Population Demographics and Life History Characteristics of Heliofungia actiniformis: a Fungiid Coral Species Exploited for the Live Coral Aquarium Trade in the Spermonde Archipelago, Indonesia

Abstract

A popular coral in the Indonesian live coral trade is the fungiid Heliofungia actiniformis. At non-harvested sites attached polyps aged 0-4 years were found to be most abundant, and growth rates decreased linearly with size. At harvested sites, total mortality rates were significantly higher for polyps sized 0-11 cm, and semi-structured interviews with local fishermen confirmed a size selective fishery towards small polyps. A utility per recruit calculation revealed maximum potential economic yield to occur at an age of 5 years, five years before reaching reproductive maturity. Subsequent Thompson and Bell calculations highlighted the need for a combination of size limits, quota reductions as well as the protection of spawning stocks. Genetic population connectivity patterns of H. actiniformis revealed significant genetic structuring, both among populations in South Sulawesi and throughout the Indo-Malay Archipelago. At both scales the degree of geographic separation and oceanographic features influenced the degree of larval exchange, with historical influences additionally shaping patterns on the large scale.