MARINE Protected Areas (MPAs), particularly "no-take" areas where fishing is prohibited, will not only improve the health of underwater ecosystems but also benefit the well-being of humans through the long-term results of ecological and socio-economic sustainability.
The senior director of Conservation International's marine science programme, in a presentation on the benefits and challenges in establishing MPAs during a seminar here yesterday, explained that the underwater reserves, specifically no-take areas, increased ecosystem health through the increase in fish biomass, density and size.
Studies have also indicated that the reserves also increased the resilience of coral reefs within an MPA, Dr Leah Karrer (pictured) said during the World Oceans Day Seminar held at The Empire Hotel and Country Club.
MPAs also led to greater income generation and more diversified livelihoods for those that carry out economic activities related to the protected area.
With the anticipated replenishment of deteriorated fish stocks, seting up an MPA can also lead to greater food security in marine resources, apart from the community benefiting from environmental awareness and empowerment through their participation in the establishment and maintenance of the reserve.
However, Karrer noted several challenges that stood in the way of setting up an MPA, including the success of the initiative being dependent on assistance given to authorities, loss of fishing grounds for the fishermen, and inequitable benefits for the stakeholders.
The ecological and economical benefits resulting from the establishment of an MPA would also take some time, experts agreed during a press conference following the seminar.
"It takes a while for enforcement, the actual management to take place from the time of establishment (of the MPA) to get a compliance level so that it is a truly maintained reserve," Karrer told reporters.
She anticipated that it could take more than five years to start to see significant biomass accumulation and 15 years after the establishment of the MPA to see signs of habitat rehabilitation.
It can take five to 10 years "to see changes in the economy", for example people benefiting from increase in tourism or livelihoods other than fishing, she added, stressing the importance of starting alternative livelihood programmes early to compensate for the initial losses of fishermen locked out of MPAs.
Dr Peter Mous, an MPA management expert from People and Nature Consulting International said fishermen should be a grace period of "a couple of months" to accept the conditions of a no-take areas. "Only after a certain period of time, the reserves would be strictly enforced," he said.
The rate at which the fish stock would be replenished depended on the life and reproduction cycles of the fish, he added. "I have seen instances where recovery is much faster than you would expect from just simple population dynamics. Simple population dynamics dictate that fish would first grow and get older, and by time, you get a higher reproduction. And slowly the fish biomass builds up," Mous said.
"In some areas, we have seen recovery is actually much faster than that and the only explanation is that fish migrate through the area. (They) like to hang out in areas that are safe."
Roger McManus, senior counsel to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature's (IUCN) Species Survival Commission also observed similar behaviour while diving in a reserve in the Bahamas. "It's quite a different world out there when they (fish) have these areas where they feel protected and safe," McManus said. The Brunei Times
Friday, June 10, 2011
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