Wilderness: Difference between revisions
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Threats to ecosystem: pollution, overfishing, climate change and coastal erosion (from natural causes & development). These cause detrimental effects to economy, tourism and ecosystem. | Threats to ecosystem: pollution, overfishing, climate change and coastal erosion (from natural causes & development). These cause detrimental effects to economy, tourism and ecosystem. | ||
*Science based research measures to protect it: Marine reserves/wilderness areas and MPA’s | |||
*<0.5% of ocean is protected in one of these ways | |||
*But 80% of coral reefs in Caribbean have disappeared in last 30 years | |||
*Only 10% of large, predatory fish populations exists since pre-industrial times | |||
*http://act.oceanconservancy.org/site/DocServer/marineProtectedAreasQA.pdf?docID=215 | |||
*(http://www.amnh.org/explore/science-bulletins/bio/documentaries/our-oceans-ourselves/article-understanding-a-marine-wilderness-in-parts) | |||
In order to slow, and possibly reverse, these damaging effects, Marine reserves have been introduced | In order to slow, and possibly reverse, these damaging effects, Marine reserves have been introduced | ||
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No-take Marine Reserve/Wilderness area: no fishing | No-take Marine Reserve/Wilderness area: no fishing | ||
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*Bahamas has plans to set aside 20% of ocean area as no-take marine reserve | *Bahamas has plans to set aside 20% of ocean area as no-take marine reserve | ||
*<.0001% of global waters | *<.0001% of global waters | ||
How many reserves are enough to protect and replenish fish supply to sustain economy? where would boundaries be most effective? | How many reserves are enough to protect and replenish fish supply to sustain economy? And where would boundaries be most effective? | ||
Bahamas biocomplexity project: Team of American, British, Bahamian scientists, such as ecologists, geneticists, anthropologists, economists, mathematicians, are investigating these questions to understand how humans, biology, and geography affect the marine environment | *Bahamas biocomplexity project: Team of American, British, Bahamian scientists, such as ecologists, geneticists, anthropologists, economists, mathematicians, are investigating these questions to understand how humans, biology, and geography affect the marine environment | ||
survey number and size of organisms within reserve as compared to those outside of reserve, quantify how well it actually protects | **survey number and size of organisms within reserve as compared to those outside of reserve, quantify how well it actually protects | ||
systematic social research: cultural, economic, political context. fishing locations, catch size, revenues, cultural attachment, and how island life has changed are all taken into account when establishing boundaries and management of the reserve. Enforcement | **systematic social research: cultural, economic, political context. fishing locations, catch size, revenues, cultural attachment, and how island life has changed are all taken into account when establishing boundaries and management of the reserve. | ||
Enforcement | |||
Revision as of 21:10, 25 February 2014
Marine Reserves and Marine Wilderness Areas
- Need to define what this is and compare with MPAs
- Look at this article: http://www.nature.com/nclimate/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nclimate2062.html
- Find other examples of reserves/wilderness areas as case studies
Threats to ecosystem: pollution, overfishing, climate change and coastal erosion (from natural causes & development). These cause detrimental effects to economy, tourism and ecosystem.
- Science based research measures to protect it: Marine reserves/wilderness areas and MPA’s
- <0.5% of ocean is protected in one of these ways
- But 80% of coral reefs in Caribbean have disappeared in last 30 years
- Only 10% of large, predatory fish populations exists since pre-industrial times
- http://act.oceanconservancy.org/site/DocServer/marineProtectedAreasQA.pdf?docID=215
- (http://www.amnh.org/explore/science-bulletins/bio/documentaries/our-oceans-ourselves/article-understanding-a-marine-wilderness-in-parts)
In order to slow, and possibly reverse, these damaging effects, Marine reserves have been introduced
No-take Marine Reserve/Wilderness area: no fishing What it is:
- Organisms & their habitats are completely protected from removal or alteration. Fishermen cannot fish in these areas, and no plants or animals may be removed
How these reserves help:
- Number of species are higher, organisms grow larger, and are able to reproduce more than animals outside of no take reserves. protects diversity
- Habitats can recover more quickly to threats than if fished, ecosystems more sustainable
- useful conservation tool if carefully designed and enforced, should not replace traditional management practices (catch quotas, gear restrictions)
- Borders are porous: this affects populations outside of borders. Fish from reserve can ‘spillover’ into neighboring waters, and can replenish nearby populations
- reseeding effect: fish eggs can drift, hatch, grow up and then mate outside of reserve
Where are reserves now?
- some examples: Exuma Cays land & Sea Park of the Bahamas (456 km^2)
- Bahamas has plans to set aside 20% of ocean area as no-take marine reserve
- <.0001% of global waters
How many reserves are enough to protect and replenish fish supply to sustain economy? And where would boundaries be most effective?
- Bahamas biocomplexity project: Team of American, British, Bahamian scientists, such as ecologists, geneticists, anthropologists, economists, mathematicians, are investigating these questions to understand how humans, biology, and geography affect the marine environment
- survey number and size of organisms within reserve as compared to those outside of reserve, quantify how well it actually protects
- systematic social research: cultural, economic, political context. fishing locations, catch size, revenues, cultural attachment, and how island life has changed are all taken into account when establishing boundaries and management of the reserve.
Enforcement