Get to know the importance of Parrotfish.
Parrotfish are more than just a pretty face. The average parrotfish spends up to 90% of its day cleaning the coral reefs. Their sharp beaks allow them to easily scrape algae off corals and rocks, essential for keeping the reefs healthy and thriving. Especially with major stressors such as coral bleaching events and Stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD), they are important for helping coral reefs to recover and regrow.
Coral reefs provide valuable habitats for fish and other animals. People also benefit from the many ecosystem services coral reefs provide including coastal protection, food, and income from tourism and fisheries. In fact, coral reefs are one of the most important sources of income for the Dutch Caribbean islands.
Important grazers
Herbivores, such as parrotfish, are critical in maintaining healthy coral reefs. They help sustain the delicate balance within the reef by grazing on (macro) algae, which are the main competitors for corals for space and light. The average parrotfish spends up to 90% of its day cleaning the reef. Not only does this fish species keep the algae in check, but these herbivores also create new space for baby corals to attach and grow.
Besides removing macroalgae and promoting coral settlement and growth, parrotfish are also natural bioeroders producing sediment by grazing on rocks, calcareous algae and corals (less than 10% of their food). They help recycle nutrients and produce “sand” for (eroded) coastal areas.
Threats
Parrotfish thrive best in healthy coral reef ecosystems. Therefore, these fish are subjected to the same threats as corals. This includes the negative effects of climate change, ocean acidification, pollution , and diseases such as Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease (SCTLD). In addition, overfishing can quickly wipe out local parrotfish populations. Studies show that reefs are healthier and have a higher recovery resilience capability in locations where parrotfish are protected. This highlights the importance of parrotfish for reefs to be able to recover and regrow from these threats.
Protecting Parrotfish
In the Dutch Caribbean- on Bonaire and Aruba- there are local rules and regulations to protect all parrotfish. It is prohibited to catch, kill, wound, or disturb them. The Kingdom of Netherlands has also submitted a proposal to include all parrotfish in Annex III of the Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife (SPAW) Protocol. SPAW is a regional agreement for the protection and sustainable use of coastal and marine biodiversity in the Wider Caribbean Region. If approved, this measure provides a legal framework for the conservation of the parrotfish to ensure and maintain the population at an optimal level in the Wider Caribbean.
This article contains the results from several scientific studies, that are not DCNA studies. No rights can be derived from the content. DCNA and InfoBonaire are not liable for the content.
(Source: Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA), Photography by Marion Haarsma – all rights reserved )
