MPA News
Notes & News
Canada passes law to help create representative system of marine parks In June, Canada passed a bill to facilitate creation of a representative system of “national marine conservation areas”, or NMCAs, to be overseen by Parks Canada, the federal parks agency. Although the concept of NMCAs existed previously under national parks law, the new legislation provides clearer guidance for establishing and managing these protected areas. NMCAs are designed to be models for sustainable use. Among the new law’s provisions are a ban on mineral and hydrocarbon development in NMCAs, and a requirement that each site include at least one zone…
Letters to the Editor
Dear MPA News: Bill Ballantine’s attempt to clarify terms for marine area conservation falls short of the mark (MPA News 4:1). Terminology has already been pretty much worked out in the past decade. To use the term “reserve” to mean only a fully protected area is not helpful. An area designated a marine reserve in many countries may include a mix of uses within its scope. The confusion over terms and practices can be minimized by designated “zoning”, which has been practiced for many years to address multiple use. With use zoning, certain areas within an MPA are selected for…
Human Dimensions of MPAs: Facing the Challenges of Social Science and Its Implementation
The success or failure of a marine protected area often rests on socioeconomic considerations. Humans affect, and are affected by, the natural environment, and society must bear the benefits and costs of marine resource management. Without consideration of social and economic impacts, effective planning and management may be compromised. However, despite the importance of MPA-related social science, relatively little research has been done on it – particularly when compared to the growing volume of research on the natural, or ecological, science of MPAs. Efforts are being made to change this. This month, MPA News examines how several practitioners and scientists…
MPA Perspective: MPAs Improve General Management, While Marine Reserves Ensure Conservation
Editor’s note: Bill Ballantine, author of the following perspective piece, is a marine biologist and senior lecturer at the Leigh Marine Laboratory, University of Auckland. Ballantine has advocated the concept of no-take marine reserves since the 1960s, and has been instrumental in the designation of several reserves in New Zealand waters. He was awarded a Goldman Prize in 1996 for his grassroots efforts in support of marine reserves. This perspective piece reflects to some extent the discussion of MPA definitions that has appeared recently in this newsletter (MPA News 3:7 and 3:8). By Bill Ballantine The June “MPA Perspective” by…
Notes & News
Victoria passes MPA legislation In June, the Australian state of Victoria passed legislation to designate a representative system of no-take MPAs covering roughly 5% of the state’s waters. The system will include 13 marine national parks and 11 smaller marine sanctuaries, to take effect November 2002. The legislation marked the culmination of a 10-year process of investigations and public comment on the issue (MPA News 3:1). Government officials said the new system’s representative nature, size, and biodiversity established Victoria as a global leader in marine conservation. “This is a world-first environmental initiative,” said Acting Premier John Thwaites. Included in the…
Financial Support for Fishermen Who Are Affected by Marine Reserves: Examining the Merits
Commercial fishermen sometimes suffer financial losses due to the designation of new no-take marine reserves. Their catches may decline, at least in the short term, while trip costs – affected by having to travel to farther fishing holes – may rise. This prospect can lead to opposition to new reserves from the fishing sector. To gain commercial fishermen’s support for reserves, some politicians have taken a new tack: namely, subsidizing or compensating the fishermen affected by new closures. This method has supporters in the fishing sector, but some conservationists and others view it warily. This month, MPA News describes an…
MPA Perspective: Dangerous Targets and Inflexible Stances Threaten Marine Conservation Efforts
Editor’s note: Tundi Agardy, author of the following perspective piece, is the executive director of Sound Seas, a US-based, independent policy group. Agardy excerpted this piece from a paper she co-wrote with several MPA scientists and practitioners, forthcoming in the journal Aquatic Conservation: Freshwater and Marine Ecosystems (“Dangerous Targets? Unresolved Issues and Ideological Clashes Around Marine Protected Areas”. T. Agardy, P. Bridgewater, M.P. Crosby, J. Day, P.K. Dayton, R. Kenchington, D. Laffoley, P. McConney, P.A. Murray, J.E. Parks, and L. Peau). By Tundi Agardy Marine protected areas (MPAs) are fast becoming mainstream tools for conserving biodiversity in all the world’s…
MPA Perspective: Responding to the Commercial Fishing Industry’s Concerns with MPAs in Australia
Editor’s note: Pascale Baelde, author of the following perspective piece, is a senior research fellow in fisheries at the School of Resource, Environmental and Heritage Sciences, University of Canberra (Australia). The piece is based on a report she co-authored with Robert Kearney of the University of Canberra, and Daryl McPhree of the University of Queensland. (P. Baelde, R. Kearney and D. McPhee [2001]. “A coordinated commercial fishing industry approach to the use of marine protected areas.” Final FRDC project, Project No 1999/163, University of Canberra, Australia, 197 pp.) A non-technical summary of the report is available online at http://www.frdc.com.au. Copies…
Notes and News
Reform of EU fisheries policy to include closures In late May, the European Commission unveiled initial plans for a major overhaul of EU fisheries policy, including a call for cutting some national fleets by as much as 60 percent. The measures threaten to put thousands of fishermen out of work, but EU authorities say severe steps are needed as European fish stocks suffer from vast overfishing. Details of the reforms will be developed in a series of action plans, to be produced over the course of the coming year. According to statements of the European Commission, the action plan for…
Recruiting Research That Is Useful to Your MPA: Advice from Experts
For MPAs, scientific research on the effect of management policies is central to measuring overall success. Most managers, however, lack the funding to conduct such studies in-house. As a result, they must rely on external researchers – with their own interests and priorities – to conduct the work. How can managers find scientists willing and able to do the necessary research? This month, MPA News interviews two practitioners – one from the Caribbean island of Saba, one from the US – about the challenges managers face in recruiting researchers, and how they can find the scientific help they need. (Editor’s…