Exploitation-related reef fish species richness depletion in the epicenter of marine biodiversity

The central Visayan region of the Philippines historically has the highest concentration of coral reef fishes than any other large marine area in the world. This well-supported biogeographic phenomenon is contradicted by recent transect observations on coral reefs that indicates that the Visayan region and the southern Philippine Sea region have the lowest species richness in the Philippines. The Visayan region has unusually low counts of species typically exploited in fisheries and the aquarium trade. This evidence, coupled with numerous reports of intense fishing and habitat degradation and subsequent species declines at local scales suggests that this exploitation is having a cumulative effect on the overall species richness of the Visayan region. Successes in Marine Protected Areas in this region in increasing species richness at local scales suggests that improved management of these protected areas coupled with much more intensive fisheries management will be key to reviving a healthy biodiversity in the Visayas.