Species distribution models and local ecological knowledge in marine protected areas: The case of Os Miñarzos (Spain)

•A Marine protected area was defined from fishers Local Environmental Knowledge.•Species distribution models give the eco-statistical view of the same problem.•ENFA has been used to develop Habitat Suitability maps of an area with an MPA.•Coincidence of ENFA and LEK delimitation of MPA suggests synergy between both.

Habitat suitability (HS) of target species is assessed in the coastal region of Seno de Corcubión, including Os Miñarzos Marine Protected Area (MPA) in west Galicia, NW of Spain. Current MPA was outlined using local environmental knowledge (LEK). Our objective is to test whether maximization of HS of 12 species would select the same MPA as fishers' LEK. A detailed capture database and 13 layers summarizing ecogeographic variables (derived from bathymetry, satellite data and sea bottom classification map) have been used and several Ecological Niche Factor Analysis (ENFA) Species Distribution Models (SDM) have been tested to find the best HS prediction (according to a nonparametric index due to Boyce). Our SDM results show that the LEK defined MPA (comprising 20% of the total area) is over 70% more suitable than the rest of the region for all species but one (European seabass, only 40%). We conclude that stakeholders LEK methodology correctly identifies local species habitats, and that SDM, and in particular ENFA models, can be used to validate and keep track of the MPA boundaries.