Coexistence, resource partitioning, and fisheries management: A tale of two mesopredators in equatorial waters

Abstract

Rock hind ( Epinephelus adscensionis ) and spotted moray ( Gymnothorax moringa ) are ubiquitous mesopredators that co‐occur in the nearshore waters of Ascension Island in the South Atlantic Ocean, where they have significant cultural and subsistence value, but management of their non‐commercial take is limited. This isolated volcanic system is home to high biomass and low species diversity, which poses two key questions: How can two mesopredators that perform similar ecological roles coexist? And if these two species are so ecologically similar, can they be managed using the same approach? Here, we combined acoustic telemetry, stomach content analysis, and stable isotope analysis to (i) explore space use and diet choices within and between these two species and (ii) to assess appropriate species‐specific management options. Although rock hind had high residency and small calculated home ranges (0.0001–0.3114 km 2 ), spotted moray exhibited shorter periods of residency (

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