%0 Journal Article %J Biol Mar Medit %D 2006 %T Coastal fish assemblages and Marine Protected Areas keys for interpreting patterns at 5 Italian MPA %A P. Guidetti %A R. Cattaneo-Vietti %A L. Tunesi %A A. Molinari %A S. Bussotti %K Adriatic Sea %K assemblage %K assessment %K Cinque Terre %K comparison %K effectiveness %K fish %K fish assemblage %K fishery %K fishery impact %K habitat %K impact %K island %K Italy %K Ligurian Sea %K marine protected area %K Mediterranean sea %K no-take area %K population %K Porto Cesareo %K Portofino %K protected area %K protection %K protection effectiveness %K scale %K Torre Guaceto %K Tremiti %K western Mediterranean %K zoning %X

The assessment of fish assemblages at 5 Italian MPAs and adjacent fished areas provided evidence of clear differences attribuate to protection only at Torre Guaceto. At Porto Cesareo, the formal no-take zone is different, but due to the indirect effects of the destructive date-mussel fishery, whereas at the Tremiti Islands the difference is due to the pelicular features of the no-take zone. At Cinque Terre and Portofino the scanty differences are mostly attribuable to the recent protection. Actual and not only formal protection, MPA zoning / position and life-history traits of the studied species should be considered to properly evaluate effectiveness of MPAs.