina sites surveyed; but in only 17 of 35 rocky reef sites, all of which were in 2 of the 5 larger systems surveyed (Plymouth Sound and Torbay). The distribution-abundance patterns of Undaria at reef sites were analysed using zero-inflated models. The probability of finding Undaria on rocky reef increased with increasing proximity to marinas with high abundances of Undaria. Total propagule pressure from marinas also increased the probability of occurrence, and was positively related to Undaria abundance and cover at reef sites. Increases in the cover of native kelps, Laminaria spp., and wave exposure at reef sites were linked to a reduced probability of Undaria occurrence, and lower abundance and cover. Identifying high risk areas, natural boundaries and factors affecting the spread and abundance of non-native species in natural habitats is key to future management prioritisation. Where Undaria is confined to artificial substrates management may be deemed a low priority. However, the results of this study suggest that controlling the abundance and propagule pressure in artificial habitats may limit, to some extent, the spillover of Undaria into natural rocky reef habitats, where it has the potential to interact with and influence native communities.     

Comparative predation rates on larval snappers (Lutjanidae) in oceanic, reef, and nearshore waters

The life cycle of most reef fishes involves pelagic larvae entering the nearshore environment to settle to benthic substrates. Settlement is considered to be highly risky as larvae encounter high rates of predation mortality associated with shallow nearshore habitats. This potential bottleneck may be particularly significant for many tropical snapper (Lutjanidae) species which bypass the reef to settle to very nearshore seagrass areas. To test the hypothesis that predation-related mortality increases as naïve late-stage fish larvae leave the offshore oceanic environment and enter the nearshore to settle, relative nocturnal predation rates on tethered late-stage snapper larvae were measured in oceanic, coral reef, and nearshore surface waters of the lower Florida Keys, USA. Both relative predation rate and probability of predation in oceanic areas seaward of the reef was significantly greater than over reef or nearshore seagrass/hardbottom habitats. This surprising result may be due to differences in the density or spatial distribution of potential predators between deep offshore (near flotsam at the surface) and shallow nearshore environments (demersal). These findings suggest that successful late-stage snapper larvae should avoid surface waters in deep oceanic areas and move upward in the water column as they pass over the reef and other shallow nearshore environments prior to settlement.     

Ecology of the introduced snapper Lutjanus kasmiva (Forsskal) in the reef fish assemblage of a Hawaiian bay

Since its first introduction in 1955, the snapper Lutjanus kasmira (taape) has developed large populations in shallow coastal waters of Hawaii. Visual abundance estimates and trap catches of taape were different between the main habitat types of the reef. Overall, taape was the second most abundant species by numbers and biomass over a hard substratum and was patchily distributed, even within habitat type. The largest individuals occurred singly or in small groups on shallow reef slopes; on the deep slopes and in spur-and-groove habitat, taape occurred in larger groups of smaller sized fish. Catches in fish traps showed a negative relationship with the complexity of the adjacent natural substratum, suggesting that traps are more productive where they offer additional cover in areas with less natural cover. In all areas in which traps were used, from fringing reef to open sand, the catch was dominated by taape. Tagging confirmed the theory that taape tend to maintain a limited range over long periods. Tagging results also indicated occasional long-range movements among major habitats and provided data confirming patterns of movement between reef habitat by day and sand habitat by night. Taape collected over open sand substratum by trap and by hook-and-line were smaller than those collected by the same means at the reef. Observations and collections suggested an ontogenetic trend in habitat use by taape from initial settlement in fringe areas toward ultimate residence on the main reef. Other common fish species in the reef assemblages were tested for statistical associations with taape. Although several positive species associations were found, multivariate analysis did not reveal patterns that indicated strong ecological relationships.     

Reef fish assemblages in north-western Sri Lanka: distribution patterns and influences of fishing practises

The distribution and abundance of reef fishes in relation to habitat structure were studied within Bar Reef Marine Sanctuary (BRMS) and on an adjacent reef, disturbed by destructive fishing techniques, in north-western Sri Lanka, by visually censusing 135 species groups using fifty metre belt-transects. Two types of continental shelf patch-reefs are found in the study area: coral reefs and sandstone reefs, which are divided into distinct habitats, four for the coral reef (shallow reef flat, shallow patch reef, deep reef flat and Porites domes) and two for the sandstone reef (structured sandstone-reef and flat sandstone-reef). Fish assemblages varied in structure between reef types and among habitats within reef types. Functional aspects of habitat structure and composition, such as available food and shelter, seemed to be important factors influencing distribution patterns. The strongest separation in the organisation of fish assemblages in BRMS was between reef types: 19% of all species were confined to the coral-reef patches while 22% were restricted to the sandstone reef patches and 59% were represented on both reef types. In terms of distribution among habitats, 21% of all species were restricted to one habitat while only 1.5% were present in all. The highest density of fish was in the coral reef habitats while highest species diversity was found in the most structurally complex habitat: the structured sandstone-reef. This habitat also had the highest proportion of species with restricted distribution. Planktivores were the most abundant trophic group in BRMS, and the species composition of the group varied among habitats. The comparison of the disturbed reef with BRMS suggested that habitat alteration caused by destructive fishing methods has strongly influenced the fish community. Within the fished area the structure of the fish assemblages was more heterogeneous, fish abundance was lower by an order of magnitude and species numbers were lower than in BRMS.     

Ongoing collapse of coral-reef shark populations

Marine ecosystems are suffering severe depletion of apex predators worldwide; shark declines are principally due to conservative life-histories and fisheries overexploitation. On coral reefs, sharks are strongly interacting apex predators and play a key role in maintaining healthy reef ecosystems. Despite increasing fishing pressure, reef shark catches are rarely subject to specific limits, with management approaches typically depending upon no-take marine reserves to maintain populations. Here, we reveal that this approach is failing by documenting an ongoing collapse in two of the most abundant reef shark species on the Great Barrier Reef (Australia). We find an order of magnitude fewer sharks on fished reefs compared to no-entry management zones that encompass only 1% of reefs. No-take zones, which are more difficult to enforce than no-entry zones, offer almost no protection for shark populations. Population viability models of whitetip and gray reef sharks project ongoing steep declines in abundance of 7% and 17% per annum, respectively. These findings indicate that current management of no-take areas is inadequate for protecting reef sharks, even in one of the world's most-well-managed reef ecosystems. Further steps are urgently required for protecting this critical functional group from ecological extinction.     

Comparison of remote video and diver's direct observations to quantify reef fishes feeding on benthos in coral and rocky reefs

This study compared remote underwater video and traditional direct diver observations to assess reef fish feeding impact on benthos across multiple functional groups within different trophic categories (e.g. herbivores, zoobenthivores and omnivores) and in two distinct reef systems: a subtropical rocky reef and a tropical coral reef. The two techniques were roughly equivalent, both detecting the species with higher feeding impact and recording similar bite rates, suggesting that reef fish feeding behaviour at the study areas are not strongly affected by the diver's presence.     

Reef Fishes at All Trophic Levels Respond Positively to Effective Marine Protected Areas

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) offer a unique opportunity to test the assumption that fishing pressure affects some trophic groups more than others. Removal of larger predators through fishing is often suggested to have positive flow-on effects for some lower trophic groups, in which case protection from fishing should result in suppression of lower trophic groups as predator populations recover. We tested this by assessing differences in the trophic structure of reef fish communities associated with 79 MPAs and open-access sites worldwide, using a standardised quantitative dataset on reef fish community structure. The biomass of all major trophic groups (higher carnivores, benthic carnivores, planktivores and herbivores) was significantly greater (by 40% - 200%) in effective no-take MPAs relative to fished open-access areas. This effect was most pronounced for individuals in large size classes, but with no size class of any trophic group showing signs of depressed biomass in MPAs, as predicted from higher predator abundance. Thus, greater biomass in effective MPAs implies that exploitation on shallow rocky and coral reefs negatively affects biomass of all fish trophic groups and size classes. These direct effects of fishing on trophic structure appear stronger than any top down effects on lower trophic levels that would be imposed by intact predator populations. We propose that exploitation affects fish assemblages at all trophic levels, and that local ecosystem function is generally modified by fishing.     

Patterns of abundance and size structure in the blue groper, Achoerodus viridis (Pisces, Labridae): evidence of links between estuaries and coastal reefs

Linkages between estuarine nursery areas and coastal reefs are thought to be important for sustaining populations of some reef fishes. Patterns of abundance and size structure in the blue groper, Achoerodus viridis (Pisces: Labridae), were documented at sites extending from sheltered reefs and seagrass, Zostera capricorni, habitats, in shallows of estuaries, to adjacent exposed reefs in New South Wales, Australia. Numbers of juvenile fish (< 200 mm SL) decreased from shallow to deep areas of reef within a site and from inner to outer estuarine sites within two estuaries. Increased numbers of large fish (> 400 mm SL) were found on the more exposed coastal reefs. These patterns were consistent over the 21/2 year study (May 1991–December 1993). Recruits were found in both seagrass and rocky reef habitat, and showed similar patterns of abundance to juveniles. Recruitment of A. viridis to seagrass habitat occurred in distinct seasonal pulses each year; peak recruitment occurred in September and October of each year. Patterns of abundance and size structure were consistent with a model of estuarine recruitment and movement to the open coast, but alternatives, such as differential mortality, could not be discounted.     

Variation in reef fish and invertebrate communities with level of protection from fishing across the Eastern Tropical Pacific seascape

Aim To quantify general differences in reef community structure between well‐enforced and poorly enforced marine protected areas (MPAs) and fished sites across the Eastern Tropical Pacific (ETP) regional seascape Location The Pacific continental margin and oceanic islands of Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia and Ecuador, including World Heritage sites at Galapagos, Coiba, Cocos and Malpelo Methods Densities of reef fishes, mobile and sessile invertebrates, and macroalgae were quantified using underwater visual surveys at 136 ‘no‐take’ and 54 openly fished sites associated with seven large MPAs that encompassed a range of management strategies. Spatial variation in multivariate and univariate community metrics was related to three levels of fishing pressure (high‐protection MPAs, limited‐protection MPAs, fishing zones) for both continental and oceanic reefs. Results High‐protection MPAs possessed a much greater biomass of higher carnivorous fishes, lower densities of asteroids and Eucidaris spp. urchins, and higher coral cover than limited‐protection MPAs and fished zones. These results were generally consistent with the hypothesis that overfishing of predatory fishes within the ETP has led to increased densities of habitat‐modifying macroinvertebrates, which has contributed to regional declines in coral cover. Major differences in ecological patterns were also evident between continental and oceanic biogeographic provinces. Main conclusions Fishing down the food web, with associated trophic cascades, has occurred to a greater extent along the continental coast than off oceanic islands. Poorly enforced MPAs generate food webs more similar to those present in fished areas than in well‐protected MPAs.     

Energy flow to two abundant consumers in a subtropical oyster reef food web

Oyster reefs are among the most threatened coastal habitat types, but still provide critical habitat and food resources for many estuarine species. The structure of oyster reef food webs is an important framework from which to examine the role of these reefs in supporting high densities of associated fishes. We identified major trophic pathways to two abundant consumers, gray snapper (Lutjanus griseus) and crested goby (Lophogobius cyprinoides), from a subtropical oyster reef using stomach content and stable isotope analysis. The diet of gray snapper was dominated by crabs, with shrimp and fishes also important. Juvenile gray snapper fed almost entirely on oyster reef-associated prey items, while subadults fed on both oyster reef- and mangrove-associated prey. Based on trophic guilds of the gray snapper prey, as well as relative δ¹³C values, microphytobenthos is the most likely basal resource pool supporting gray snapper production on oyster reefs. Crested goby had omnivorous diets dominated by bivalves, small crabs, detritus, and algae, and thus were able to take advantage of prey relying on production from sestonic, as well as microphytobenthos, source pools. In this way, crested goby represent a critical link of sestonic production to higher trophic levels. These results highlight major trophic pathways supporting secondary production in oyster reef habitat, thereby elucidating the feeding relationships that render oyster reef critical habitat for many ecologically and economically important fish species.