MPA News
On Balancing Science and Conservation in an MPA: A Case from Eastern Canada
Scientific research can be invaluable for effective MPAs. It helps managers understand the ecosystems they oversee, and can observe how those ecosystems respond to management and environmental changes. Not all research techniques are the same, obviously. For every method that is non-invasive (such as reef surveys by divers), there are techniques that impose a greater impact on the environment. Seismic testing, as described in the previous article, is one example. Trawl surveys, a traditional fisheries science technique, can be another, particularly in areas with sensitive seafloor habitats. The challenge arises for managers: how to balance the need for science with…
New Initiative Guides Protection of Significant Areas in Open Ocean, Deep Sea
An international scientific partnership has been launched to help nations identify significant areas in the open ocean and deep sea that need protection. Facilitated by IUCN with support from the German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation, the Global Ocean Biodiversity Initiative (GOBI) will apply the best available science to analyze areas according to criteria adopted by the Convention on Biological Diversity in 2008. The criteria include ecological considerations such as uniqueness, vulnerability, diversity, productivity, importance to life history stages, and more. Partners in the initiative include the Census of Marine Life, the Ocean Biogeographic Information System, Duke University’s Marine Geospatial…
New Coordinator of World Heritage Marine Programme Describes Plan Forward
The new coordinator of the UNESCO World Heritage Marine Programme says the World Heritage Convention has “not been applied anywhere close to its full potential for marine ecosystems.” Today, there are just 35 World Heritage sites – out of a total of nearly 900 worldwide – that have been identified and protected specifically for their marine values. The lackluster coverage of marine sites has not been helped by the fact that funding for the Marine Programme dried up three years ago, leaving it without oversight. Now, however, a new funding partnership has helped renew the program and offers possibilities it…
Notes & News
UK launches consultation on MPA around Chagos Archipelago The UK government has launched a consultation on designating an MPA around the Chagos Archipelago in the Indian Ocean. The archipelago, also called the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT), has an Exclusive Economic Zone of 636,000 km2. The consultation seeks views on whether the BIOT should become an MPA and what regulations would be appropriate, such as whether it should be completely no-take. The archipelago lies about 500 km due south of the Maldives, its nearest neighbor. UK Foreign Secretary David Miliband said, “This is a remarkable opportunity for Britain to create…
Planning MPAs for the Deep Ocean: How Can We Protect What We Do Not Yet Know?
The deep ocean may be the least-known place on Earth. From the sea floor upward, the oceanic water column represents the overwhelming majority of living space on the planet – 90%, by one recent estimate. Yet very little of the dark blue expanse has been explored by humans. Seemingly each deep sea research voyage discovers alien organisms with features or abilities we have never imagined before, much less seen. In July, UNESCO released a report that is the most comprehensive attempt so far to classify the open ocean into a set of general bioregions. (The report, Global Open Oceans and…
Applying the Arts to MPA Planning and Management: Four Examples
In very general terms, the human mind has a logical side (the left half of the brain) and an emotional side (the right half). The activities of MPA planning and management tend to engage the logical side, involving the application of math and science and developing practical solutions to conservation challenges. But savvy MPA practitioners recognize that engaging the emotional mind, too, can be a useful strategy for educating and motivating people toward conservation. The arts provide a way of doing that. “MPA practitioners need to be able to reach people in a way that is compelling enough for them…
Research Spotlight: Would It Be Better to Select Areas where Fishing Is Allowed, Rather than Disallowed?
In an article in the June 2009 issue of PLoS ONE journal, researchers take a different look at the concept of planning marine reserves. They suggest that selecting the areas of the ocean that should remain fished may be a more efficient management policy than selecting the areas where fishing should be banned. Using spatial catch data from 13 commercial fisheries along the Pacific coast of Canada, the researchers set catch targets for each fishery that represented a small reduction (2%-5%) from current levels. Then, using a decision-support tool, they determined the minimum ocean area needed to maintain those catch…
Letter to the Editor: MPAs, Politics, and Chess
Dear MPA News: There was much to like about the International Marine Conservation Congress [held this past May in Washington, D.C., U.S.] and much to learn from it. Conference attendees put an impressive amount of ecological knowledge on display. And the conference did not lack for compelling visions of what wise policies should look like. My lone significant critique concerned the disposition of some conference attendees. When observing the persistence of bad policies, some attendees simply lamented the fact that we lack the “political will” to do the right thing. I must admit that I have never been fond of…
Webinar: “Lessons from MPA Networking Programs, Part II”, 19 October 2009
MPA News and the EBM Tools Network will co-host a live Web-based seminar (“webinar”) on 19 October 2009 to explore lessons learned from MPA networking programs in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (U.S.) and in rocky reef MPAs in the Mediterranean. Speakers will include: Billy Causey, National Marine Sanctuary Program (U.S.) Joachim Claudet, University of Salento (Italy) TIME: Due to time zone differences, the start time of the 90-minute webinar will depend on your location. It will begin at the following hour in these time zones: 8:00 a.m. US Pacific Daylight Time (GMT-7), 19 October 11:00 a.m. US Eastern…
MPA Tip: Coordinating Research in an MPA
The following tip was adapted by MPA News from Managing Marine Protected Areas: A Toolkit for the Western Indian Ocean, published by the Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association (WIOMSA). The toolkit is available at www.wiomsa.org/mpatoolkit/Home.htm. Tip: Appropriate research on ecological and socio-economic issues is essential for effective management of an MPA. However, it is rare for a management agency to be able to fund all the necessary studies. Therefore assistance from external sources – other agencies, universities, NGOs – is often needed. To manage this research, MPA managers should: Prepare a research strategy. The strategy identifies the MPA’s key…