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ReefLink Database

Supplemental Feeding

Supplemental Feeding

Supplemental feeding occurs when humans supply wild animals (e.g., fish, dolphins, etc.) with food, such as bread crumbs, to attract them and alter their behavior.

CMap

Biological Addition refers to anthropogenic inputs of a biological nature into the reef ecosystem, including artificial habitat, domestic animal waste, supplemental feeding, and escape or release of non-native species. Complex habitat and resources reflects the complex architecture of sessile, plant-like organisms, such as octocoral and sponges, which provides shelter and protection for small fish and other invertebrates from predators. Contact Uses, such as biological additions, physical damage, and biological harvesting, are activities in which humans create pressures through direct contact with the ecosystem. Cultural policies are responses that impact the distribution and functioning of cultural sectors, including tourism, recreation, education, and social organization. Cultural services are the nonmaterial benefits people obtain from ecosystems through spiritual enrichment, cognitive development, recreational opportunities, aesthetic experiences, sense of place, and educational and research opportunities. The Dive, Snorkeling, and Swimming Tourism sector includes businesses that provide equipment, instruction, and location to allow tourists to swim, snorkel, and SCUBA dive. Ecosystem services are the benefits people obtain from ecosystems . Environmental education refers to organized efforts to teach about how natural environments function and, particularly, how human beings can manage their behavior and ecosystems in order to live sustainably. Fish are cold-blooded aquatic vertebrates that breathe through gills and usually have scales. Nutrients are essential elements needed by plants and animals for growth and primarily include nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium, as well as minor nutrients such as calcium, magnesium, or zinc. The Reef Ecosystem includes a suite of abiotic variables that form the physical and chemical environment. Pressures are human activities that create stress on the environment. Provisioning services are the products or ecosystem goods obtained from ecosystems, including seafood, genetic and biochemical resources, pharmaceuticals, ornamental resources, and water resources. Aesthetic & recreational value pertains to the value derived from the visual beauty and recreational opportunities provided by a natural ecosystem, including an assemblage of diverse, healthy, colorful, or unique species. The state of the Reef Ecosystem is the condition, in terms of quantity and quality, of the abiotic and biotic components including physical, chemical, and biological variables. Reef Habitat is the abundance, distribution, and condition of the benthic components of the reef ecosystem. Reef Inhabitants are all of the motile components of the reef ecosystem, including fish, invertebrates, marine reptiles and mammals, and are quantified by their abundance, distribution, and condition. Reef Life is the abundance, distribution, and condition of the biological components of the coral reef ecosystem. Regulating Services are benefits obtained from ecosystem processes that regulate the environment, including erosion regulation, natural hazard regulation, and climate regulation. Resource use management pertains to responses to regulate or limit contact activities that may directly impact coastal species through harvesting or physical damage. Responses are actions taken by groups or individuals in society and government to prevent, compensate, ameliorate or adapt to changes in Ecosystem Services or their perceived value. Socio-Economic Drivers include the sectors that fulfill human needs for Food & Raw Materials, Water, Shelter, Health, Culture, and Security, and the Infrastructure that supports the sectors. Supplemental feeding occurs when humans supply wild animals (e.g., fish, dolphins, etc.) with food, such as bread crumbs, to attract them and alter their behavior. Supporting services are ecological processes that indirectly benefit humans by maintaining a functional ecosystem for the production of other ecosystem goods and services. Tourism & Recreation sectors operate facilities and provide services for the varied cultural, entertainment, and recreational interests of residents and tourists. Tourism and recreation policies can be use to control the distribution and intensity of recreational activities such as through advertising, incentives, or visitors centers.

CMap Description

The activities of socio-economic drivers can create biological additions into the reef ecosystem. Recreational swimmers and snorkelers visiting reefs may provide supplemental food that attract and alter behavior of fish and other marine animals. Tourists and recreators benefit from recreational value provided by the reef. Education and outreach, tourism policies, and resource use management can be used to control the locations and intensity of tourist and recreational activities and alter their behavior to reduce supplemental feeding.

Citations

Citation Year Study Location Study Type Database Topics
Wong, M. Y. L., P. L. Munday, P. M. Buston, and G. P. Jones. 2008. Monogamy when there is potential for polygyny: Tests of multiple hypotheses in a group-living fish. Behavioral Ecology 19:353-361. 2008 Supplemental Feeding
van Dam, A. A., M. C. M. Beveridge, M. E. Azim, and M. C. J. Verdegem. 2002. The potential of fish production based on periphyton. Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries 12:31-Jan. 2002 Review; Model Algae; Aquaculture; Lobster, Crab, & Shrimp; Microorganisms; Nutrients; Plankton; Substrate; Supplemental Feeding
Forrester, G. E. 1990. Factors influencing the juvenile demography of a coral reef fish. Ecology 71:1666-1681. 1990 Australia Planktivorous Fish; Small Herbivorous Fish; Supplemental Feeding
Jones, G. P. 1986. Food availability affects growth in a coral reef fish. Oecologia 70:136-139. 1986 Australia Fish; Supplemental Feeding
Victor, B. C. 1982. Daily otolith increments and recruitment in two coral-reef wrasses, Thalassoma bifasciatum and Halichoeres bivittatus. Marine Biology 71:203-208. 1982 Field Study & Monitoring Fish; Planktivorous Fish; Plankton; Supplemental Feeding

Management Options

Management Option Description Sources Database Topics
Agriculture & Aquaculture: Bivalve Aquaculture Biofouling Control These management options reduce, clean or remove biofouling organisms and other waste from bivalve production areas while minimizing environmental risk. Aquaculture shellfish production requires adequate food availability and water of dependable quantity and quality. Aquaculture operations and gear must have a minimal adverse impact on the surrounding water, plant, animal and human resources. Biofouling is detrimental to shellfish production, increasing exposure to pathogens, reducing the available food stuffs, and increasing organic loading. Only environmentally appropriate biofoul control methods should be used, and fouling organisms and algae should be disposed of appropriately to avoid local degradation. Natural Resources Conservation Service. 2011. National Handbook of Conservation Practices. U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Natural Resources Conservation Service. 2011. Conservation Practice Standard: Bivalve Aquaculture Gear and Biofouling Control. CODE 400, USDA.

Algae; Aquaculture; Arthropods; Artificial Habitat; Biological Addition; Biological Harvest; Bivalves; Chemical Variables; Discharge Limitations; Domestic Animal Waste; Escape & Release of Non-natives; Finfish & Shellfish Stock; Food & Energy Policies; Food & Raw Materials; Improved Technology; Invertebrate Harvest; Lobster, Crab, & Shrimp; Molluscs; Non-point Source Controls; Nutrient & Contaminant Processing; Octopus & Squid; Point & Mobile Source Controls; Snails & Conch; Supplemental Feeding
Landuse Management: Household Landscaping Best Management Practices Homeowners manipulate the visible features of the land surrounding their home through landscaping. This includes flora, fauna, and terrain. Best Management Practices (BMPs) for landscaping include selection of indigenous flora and fauna, landscape irrigation (sprinkler systems etc), stormwater runoff BMPs, reducing water use, integrated pest management, composting, and incorporation of permeable surfaces. Natural Resources Conservation Service. 2011. National Handbook of Conservation Practices. U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Irrigation Association. 2010. Turf and Landscape Irrigation Best Management Practices.

Applied Chemicals; Biological Addition; Building & Home Construction; Chemical Variables; City Planning; Discharge Limitations; Environmental Education & Outreach; Escape & Release of Non-natives; Existence Value & Sense of Place; Fertilizer & Pesticide Use; Impervious Surfaces; Landscape Conservation & Restoration; Landscaping & Household Services; Landuse Management; Non-point Source Controls; Non-point Source Runoff; Nutrients; Sediment; Shelter; Supplemental Feeding; Toxics; Waterborne Discharges
Regulatory Review and Development: Evaluate Fish Feeding Regulations Divers in FL are already prohibited from fish feeding. Further review may show a need to prohibited anyone in state water from feeding fish. There will need to be investigations on the biological and behavioral impacts of fish feeding. This investigation can be used to keep the status quo, or may encourage further regulations. NOAA Marine Sanctuary Program. 2007. Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary revised management plan. National Ocean Service, Key West, FL.

Biological Addition; Biological Monitoring, Mapping, & Scientific Research; Contact Uses; Cultural Policies; Cultural Services; Culture; Ecosystem Monitoring & Restoration; Education & Information; Educational & Research Opportunities; Fishing & Harvesting Management; Recreational Fishing; Scientific Research; Supplemental Feeding; Tourism & Recreation; Tourism & Recreation Policies
Regulatory Review and Development: Evaluate Aquaculture/Mariculture Regulations This will help determine if there is a need to establish mariculture operations regulations and proceed accordingly. This would help satisfy the commercial demand for fish while taking pressure off of the wild species. Such regulations should consider where, when and what species of mariculture are allowable. The environmental impact mariculture has can vary depending on current, depth and distance to land, making location and even season important. The species being cultured is also an important consideration, especially if they are non-native or different genetically from the local natural population as escapes may occur. NOAA Marine Sanctuary Program. 2007. Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary revised management plan. National Ocean Service, Key West, FL.

NEPA. 1998. MARICULTURE DRAFT POLICY AND REGULATION NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION AUTHORITY COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT DIVISION. National Environment & Planning agency.

Agriculture, Aquaculture, & Forestry Policies; Aquaculture; Biological Addition; Biological Harvest; Commercial Fisheries; Contact Uses; Designated Uses; Domestic Animal Waste; Escape & Release of Non-natives; Food & Energy Policies; Food & Raw Materials; Invasive Species; Resource Use Management; Supplemental Feeding

Laws

Legal Citation Purpose of Law Management Organization Database Topics

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