Limiting catch of one type of fish could help save coral reefs, research finds

Study finds protecting a single type of herbivorous fish could be crucial to the recovery of reefs from damage related to climate change

Limiting the take of just one type of fish could protect coral reefs around the world from the most serious immediate impacts of climate change, researchers have found.

Studying Caribbean coral reefs, Peter Mumby and colleagues from the University of Queensland found that enforcing a rule limiting the fishing of a single type of herbivorous fish - parrotfish - would allow coral reefs there to continue to grow, despite bleaching and other impacts associated with climate change.