Wilderness

Marine Reserves and Marine Wilderness Areas

Coral reefs are ecosystems that are highly susceptible to human and environmental threats. For example, 80% of coral reefs in the Caribbean have disappeared in the last 30 years , and only 10% of large, predatory fish populations exist since pre-industrial times. The threats causing coral reefs to disappear include: pollution, deep sea mining, overfishing, climate change, and coastal erosion due to both natural causes and human development. The devastating effects these threats have on coral reefs not only impact the ecosystem, but also the local economies which depend on healthy reefs. For example, fishermen near coral reefs depend on an adequate amount of fish to sell, and fish will only stay and grow in healthy reefs, thus it is vital for the fishermen's livelihood that the coral reefs remain undamaged. In order to stop, and possibly reverse, these damaging effects on coral reefs, marine reserves and marine protected areas (MPA's) are suggested methods for implementation. However, as of February 2014, only:

• 1.6% of the world's ocean is protected in a marine protected area (MPA) .
• And <0.2% of the world's ocean is protected by marine reserves .

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What are Marine Reserves?

By definition, a marine reserve is an area of ocean where organisms and their habitats are completely protected by law from removal or alteration, and they are similar to national parks. Thus, fishermen cannot fish in these areas, and no plants or animals may be removed by tourists or aquarium traders. Also, deep sea mining companies cannot extract resources from these areas because their machines will impact and alter the habitats.

Global average of change within marine reserves (photo courtesy of piscoweb.org 2007)

How marine reserves help coral reefs:

• Number of species are higher, which helps to protect diversity
• Organisms can grow larger, thus reaching and maintaining viable reproductive ages. The organisms in the marine reserve are able to reproduce more as a result of these factors, which leads to greater numbers in the population.
• Habitats can recover more quickly to threats than if fished, so the ecosystems are more sustainable
• The borders of marine reserves are porous, which can affects populations outside of its borders. Fish from the reserve can reach a high enough population density that a some fish can spillover into waters neighboring the reserve. This in turn can replenish nearby populations depleted by fishing practices.
  • Similarly, there is the reseeding effect where fish eggs can drift, hatch, grow up and then mate outside of the marine reserve.

Marine reserves are a useful conservation tool if carefully designed and enforced. Scientific data must be used to find the areas of the ocean where a marine reserve would most effectively be established, and then proper law enforcement, that takes into account local cultural practices, should make sure the marine reserve is not abused by humans. However, marine reserves should not replace other traditional management practices, such as catch quotas and gear restrictions.

World map of current Marine Reserves (photo courtesy of piscoweb.org 2007)

Where are Marine reserves now?

• According to the map pictured at left, every continent, aside from Antartica, has at least 5 marine reserves. However, these marine reserves only protect <0.2% of the world's ocean .
• UNEP (United Nations Environmental Program) has set the goal of increasing this, particularly by putting 10% of the world's ocean under the protection of marine reserves by the year 2020. .

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How are Marine Reserves different than Marine Protected Areas?

• A marine reserve is a subset of marine protected areas, and is distinguished by being a defined area where some or all fishing is prohibited for a lengthy period of time
• While Marine Protected Areas represent an effort to conserve the marine environment, marine reserves focus specifically on fishing limitations
• Can be a valuable management tool when fish stocks are uncertain
• By preventing fishing in Marine Reserves, ecosystems and species that would otherwise be fished have the chance to develop and grow into mature adults without being caught
• Opportunity for ecosystem development and increased resilience in an increasingly acidic and warming ocean
• Objectives of Marine Reserves: stock rebuilding, biological productivity, economic productivity, habitat protection, research and education.
• Similar to a “fishery reserve” : “Zoning that precludes fishing activity on some or all species to protect critical habitat, rebuild stocks (long term, but not necessarily permanent closure), provide insurance against overfishing, or enhance fishery yield.” (Ocean Studies Board, 2001) [9]

Why aren’t there more closed areas?

• Many forces are at play when it comes to instituting marine reserves.
• Since there is a limitation placed on fishing, there is a very limited area
• Two authorities regarding marine reserves; the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act and the National Marine Sanctuaries Act.
• The councils only have control over fishing regulations, not over dumping, dredging, or other potentially harmful human activities
• People and fisherman don’t want to be told that they can’t fish
• Difficult to study, maintain and monitor because of the vastness and continuity of the ocean
• Complexities regarding tides, ocean current, enormity of the number of species, poaching and illegal fishing [11]
• Successful reserves require careful scientific design and need time for recovery

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