MPA News
Notes & News
Correction: In our November 2004 issue the e-mail address provided for William Alevizon, author of the essay “Divers Feeding Fishes: A Continuing Issue in MPA Management”, was incorrect. His correct e-mail address is wsawsa@hotmail.com. Victoria (Australia) bans seismic testing in marine national parks, sanctuaries The state government of Victoria, Australia, has banned seismic testing inside the state’s marine national parks and sanctuaries as a precautionary measure. Seismic testing is used by the petroleum industry to explore for oil and gas below the seabed and involves high-intensity sound waves (MPA News 5:10). In an announcement of the ban on 16 November,…
Should MPAs Play a Role in Reducing Poverty?
Poverty can have a profound impact on protected areas. When surrounding communities are desperate for money or food, public support for protected area regulations – including rules against harvesting wildlife – will often decline. As a result, conflicts and enforcement costs increase, and protected area goals may be compromised. At the World Parks Congress in 2003, delegates formally agreed that the long-term sustainability of protected area networks and the achievement of poverty reduction were inextricably linked (see box at end of article). Calling on governments to “maximize” the contribution of protected areas to sustainable development and poverty-reduction efforts, the delegates…
New Fund to Channel Tourism Revenues to Mexican MPAs
In many circumstances, tourism offers a powerful opportunity for sustainable funding of MPAs. But harnessing that potential can be daunting to managers unfamiliar with setting up financing schemes. And tourism itself can bring challenges related to potentially negative impacts on resources. A new fund in Mexico aims to help MPA managers achieve a balance: harnessing the potential of ecotourism to generate revenue for park management, while using part of that revenue to help reduce tourism-related threats and measure success. Called FOSANP (Fondo Sudacaliforniano para Areas Naturales Protegidas), the fund captures voluntary donations from the tourism sector, using a variety of…
MPA Perspective: Divers Feeding Fishes: A Continuing Issue in MPA Management
Editor’s note: William Alevizon, author of the following piece, is a senior marine ecologist with the marine conservation program of the Wildlife Conservation Society, a US-based NGO. A specialist in population and community ecology of reef fishes, Alevizon has conducted research on Caribbean and Florida reef habitats and fisheries over the past three decades. He recently served as member of a US working group to develop guidelines for watching marine wildlife, consisting of representatives from several federal agencies, NGOs, and other institutions. The working group’s guidelines, released in January 2004, are available at http://www.watchablewildlife.org/publications/marine_wildlife_viewing_guidelines.htm. A list of the literature cited…
Notes & News
Report available on options for creating seamount MPAs A new report provides advice on designating and managing MPAs to protect offshore seamounts and similar habitats, with a focus on the northeast Atlantic and the region’s relevant legal frameworks. Titled The Offshore MPA Toolbox, the report is part of an EU-funded project – OASIS (OceAnic Seamounts: An Integrated Study) – to assess and model two examples of seamount ecosystems in the northeast Atlantic. OASIS is coordinated by the University of Hamburg (Germany) with the participation of several European scientific institutes and WWF, an international NGO. Building on a regional overview report…
Using Computer Software to Design Marine Reserve Networks: Planners Discuss Their Use of MARXAN
The process of designing a network of marine reserves can involve an extraordinary amount of labor and data. This is particularly the case when planners seek an “optimal” network design – one that provides the best balance of biodiversity and socioeconomic considerations. Such a design requires accounting for multiple species, habitats, oceanographic factors, and resource uses across a wide geographic area. The data and computations involved can overwhelm planners without the aid of computers and special software to handle the challenge. MARXAN, a software program to help design optimal reserve networks, is gaining fans in the MPA-planning community, thanks to…
MPA News Poll: What Qualities Make a Good MPA Manager?
The job of the MPA manager is a challenging one. Despite shortages of funds and personnel in many cases, the manager is expected to administer a site effectively, including managing resource threats and juggling stakeholder interests. To do the job well requires people with special skills, backgrounds, or personalities. For insights on finding such people, MPA News consulted a range of practitioners and other experts in the MPA field. Each was asked a single question: What quality or qualities make a good MPA manager? Below are their answers, in their words: Nirmal Jivan Shah Chief executive, Nature Seychelles [NGO], Seychelles….
New Book Takes Comprehensive Look at Marine Reserves
A new book aims to summarize the “state of the art” on no-take marine reserves, providing an overview of current expertise on reserve science, planning, and management. Targeting a broad audience – including non-expert scientists, students, managers, decision-makers, conservationists, and other stakeholders – the book provides analysis on all aspects of reserves, as well as detailed case studies from around the world. Marine Reserves: A Guide to Science, Design, and Use, by Jack Sobel of The Ocean Conservancy (a US-based NGO) and Craig Dahlgren of the Caribbean Marine Research Center, will fill a vacant niche on the MPA bookshelf, says…
Notes & News
Funding available for coral reef conservation Projects to reduce or prevent degradation of coral reefs and associated habitats may be eligible for funding from the (US) National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, or NFWF, in partnership with the (US) National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Coral Reef Conservation Program. Grants between US$10,000 and $50,000 will be available, with priority given to projects that either (a) provide hands-on, measurable watershed approaches to reduce land-based pollution and sedimentation to adjacent reefs and associated habitats, or (b) involve efforts to measure and improve management effectiveness of coral reef protected areas. Pre-proposals are due 31 January…
Urban MPAs: Protecting Marine Habitats in the Midst of Human Populations
For many people, the term “marine protected area” evokes the idea of a pristine ecosystem, remote from human activities. The image of a city waterfront might not come to mind. However, MPAs can perform important functions near urban centers – serving as recreational sites, for example, or as protective zones for remaining patches of undisturbed habitat, among other purposes. Such urban MPAs bring their own set of challenges. Coastal development, shipping activity, and large numbers of diverse stakeholders are just some of the factors to be faced during planning and management. This month, MPA News examines cases of urban MPAs…