Sounds produced by teleost fish are an important component of marine soundscapes, making passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) a cost-effective non-intrusive method to assess the dynamics of an environment. We used PAM to assess the spatial and temporal patterns of fish vocalisations and validate PAM as a tool for monitoring Marine Protected Areas. Thus, we catalogue the sound types and evaluated the lunar, seasonal and diel patterns of putative fish sounds identified in the different protection zones of the Arrábida Marine Park (AMP). We compared the abundance and biodiversity indices (Richness, Shannon, Simpson and Evenness) at the different spatiotemporal scales. Increase vocalisation activity was observed at sunset and night with no distinct seasonal or lunar patterns. Higher levels of biodiversity were observed in the Buffer Area of the AMP as compared to the Full Protected Area. Although the results were unexpected, this study was able to catalogue 32 sound types found in the AMP, validate PAM as an important tool for the monitoring of MPAs and provide a stepping stone for future acoustic studies in the area.
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