TY - JOUR

T1 - Do risk-prone behaviours compromise reproduction and increase vulnerability of fish aggregations exposed to fishing?

AU - Karkarey, Rucha

AU - Boström Einarsson, L

AU - Graham, Nicholas A. J.

AU - Mukrikkakudi, Ibrahim

AU - Bilutheth, Mohammed Nowshad

AU - Chekkillam, Abdul Riyas

AU - KK, Idrees Babu

AU - Keith, Sally A.

PY - 2024/8/31

Y1 - 2024/8/31

N2 - Human disturbances can prompt natural anti-predator behaviours in animals, affecting how energy is traded off between immediate survival and reproduction. In our study of male squaretail groupers (Plectropomus areolatus) in India’s Lakshadweep archipelago, we investigated the impact of fishing pressure on anti-predatory responses and reproductive behaviours by comparing a fished and unfished spawning aggregation site and tracking responses over time at the fished site. Using observational sampling and predator exposure experiments, we analysed fear responses (flight initiation distance, return time), as well as time spent in vigilance, courtship and territorial defence. Unpaired males at fished sites were twice as likely to flee from simulated predators and took longer to return to mating territories. In contrast, paired males at both sites took greater risks during courtship, fleeing later than unpaired males, but returned earlier at the unfished site compared with the fished site. Our findings suggest that high fishing pressure reduces reproductive opportunities by increasing vigilance and compromising territorial defence, potentially affecting mate selection cues. Altered behavioural trade-offs may mitigate short-term capture risk but endanger long-term population survival through altered reproductive investment. Human extractive practices targeting animal reproductive aggregations can have disruptive effects beyond direct removal, influencing animal behaviours crucial for population survival.

AB - Human disturbances can prompt natural anti-predator behaviours in animals, affecting how energy is traded off between immediate survival and reproduction. In our study of male squaretail groupers (Plectropomus areolatus) in India’s Lakshadweep archipelago, we investigated the impact of fishing pressure on anti-predatory responses and reproductive behaviours by comparing a fished and unfished spawning aggregation site and tracking responses over time at the fished site. Using observational sampling and predator exposure experiments, we analysed fear responses (flight initiation distance, return time), as well as time spent in vigilance, courtship and territorial defence. Unpaired males at fished sites were twice as likely to flee from simulated predators and took longer to return to mating territories. In contrast, paired males at both sites took greater risks during courtship, fleeing later than unpaired males, but returned earlier at the unfished site compared with the fished site. Our findings suggest that high fishing pressure reduces reproductive opportunities by increasing vigilance and compromising territorial defence, potentially affecting mate selection cues. Altered behavioural trade-offs may mitigate short-term capture risk but endanger long-term population survival through altered reproductive investment. Human extractive practices targeting animal reproductive aggregations can have disruptive effects beyond direct removal, influencing animal behaviours crucial for population survival.

KW - anti-predator responses

KW - risk-averse behaviours

KW - behavioural trade-offs

KW - human disturbance

KW - mating aggregations

KW - risk-prone behaviours

U2 - 10.1098/rsbl.2024.0292

DO - 10.1098/rsbl.2024.0292

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 39106945

VL - 20

JO - Biology Letters

JF - Biology Letters

SN - 1744-9561

IS - 8

M1 - e20240292

ER -