Abstract Marine protected areas (MPAs) have been implemented to reduce negative impacts of human activities on marine life. However, many MPAs do not address boat traffic and the behavioral alterations and physical injury to marine organisms that may result. Boating activities can alter activity patterns, increase stress, and lead to physical injury in various aquatic animals. The Sandy Bay West End Marine Reserve (SBWEMR) is a marine protected area in Roatan, Honduras, and a foraging area for the critically endangered hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata). While direct capture by the public is forbidden, managing both increasing boat traffic, and its effect on hawksbill distribution and behavior are not addressed in the reserve's management plans. We aimed to quantify the amount of boat traffic moving throughout the SBWEMR and evaluate the effect of boat traffic on the presence, distribution, and behavior of juvenile hawksbills. Boat traffic throughout the reserve was quantified through a series of above-water and in-water surveys, while hawksbill behavior and presence were evaluated through in-water surveys using SCUBA. Spearman correlation suggested a moderate, but significant, positive correlation between boat intensity and hawksbill presence. Yet, a nonsignificant negative correlation was evident between boat intensity and behavior. Although data suggest that boat traffic may not disrupt or negatively alter in-water behavior, hawksbills are prone to the additional hazards of boat collisions and propeller strikes. To reduce the risks of injury and mortality, efforts should be made to continually monitor, regulate, and enforce vessel speeds in MPAs where hawksbills reside.

中文翻译：

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洪都拉斯罗阿坦海洋保护区船只交通对玳瑁幼鱼分布和行为的影响

摘要 海洋保护区 (MPA) 已被实施以减少人类活动对海洋生物的负面影响。然而，许多海洋保护区并未解决船只交通问题以及可能导致的海洋生物行为改变和身体伤害。划船活动可以改变活动模式，增加压力，并导致各种水生动物的身体伤害。桑迪湾西区海洋保护区 (SBWEMR) 是洪都拉斯罗阿坦的海洋保护区，也是极度濒危玳瑁海龟 (Eretmochelys imbricata) 的觅食区。虽然禁止公众直接捕获，但保护区的管理计划并未涉及管理日益增加的船只交通及其对玳瑁分布和行为的影响。我们的目标是量化整个 SBWEMR 的船只交通量，并评估船只交通对幼玳瑁的存在、分布和行为的影响。通过一系列水上和水中调查对整个保护区的船只交通进行量化，而玳瑁的行为和存在则通过使用 SCUBA 的水中调查进行评估。Spearman 相关性表明船只强度与玳瑁存在之间存在适度但显着的正相关。然而，船只强度和行为之间明显存在不显着的负相关。尽管数据表明船只交通可能不会干扰或负面改变水中行为，但玳瑁容易受到船只碰撞和螺旋桨撞击的额外危害。为了降低受伤和死亡的风险，