SBC LTER: Reef: Abundance, size and fishing effort for California Spiny Lobster (Panulirus interruptus), ongoing since 2012

Data on abundance, size and fishing pressure of California spiny lobster (Panulirus interruptus) are collected along the mainland coast of the Santa Barbara Channel. Spiny lobsters are an important predator in giant kelp forests off southern California. Two SBC LTER study reefs are located in or near the California Fish and Game Network of Marine Protected Areas (MPA), Naples and Isla Vista, both established as MPAs on 2012-01-01. MPAs provide a unique opportunity to investigate the effects of fishing on kelp forest community dynamics. Sampling began in 2012 and is ongoing. This dataset contains two tables. 1) Abundance and size data collected annually by divers in late summer before the start of the fishing season at five SBC LTER long term kelp forest study sites: two within MPAs (Naples and Isla Vista) and three outside (Arroyo Quemado, Mohawk and Carpinteria). 2) Fishing pressure, as determined by counting the number of commercial trap floats. Data are collected every two to four weeks during the lobster fishing season (October to March) at nine sites along the mainland, eight of which are also SBC LTER long-term kelp forest study reefs. See Methods for more information.

本数据集采集了圣巴巴拉海峡大陆沿岸海域加州刺龙虾（Panulirus interruptus）的丰度、体型及捕捞压力相关数据。刺龙虾是南加州外海巨藻林的关键捕食者。两处SBC LTER研究礁位于加州渔猎局（California Fish and Game）海洋保护区（Marine Protected Areas, MPAs）网络范围内或邻近海域，即那不勒斯与伊斯塔维斯塔，二者均于2012年1月1日正式设立为海洋保护区。海洋保护区为探究捕捞活动对巨藻林群落动态的影响提供了独特研究契机。采样工作自2012年启动，目前仍在持续进行中。本数据集包含两张数据表：1）丰度与体型数据：每年夏季末、捕捞季开始前，潜水员会在5个SBC LTER长期巨藻林研究站点开展采样，其中2个站点位于海洋保护区内（那不勒斯与伊斯塔维斯塔），剩余3个站点位于保护区外（阿罗约·肯梅多、莫霍克与卡平特里亚）。2）捕捞压力数据：通过统计商业捕捞笼浮标数量来表征捕捞压力。在龙虾捕捞季（10月至次年3月）期间，每2至4周会在沿岸9个站点采集数据，其中8个站点同时也是SBC LTER长期巨藻林研究礁。详细信息请参阅方法学章节。