the diversity and abundance of reef fishes is correlated with the extent and architectural complexity of coral reefs friedlander and parrish the loss and degradation of coral reefs through climate change can be expected to reduce the abundance and diversity of fishes with negative impacts for subsistence and artisanal fisheries that provide important livelihoods and a source of protein and micronutrients for coastal and island populations events such as the mass coral bleaching in the indian ocean have not been accompanied by obvious negative shortterm bioeconomic impacts for coastal reef fisheries grandcourt and cesar spalding and jarvis bellwood et al however a longer term study of seychelles fish assemblages has indicated that responses may lag long after the coral mortality event due to the loss in complex substrate that smaller fishes depend upon fish assemblage structure appears to be determined by the degree of bioerosion and collapse of the dead reef architecture graham et al