Madagascar to designate three MPAs; Senegal designates four
Coinciding with the World Parks Congress last month, leaders of Madagascar and Senegal announced designation efforts for new MPAs in their national waters. President Ravalomanana of Madagascar declared intent to increase his nation’s protected areas system – including forest, wetland, and marine ecosystems – from 17,000 km2 to 60,000 km2 within five years. Approximately 10,000 km2 of that total will be marine and wetland protected areas, expected to include three proposed MPAs: Nosy Hara archipelago; the littoral zone of Toliara (including the Great Reef, one of the region’s largest barrier reefs, and Nosy Ve islet, a community-managed historic and sacred conservation site); and the Sahamalaza peninsula and Radama islands. Initiatives to identify and study these potential MPAs have been underway for more than five years involving UNESCO, FAO, the National Environment Office, the National Parks Service (ANGAP), the Support Service for Environmental Management (SAGE), the Institute of Marine Science and Resources, and international NGOs (WWF, Conservation International, and the Wildlife Conservation Society).
The government of Senegal has designated four new MPAs totaling 755 km2, in cooperation with local coastal communities and several conservation, research, and marine resources management organizations. The goal of these new MPAs is to protect important fish-spawning and nursery areas in support of sustainable fisheries management, although management plans have not yet been established for the sites.
For more information:
Chantal Andrianarivo, National Parks Service (ANGAP), BP 1424-1, Ambatobe – pres SNGF, Antananarivo (101), Madagascar. E-mail: val@dts.mg or val@wanadoo.mg
Haja Razafindrainibe, SAGE, II W 21 B, Ambaranjana, Antananrivo 101, Madagascar. E-mail: hajanirina.sage@blueline.mg
Andrew Cooke, Resolve Consulting, Bloc B2, Centre Commercial, Tana Waterfront, Ambodivona, BP 8352, 101 Antananarivo, Madagascar. E-mail: andrew@simicro.mg
Papa Samba Diouf, WWF WAMER, Sacre Coeur 3, no 9442, Dakar, Senegal. Tel: +221 869 37 00; E-mail: psdiouf@wwfwafrica.org
Report cites marine reserves as way to protect marine ornamental species
Marine reserves, temporal closures, and other management measures should be implemented to protect stocks of marine ornamental species and ensure the long-term sustainable use of coral reefs, according to a new report published by the World Conservation Monitoring Centre of the UN Environment Programme. From Ocean to Aquarium: The Global Trade in Marine Ornamentals documents the extent of the global industry in saltwater aquarium creatures (US$200-$330 million annually), and recommends ways to avoid the causing of irreversible damage to coral reefs during fish and coral collection. The great majority of marine aquaria are stocked from wild caught species. The 66-page report is available online in PDF format at http://www.unep-wcmc.org/resources/publications/UNEP_WCMC_bio_series/17.htm.
US MPA Advisory Committee to meet in November
A multistakeholder committee to advise the US government on implementation of national MPA efforts will seek public comments at its second meeting, to be held November 17-19, 2003, in San Francisco, California. The 30-member committee consists of nonfederal representatives from science, resource management, environmental organizations, and industry, and is supported by the US National Marine Protected Areas Center. For more information, visit http://mpa.gov/mpabusiness/fac.html.