Spatial patterns of essential fish habitats in the western Taiwan coast

Abstract

Habitat conservation can substantially enhance the resilience of coastal ecosystems to both anthropogenic pressure and global climate change. We analyzed trawl survey data collected twice a year over 11 coastal sites across western and southwestern Taiwan along a north-south axis from 2020 to 2023. This analysis allowed us to identify essential fish habitats with higher fish abundances and set management objectives and designate protected areas. We applied a generalized additive model to reveal the spatial patterns of environmental parameters, the univariate fish community index (e.g., species richness, diversity), and the abundance of the top 13 fish families. We applied a generalized linear latent variable model to isolate the effects of environmental parameters on the multivariate abundances of fish families. Significant north-south patterns were detected for the abundances of the 13 fish families, indicating that different coastal areas of western Taiwan serve as essential fish habitats. The varying north-south patterns among fish families suggest that different areas serve as essential fish habitats for different families. Different responses of fish family abundances to environmental parameters provide information for predicting how coastal development and future climate change might alter fish community composition. This information is crucial for developing effective conservation strategies. Our results can inform the development of ecological objectives and priorities for coastal development and conservation strategies. We recommend prioritizing the protection of croakers (Sciaenidae) as they may be particularly vulnerable to global warming and coastal development due to their preference for cold, shallow waters.