Marine Marine BiodiversityBiodiversity: Past and : Past and Present ConcernsPresent Concerns

Carlo HeipCarlo HeipNetherlandsNetherlands InstituteInstitute of of EcologyEcology

BiodiversityBiodiversity: Science and : Science and GovernanceGovernanceWorkshop 10: Workshop 10: ChallengesChallenges forfor FisheriesFisheries ManagementManagement

ParisParis 27 27 JanuaryJanuary 20052005

The ‘classic’ concernsThe ‘classic’ concerns

OverexploitationOverexploitation of resourcesof resourcesIntroductionIntroduction of of exoticexotic species species PollutionPollution and eutrophication and eutrophication PhysicalPhysical alterationalteration of the of the sea floor and the sea floor and the coastlinecoastlineGlobalGlobal climateclimate changechange

Overexploitation

Abundance of cartilaginous fish (kg/km2) during Hvar expedition, 1948-49 (up) and MEDITS research program, 1997-98 (down).

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Eutrophication

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Location of the records.

EC

SU

SCSR

SD

LK

PMHF

PA

Locations of the records.

Adriatic Sea

CROATIA

ITALY

Leiognathus klunzingeri - LK

Parexocoetus mento - PMSaurida undosquamis - SU Pampus argenteus - PA

Hemiramphus far - HF

Epinephelus coioides - ECInvasive speciesSiganus rivulatus - SR

Stephanolepis diaspros - SD

Sphyraena chrysotaenia - SC

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Marine Marine biodiversitybiodiversity losslossMarine top predators and grazersMarine top predators and grazers–– SharksSharks and and raysrays–– PelagicPelagic and and benthicbenthic largelarge fishfish species (species (tunatuna, , codcod))–– Marine Marine turtlesturtles, , somesome birdsbirds–– Marine mammals (Marine mammals (dolphinsdolphins, , whaleswhales, , sealsseals))

Marine Marine habitatshabitats–– IntertidalIntertidal rockyrocky shoreshore areasareas and and sandysandy beachesbeaches–– ShallowShallow subtidalsubtidal seagrassseagrass meadowsmeadows–– SedimentsSediments in in heavilyheavily trawledtrawled areasareas–– ShallowShallow and and deepdeep water water coralscorals and and reefsreefs in in generalgeneral

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ChangesChanges in marine in marine biodiversitybiodiversityChangingChanging species species distributiondistribution and and compositioncomposition: : invadinginvading speciesspecies–– DueDue toto changeschanges in in climateclimate and water and water circulationcirculation–– DueDue toto humanhuman constructionsconstructions removingremoving oror creatingcreating

physicalphysical barriersbarriers ((canalscanals, , damsdams))–– DueDue toto maritimemaritime and air transport and and air transport and driftingdrifting objectsobjects–– DueDue toto deliberatedeliberate releases releases byby humanshumans

ChangingChanging foodfood webswebs–– FromFrom shellfishshellfish toto wormsworms–– FromFrom fishfish toto jellyfishjellyfish–– FromFrom big big toto smallsmall and and smallestsmallest: macro: macro-- toto microbesmicrobes

ChangesChanges in the in the deliverydelivery of of goodsgoodsFoodFood: : fisheriesfisheries, , aquacultureaquaculture (half the (half the proteinproteinof the of the PhilippinesPhilippines and Japan)and Japan)ChemicalChemical productsproducts: : pharmaceuticalspharmaceuticals, anti, anti--cancercancer drugs, antidrugs, anti--foulingfouling agentsagents, …, …ProtectionProtection: : reefsreefs, mangroves, , mangroves, saltsalt marshes marshes (vast (vast areasareas in the in the tropicstropics))RecreationRecreation, (, (ecoeco))tourismtourism (G€ industries (G€ industries dependdepend onon healthyhealthy, diverse marine , diverse marine systemssystems))

… and services… and services

PrimaryPrimary ProductionProductionCarbon Carbon sequestrationsequestrationOxydationOxydation and and MineralisationMineralisationDetoxificationDetoxification

… … providedprovided byby microbesmicrobesOceanic microbial species occur in all three Oceanic microbial species occur in all three domains of life (domains of life (EukaryaEukarya, Bacteria and , Bacteria and ArchaeaArchaea). ). In addition there are viruses. Together they In addition there are viruses. Together they dominate almost all processes governing the dominate almost all processes governing the biodiversity and chemical composition of the biodiversity and chemical composition of the biosphere.biosphere.Potential for discovery of new species and new Potential for discovery of new species and new biochemical pathways is enormous: we will not biochemical pathways is enormous: we will not understand marine ecosystems until we understand marine ecosystems until we understand these microbial processes adequately.understand these microbial processes adequately.

Marine fisheries

research

Traditionalecology

Present concernsPresent concernsInsufficientInsufficient knowledgeknowledge onon existingexisting biodiversitybiodiversity, , bothboth macromacro-- and microbes, and and microbes, and onon itsits rolerole in in maintainingmaintaining ecosystemecosystem goodsgoods and servicesand servicesRequiresRequires newnew observationobservation systemssystems and and networksnetworksNo No generalgeneral theorytheory yetyet onon species species interactionsinteractions, , generationgeneration and and maintenancemaintenance of marine of marine biodiversitybiodiversityNo No wayway yetyet toto includeinclude marine marine biodiversitybiodiversityadequatelyadequately intointo generalgeneral ecosystemecosystem modelsmodelsHowHow toto reconcilereconcile the top down (the top down (fisheriesfisheries) and the ) and the bottombottom upup ((biogeochemistrybiogeochemistry) view of marine ) view of marine ecosystemsecosystems??

ConclusionsConclusions: : Marine Marine biodiversitybiodiversity research and research and conservationconservation requirerequire a a specificspecific approachapproach

Marine Marine biodiversitybiodiversity is is veryvery unlikeunlike terrestrialterrestrial biodiversitybiodiversity: a : a strangestrange and and beautifulbeautiful worldworld withwith manymany creaturescreatures thatthathave have nothingnothing in in commoncommon withwith whatwhat we we knowknow fromfrom ourourdayday toto dayday experienceexperience as as terrestrialterrestrial mammals.mammals.ManyMany marine marine populationspopulations and and habitatshabitats have a have a widewidedistributiondistribution and marine and marine extinctionextinction maymay bebe rare and rare and thereforetherefore notnot anan item item ButBut marine marine biodiversitybiodiversity is is changingchanging rapidlyrapidly in in coastalcoastalregionsregions and the open and the open oceansoceans alikealike. . MuchMuch of of thatthat changechangeis is anthropogenicanthropogenic ((fisheriesfisheries, , climateclimate) and ) and maymay bebeirreversibleirreversible, , becausebecause we we cancan do do nothingnothing aboutabout it. The it. The consequencesconsequences of of suchsuch changeschanges are are difficultdifficult toto evaluateevaluate..

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KnowledgeKnowledge is is scarcescarce. Marine . Marine biodiversitybiodiversity is is mainlymainly invisibleinvisible and out of and out of reachreach forfor direct, direct, cheapcheapobservationobservation methodsmethods oror forfor amateur amateur observersobservers. . Marine Marine biodiversitybiodiversity research is research is nearlynearly alwaysalwaysexpensiveexpensive. . ThereThere are are notnot manymany marine marine ((biodiversitybiodiversity) ) scientistsscientists. . OnlyOnly a a smallsmall part even of the part even of the coastalcoastal areasareas cancan bebecoveredcovered byby nationalnational legislationlegislation and and thereforetherefore is of is of interest interest toto locallocal oror regionalregional politicianspoliticians

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LargeLarge areasareas of the open of the open oceanocean are are notnot underunder nationalnationaljurisdictionjurisdiction oror in in factfact anyany jurisdictionjurisdiction. The . The seasseas are are freefree forforallall toto useuse..Marine Marine biodiversitybiodiversity sciencescience toto addressaddress the the problemsproblemsadequatelyadequately needsneeds toto have have accessaccess toto and and communicationcommunicationwithwith governmentsgovernments and international and international institutionsinstitutions (EU,EEA, (EU,EEA, CBD,…) CBD,…) toto have effect have effect onon policiespolicies in in suchsuch areasareas at the at the requiredrequired scalesscales..Marine Marine biodiversitybiodiversity sciencescience needsneeds toto bebe multidisciplinarymultidisciplinaryand and internationallyinternationally organizedorganized toto facilitatefacilitate the the interactionsinteractions: : MARS, ICES, CIESM, EU MARS, ICES, CIESM, EU NoENoE’s’s

BIOMARE Reference and Focal sites

(red dots)

MARS members(blue dots)

The NoE builds on previous/existing actions by MARS, BIOMARE and MARBENA

ThankThank youyou forfor youryour attentionattention

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