Reef Fish Composition in Marine Protected Areas in the Southwest Atlantic through ROV Imaging Amanda Aparecida Carminatto, Giovana Ciongoli, André Escudeiro do Nascimento, Matheus Marcos Rotundo, Miguel Petrere Junior

Abstract

The study aimed to inventory the reef fish fauna on two coastal islands in southeastern Brazil, located in Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), using remotely operated vehicle (ROV) imagery, as well as to assess the conservation status and target species of fisheries. A total of 16,661 individuals belonging to 81 species were observed. Forty-nine species were recorded on both islands, and the similarity in composition was 60.49%. Eleven (14%) species were classified as threatened to some degree, and 26 (32.10%) are target species for fisheries. The ROV represents an important tool for the conservation of fish fauna, especially in protected areas