introduction to marine conservation science

introduction to

Marine Conservation Science

InstructorTara Sayuri Whitty, PhD

Center for Marine Biodiversity & Conservation

Scripps Institution of Oceanography

Assistant InstructorWint Hte

&Teaching Assistants

Aung Naing SoeYin Yin

Point B Design + Training

Short course ⚫ Feb 1-4, 2017⚫ Mawlamyine University

Course Overview

introduction to


DAY 3 (3pm to 5pm)Threats

Conservation approaches

OVEREXPLOITATIONHuntingFishingIncidental mortality

HABITAT DEGRADATION & LOSSPollution, SedimentationCoastal developmentDeforestationOther destruction

INTERACTIONS WITH OTHER SPECIESPredationDiseaseParasitesCompetitionLoss of prey speciesInvasive species

OTHER ECOSYSTEM CHANGESClimate change...!

Conservation threats

SCALE: The magnitude of something

• Spatial scale: Size, from very small

(millimeters) to very large (global)

• Temporal scale: Length of time, from

very short (milliseconds) to very long

(millennia)

Conservation threats & Scale


SPACE

TIME

“LOCAL” “GLOBAL”

< 1 day

> 100 yearsCLIMATE CHANGE

DYNAMITE FISHING

make a list of top threats & put them

on the scale diagram

coral vs algaegame

1. Coral Reef + MPA

2. Coral Reef + MPA and Watershed Protection

3. Coral ReefNo protection

4 ALGAE CARDS

HERBIVORE OVERFISHING

STORM

SEA TEMPERATURE INCREASE

ANCHOR DAMAGE

DYNAMITE FISHING

NUTRIENTS FROM POLLUTION

DISEASE

10 CORAL CARDS

coral-reef-info.com

1. Coral Reef + MPA

2. Coral Reef + MPA and Watershed Protection

3. Coral ReefNo protection

10 CORAL CARDS

4 ALGAE CARDS

coral vs algaegame

HERBIVORE OVERFISHING

STORM

SEA TEMPERATURE INCREASE

ANCHOR DAMAGE

DYNAMITE FISHING

NUTRIENTS FROM POLLUTION

DISEASE

IN REALITY: THESE THREATS INTERACT!EACH THREAT CAN MAKE CORAL MORE VULNERABLE TO OTHER

THREATS

what did this game show you?

how is this game different from reality?

Conservation threats


Changes:Physical conditions

TemperatureMelting iceSea levelOcean acidification*

Weather and SeasonsMore frequent extreme weather eventsLess predictable seasons

This impacts: sedimentation, coastal damage




TemperatureMelting iceSea levelOcean acidification



Biological responses• Sensitivities to specific conditions

(e.g. temperature, light)• Loss or degradation of habitat• Biological timing (phenology) –

change in migration, reproduction*• Cascading effects due to species

interactions• More disease









interactions• More diseasetheguardian.com

OTHER ECOSYSTEM CHANGESClimate change...!OTHER ECOSYSTEM CHANGESClimate change...!









& Human Responses• Changes in how they interact with

environment, shifting activities• Human movement – environmental

refugees

OTHER ECOSYSTEM CHANGESClimate change...!OTHER ECOSYSTEM CHANGESClimate change...!









& Human Responses• Changes in how they interact with

environment, shifting activities• Human movement – environmental

refugees

Special challenges• Large scale and long-term• Economic interests• Many different nations need to work together• The nations that will suffer the most are not the

nations that caused the problem• At this point...need to work on ADAPTATION as well

as MITIGATION

what are challenges to managing climate

change?

example:Malampaya Sound, Philippines

Many people are fishers & farmers. They are losing rice farmland due to sea level rise. How do you think they change their behavior, and what impact does this have on the environment?

think/discuss

Conservation threats & human response

imagine:You are a fisher. Your catch is declining due to overfishing.

Do you:1) Fish more2) Fish less3) Fish the same? think/discuss

Marine Conservation Approaches

2 IMPORTANT NOTES

• Data gaps: Often, we do not have complete

information on a conservation threat. But if we

have good reason to believe that it is a serious

problem, we should act. This is called the

PRECAUTIONARY PRINCIPLE

• Other priorities: Conservation is not always the

top priority for politics. Solutions will have to

adapt to include other priorities & considerations

(more on this tomorrow)


Individual

BehaviorPolicies

Social

norms

“Think Global, Act Local”Reduce, reuse, recycleAvoid palm oilReduce water use

InternationalRegionalNationalSub-nationalLocal

TaboosSocial pressure“Good” or “bad” behavior

examples?

Marine Conservation ApproachesRole of government: “Governance”

GOVERNMENT

COMMUNITY

“Top-down”

“Bottom-up”

Co-management

Community-based management

Marine Conservation ApproachesRole of government: “Governance”

GOVERNMENT

COMMUNITY

local activity

support from township

support from national gov’t

support from international organizations

move threats from scale diagram to governance

scale


Conservation organization

Local Fisheries Dept.

National Fisheries Dept.

Village leader

Community

Media

Neighboring communities

Other fishers

CSO

...who would you work with to help solve the problem?

Other fishers

discuss

Others?


A. Small-scale fisher who feels that illegal industrial fishing from other countries hurts his livelihood

Conservation organization

Local Fisheries Dept.

B. Small-scale fisher who feels that other people fishing illegally from his village are hurting his livelihood

National Fisheries Dept.

Village leader

Community

Media

Neighboring communities

Other fishers

You are a...

CSO

...who would you work with to help solve the problem?

Other fishers

discuss

Others?


Species Ecosystem


Species

Protect species from harm

In situ & Ex situ

1. Regulate activities that harm species• Make activities illegal or restricted

2. Indirectly control these activities• Economic incentives• Change behavior

3. Physically protect the species

4. Protect the species’ habitat/ecosystem

Buffer zone


Ecosystem

Core

zone Protect ecosystems from harmIncludes “Place-based” approaches to protect areas

Includes Protected AreasZonation of activities

howtoconserve.org


Ecosystem

1. Regulate activities that harm ecosystem• Make activities illegal or restricted• Restrict access

2. Indirectly control these activities• Economic incentives• Change behavior Protect ecosystems from harm

Includes “Place-based” approaches to protect areas



Ecosystem





Ecosystem-Based Management (EBM): “...an integrated approach to management that considers the entire ecosystem, including humans. The goal...is to maintain an ecosystem in a healthy, productive, and resilient condition so that it can provide the services humans want and need. EBM differs from current approaches that usually focus on a single species, sector, activity or concern; it considers the cumulative impacts of different sectors.”(McLeod et al. 2005)


Ecosystem





+ other common terms

• Integrated Coastal

Zone Management

(ICZM)

• Coastal Resource

Management (CRM)

• Integrated

Conservation &

Development

Program (ICDP)


Species Ecosystem

Other

Solid waste managementWater conservationRenewable energyManaging human population growthEnvironmental Impact Assessments

Marine Conservation Approaches - Examples

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) regulates this.• Required gear modifications• Observers on ships to monitor bycatch• If fisheries in USA accidentally catch more than

a sustainable number of sea turtles, the government is required to shut down the fishery for the season

Law: Magnuson-Stevens Conservation & Fisheries Management Act

Government control of industrial fishing:Regulations and catch limits for sea turtle bycatch, USA

iucn-mtsg.org

westcoastfisheries.noaa.gov

This is why the NMFS is interested in sea turtle conservation in other countries

“Locally Managed Marine Area” (LMMA):Community-led, temporary octopus fishery closures in Madagascar

Marine Conservation Approaches - Examples

NGO Blue Ventures worked with communities to identify management needs.

Together, with a university, government, and businesses, they designed temporary octopus closures – close up to ¼ of fishing grounds for ~3 months

Octopus stay in the same place and reproduce quickly.

With these closures, big increase in octopus catch and incomes.

Many other communities copy this! And this led to new fisheries policy.


Conservation across borders &Protecting migratory species

Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora• International agreement to control the

trade of wild animals and plants• ~35,000 species

Convention on Migratory Species• UN Environment Programme• Legal foundation for internationally

coordinated conservation among “range states”


International Fishing Conflict: 3 Country example(very simplified)

1. Fishing boats from this country fish illegally in Country #2

2. Country where the illegal fishing happens

3. Country that imports fish from country #1

Country #2 wants Country #1 to stop illegal fishing.Country #1 refuses because the fishery is economically importantHow can this situation be resolved?

act out

Course Overview

introduction to


DAY 3 (3pm to 5pm)Threats

Conservation approaches

What did you find most interesting?

Did anything surprise you?

What do you want to learn more about?

QUESTIONS? COMMENTS?

Course Overview

introduction to


DAY 4 (10am to 2pm)Human Communities

Conservation case studies

introduction to marine conservation science

Documents