11. Current Journal - New Stresses on Marine MPAs (2010)

8/6/2019 11. Current Journal - New Stresses on Marine MPAs (2010)

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T he N aTioNal M ariNe P roTecTed a reas c eNTers p e c i a l i s s u e f o c u s e d o n

N eTworks of M ariNe P roTecTed a reas

Volume 26 June 2010


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THE NATIONAL MARINE EDUCATORS ASSOCIATION brings together those interestedin the study and enjoyment o the world o water. A liated with the National ScienceTeachers Association, NMEA includes pro essionals with backgrounds in education,science, business, government, museums, aquariums, and marine research, amongothers. Members receive Current: The Journal o Marine Education, NMEA News, and discounts at annual con erences. Membership in ormation is available rom:NMEA, P.O. Box 1470, Ocean Springs, MS 39566-1470; Phone: (228) 701-1770;Fax: (228) 701-1771; email: [email protected], or visit our website online at

www.marine-ed.org/.

President 2009-2010 Adam Frederick Maryland Sea Grant Ext.University o MarylandPresident Elect 2009-2010Justine GlynnGul o Maine Research InstitutePast-President 2009-2010 Eric SimmsScripps Institution o OceanographyUniversity o Cali ornia at San Diego

Treasurer 2009-2011

Don HudsonThe Chewonki FoundationSecretary 2008-2010 Beth JewellWest Spring eld High SchoolNMEA NAtioNAl officE:

Membership Secretary Sharon WalkerInstitute or Marine Mammal Studies

Administrative Assistant Johnette BosargeNational Marine Educators AssociationCurrent Editor Lisa M. TookerNMEA BoARD of DiREctoRS:

Susan Haynes, 2009-2012NOAA O ce o Ocean Exploration & ResearchMellie Lewis, 2008-2011

Tami Lunsford, 2008-2011 Newark High SchoolMichiko Martin, 2009-2012 NOAA O ce o National Marine SanctuariesDiana Payne, 2007-2010 Connecticut Sea Grant, University o ConnecticutSarah Richards, 2008-2011 Saint Annes SchoolE. Howard Rutherford, 2007-2010 Pier Aquarium, FloridaCraig Strang, 2009-2012 Lawrence Hall o ScienceUniversity o Cali ornia at Berkeley

Joy Wolf, 2007-2010Sea World, San DiegoNMEA cHAPtER REPRESENtAtiVES:

Martin A. Keeley Caribbean and WesternAtlantic (CARIBWA)email: [email protected]

Jim Wharton Florida Marine Science EducatorsAssociation (FMSEA)email: [email protected]

Maryellen Timmons Georgia Association o MarineEducation (GAME)email: [email protected] Hinchey Malloy Great Lakes Educators o Aquatic andMarine Science (GLEAMS)email: [email protected]

Theresa Torrent-Ellis Gul o Maine Marine EducationAssociation (GOMMEA)email: [email protected]

David Christopher Mid-Atlantic Marine EducatorsAssociation (MAMEA)email: [email protected] Rocha Massachusetts Marine Educators (MME)email: [email protected] McArthur Northwest Aquatic and MarineEducators (NAME)email: [email protected] Kelly New Jersey Marine EducatorsAssociation (NJMEA)email: [email protected] Marrero New York State Marine EducatorsAssociation (NYSMEA)email: [email protected]

Judith Lemus OCEANIAemail: [email protected] Verlinde Southern Association o MarineEducators (SAME)email: [email protected] Vernon South Carolina Marine EducatorsAssociation (SCMEA)email: [email protected] Rader Southeastern New England MarineEducators (SENEME)email: [email protected] Keenan Southwest Marine EducatorsAssociation (SWMEA)email: [email protected] Kroll Thompson Tennessee Educators o Aquatic andMarine Science (TEAMS)email: [email protected] Stryker Texas Marine EducatorsAssociation (TMEA)email: [email protected]

N a t i o N a l M a r i N e e d u c a t o r s a s s o c i a t i o N

Lisa M. Tooker, Managing EditorKara Schwenke andLauren Wenzel, Issue EditorsFarrah Underwood andMegan Garziano , DesignEDITORIAL BOARD

Vicki ClarkVirginia Institute o Marine SciencesVirginia Sea Grant

Dru ClarkeProgram Assistant, College of EducationKansas State University

Elizabeth Day-MillerBridgeWater Education Consulting, LLC

John DindoChairman of Discovery Hall ProgramsDauphin Island Sea Lab

Bill HastieExecutive DirectorFriends of Netarts Bay WEBSSalem, Oregon

Paula Keener-ChavisDirector, Education ProgramsOcean Exploration and ResearchProgram, NOAA

David NiebuhrMan and the Sea Project, Inc.Yorktown, Virginia

Maryellen TimmonsGeorgia Sea Grant

Sharon WalkerDirector of Education and Outreach

Institute for Marine Mammal StudiesCurrent is published up to our times

or members o the National Marine EdAssociation. Library subscriptions toCurreavailable or $40 a year. Individual copies aable rom the editors or $5 plus $1.25 po

Editorial and advertising o ces:NMEAJohnette Bosarge, P.O. Box 1470, OSprings, MS 39566-1470

2010 by Current: The Journal o Education (ISSN 0889-5546). Publicatiothe National Marine Educators Associatioopinions expressed by authors do not necesrefect those o NMEA.

Permission is granted byNMEA or librarother users to make reprographic copies oown or their clients personal or non-commuse. This permission does not extend to co

or advertising or promotional purposes, cnew collective works, resale, or any matecopyrighted to the NMEA. For more in ormemail the editor o Current: The Journ

Marine Educationat [email protected] or other editorial queor comments regarding the journal; or vonline at www.marine-ed.org.

Front Cover: Courtesy o iStockphoto, Mark

... to make known the world o water, both resh and salt.

NMEA officERS:

Volume 26 Number 2 2010


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Current Log Increasing impacts on the worlds oceans and Great Lakes, caused by development, pollution, overfshing, and naturaevents, strain the health o our coastal and marine ecosystems. Some o these impacts can include decreased or damaged fsh populations, lo wetlands and other coastal habitats, bleached corals, threatened or endangered species, or resulting social and economic impacts. Mari protected areas, or MPAs, are one type o ocean management tool that, when used e ectively, help protect and restore our oceans. They may protect historic arti acts such as shipwrecks that could otherwise be damaged by handling or the t.

Sometimes a single MPA is not su fcient in size or scope to protect all o the resources that reside within its boundaries. There ore, a netwo MPAsa grouping o smaller MPAs protecting di erent habitats at various locations within the larger ecosystemmay be required. Tissue o Current ocuses on networks o MPAs, and includes articles written by authors who have had extensive experience in MPA netwdesign, management, and research. The activities and additional resources at the end o the articles will help you bring the concept o MPAs a

networks o MPAs directly into your classroom.The National Marine Protected Areas Center acilitates the e ective use o science, technology, training, and in ormation in the plannmanagement, and evaluation o the nations system o marine protected areas. The MPA Center works in partnership with ederal, state, triband local governments, tribes, and stakeholders to develop and implement a science-based, comprehensive national system o MPAs.

We encourage you to regularly visit our website, www.mpa.gov, to learn more about MPAs.

Kara Schwenke is the Communications and Outreach Coordinator or the National Marine Protected Areas Center. Her work at the MPACenter ocuses on communicating the benefts o MPAs and a national system o MPAs to the public. She is the editor o the MPA Centquarterly e-newsletter, MPA Connections , as well as the content editor or the MPA Centers website, www.mpa.gov. Prior to her work wi NOAA, Kara was an outreach and communications specialist or both the North Carolina Division o Marine Fisheries, and the MarylanDepartment o the Environment. Kara received B.S. degrees in Biology and Environmental Science rom Salisbury University, and an M.S Zoology rom North Carolina State University.

Lauren Wenzel has been working or the National Marine Protected Areas Center or the past seven years to build a national systemmarine protected areas (MPAs). As the National System Coordinator, Lauren works with ederal, state, territorial, tribal, and local MPA programs in the U.S. on issues o common national and regional concern, such as climate change. The national system also supports participatin MPA sites through training and technical assistance. She has a strong interest in land/sea interactions and, be ore joining NOAA, worked owatershed planning to restore Chesapeake Bay. Lauren has a B.A. in English and Government rom Oberlin College, and an M.S. rom thUniversity o Michigan in Natural Resources Planning.

2 Welcome Letter from Dr. Jane Lubchenco

3 Networks of Marine Protected Areas: What are they and Why are they Needed?By Kara Schwenke, L auren Wenzel, and Katya Wowk

8 Activity : Working Together with Sherman and the NationalSystem of Marine Protected Areas

12 Institutional Networks of Marine Protected AreasConnectingPeople to Protect PlacesBy Georgina Bustamante, Meghan Gombos, Hans Hermann,Karen Schmidt, and Alessandra Vanzella-Khouri

20 Why are Ecological Networks of Marine Protected Areas Important?By Steven Gaines and Satie Airam

24 Graphic: How Marine Reserves and Networks ProtectOcean Resources

26 Activity: Biodiversity

29 Pelagic Reserves for Marine Top Predators: How Bigand How Many?By David Hyrenbach

34 Activity: Origami Whale and Turtle

35 New Stresses, New Strategies: Managing Marine ProtectedAreas in an Age of Global Environmental ChangeBy Daniel Gleason

43 Activity: Architects of Seamounts


Contents

This special issue o Current: The Journal of Marine Education is sponsored by the National Marine Protected Areas Center.


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The N aTioNal M ariNe ProTecTed a reas c eNTer s Pecial issue Focused oN N eTworks oF M ariNe ProTecTed a reas


W elcome l etter from D r . J ane l ubchenco

Dear Current Readers:

Healthy oceans are important to all o us. To protect and restoreour oceans, and ensure that they can continue to contributeto our economy and vibrant coastal communities, PresidentObama is establishing a national ocean policy that will providea ramework or e ectively managing the diverse uses o ouroceans and coasts through an ecosystem-based approach.This special edition o Current , sponsored by NOAAs NationalMarine Protected Areas Center, illustrates how marine protectedareas (MPAs) and networks can serve as an e ective tool orconserving marine resources.

Marine protected areas, or MPAs, have been used or over acentury to conserve our nations oceans, coasts, and Great Lakesresources. In the United States, more than 1,600 MPAs have

been created by ederal, state, and local governments, spanninga wide range o marine habitats. Each has its own conservationobjectives, which range rom conserving important habitats andpreserving sunken historic vessels to protecting sh spawninggrounds important to commercial and recreational sheries. Insome instances, a single MPA may not be large enough in sizeand scope to adequately protect the marine resources withinits boundaries. Many marine species live in various habitatsthroughout their li e cycle, and some migrate huge distances. Fora single MPA to protect all o those habitats, it would have to bevery large, which isnt always practical or desirable. Networksa

series o smaller MPAs connected by the movement o juvenilesor adultsare an e ective alternative, especially when theyprotect di erent habitats within the larger ecosystem. Thesenetworks can e ectively conserve marine resources becausethey can protect multiple stages o an organisms li e cycle.NOAA is helping support MPA networks through the develop-ment o the national system o MPAs, which works across alllevels o government to support common conservation objec-tives and address management challenges, like climate changeimpacts, that extend beyond the boundaries o a single MPA.

As a marine educator, you play an important role in helpingthese conservation e orts. By introducing a world o water that

is a mystery to most, you instill a sense o appreciation andwonder in our marine resources. That enthusiasm will continue,as those you teach become stewards o our environment.

This issue o Current explores the many types o MPA networks,including ecological networks designed to protect species andhabitats, as well as institutional networks to strengthen MPAprograms and establish partnerships among di erent nations(see Why are Ecological Networks of Marine Protected

Areas Important? and Institutional Networks of MarineProtected AreasConnecting People to Protect Places ).While we o ten think o MPAs as use ul tools or conservingimportant habitats like coral ree s and kelp orests, MPAs alsoare being created in the open ocean to protect highly mobile

species like whales and tuna (see Pelagic Reserves for MarineTop Predators: How Big and How Many? ). Lastly, threatssuch as ocean acidi cation and climate change are alreadychanging marine ecosystems. Can MPAs play a role in providingsome protection against such threats (see New Stresses, New Strategies: Managing Marine Protected Areas in an Ageof Global Environmental Change )?

I thank you or your dedication and interest in not only helpingto conserve our nations important natural and cultural marineresources, but your passion or inspiring our children to dothe same.

Sincerely,

Dr. Jane LubchencoUnder Secretary o Commerce or Oceans and Atmosphere andNOAA Administrator

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Increasing impacts on the worlds oceans rom coastal ando shore development, over shing, a changing climate andincreased levels o carbon dioxide, natural events, and othersources are straining the health o marine ecosystems and theGreat Lakes. Impacts to these intricately balanced environmentsinclude declining sh populations, degradation o coral ree sand other vital habitats, threats to rare or endangered species,and loss o arti acts and resources that represent the diversecultural heritage o the United States. The e ects o these lossesare signi cant and jeopardize the social and economic abric o the nation.

In the United States and around the world, marine protected

areas (MPAs) are increasingly recognized as an important andpromising management tool or reducing or preventing some o these impacts. An MPA is any area o the marine environmentthat has been reserved by ederal, state, territorial, tribal, or locallaws or regulations to provide lasting protection or part or allo the natural and cultural resources inside that area (ExecutiveOrder 13158, May 2000). In practice, MPAs are areas withspeci c geographic boundaries where natural and/or culturalresources are given greater protection than in the surroundingwaters. In the United States, more than 1,600 MPAs span arange o marine habitats, including the open ocean, coastalareas, intertidal zones, estuaries, and the Great Lakes.

U.S. MPAs may be created by over 100 di erent local, state,

territorial, tribal, or ederal authorities. The level o protectionprovided by these MPAs ranges rom ully protected marinereserves, where all extractive uses are prohibited, to thoseallowing multiple uses, including shing. Nearly all U.S. MPAsare multiple use and allow public access and shing.

MPAs have been well documented as success ul conservationtools. However, when used alone, individual MPAs may not besu cient in size or scope, or provide adequate protection tothe marine organisms that reside within them. Recent attentionhas been given to the importance and bene ts o networks

o MPAsa set o MPAs within a region or ecosystem thatact cooperatively and synergistically (Agardy 2005). Becauseexisting and emerging threats, particularly those posed byclimate change and ocean acidi cation, have the potential tosigni cantly a ect marine resources, networks o MPAs are akey tool or restoring and sustaining the health o our nationsoceans and Great Lakes.

BENEfitS of NEtWoRKS of MPAs

Ecosystems unction at di erent scales and change overtime. E ectively designed networks o MPAs have the abilityto account or such temporal and spatial changes becausethey connect ecosystem components within and betweennetworks. Numerous other ecological bene ts are associated

with networks o MPAs. For example, most marine shes andinvertebrates live in various habitats throughout their li e cycle.I di erent types o habitats are represented in individual MPAswithin the network, not only will di erent species be protected,but entire li e stages o organisms could be protected. From a

sheries perspective, networks o MPAs can positively a ect thebiomass, abundance, size, and diversity o some species withinthe MPAs, and those impacts can extend outside the boundarieso MPAs (IUCN-WCPA 2008). These concepts are given ur therconsideration in a subsequent article in this issue (see Why areEcological Networks o Marine Protected Areas Important? ).

N r hern E ephan Sea s ( Mirounga angustirostris ) have m ra r pa hs ha span h sands m es and r ss n erna na b nd-ar es n and and sea.

Marine protected areas, or MPAs, are one type of ocean management tool that, when used e ectively, help ensure healthy oceans. They may also protect historic arti acts such asshipwrecks that could otherwise be damaged by handling or the t. Sometimes, however, a single MPA is not su fcient in size or scope to protect all o the resources that reside within its boundaries. There ore, a networko MPAsa grouping o smaller MPAs protecting di erent habitats at various locations within the larger ecosystemmay be required.

n etWorks of m arine ProtecteD a reas : W hat are they anD Why are they n eeDeD ? By Kara Schwenke, Lauren Wenzel, and Katya Wowk


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Further, networks o MPAs are valuable management tools inthe ace o wide-scale threats like climate change, as changingconditions that negatively impact habitats or populations in oneMPA may not a ect other MPAs within the network. Thus, MPAsare a use ul tool in an adaptation strategy to climate change,potentially providing re ugia or key species. For more in or-mation about MPAs and climate change, see the article New

Stresses, New Strategies: Managing Marine Protected Areas in an Age o Global Environmental Changein this issue.

Networks o MPAs can provide social bene ts by helping toresolve and manage conficts in the marine environment (PISCO2007). Institutional MPA networks can be ormed to acilitatelearning and coordination o administration and planning bylinking people and institutions involved in MPAs into a coordi-nated and holistic initiative. The institutional networks provide ameans or individual MPA stakeholders or communities to coor-dinate with each other to share experiences and to enhance

each others e orts in managing their respective MPAs (Whiteet al. 2006)

Economically, MPA networks can increase the pool o availableunding and sta to address issues and problems common

to more than one site. Within networks, common issues andconcerns can be easily identi ed. Pooled resources and a sharedagenda or action promote swi t and e ective responses toshared problems. Collective and collaborative actions in outreachand education can mobilize support or individual sites and theconcept o marine protected areas generally. The shared experi-ences o site managers and agency administrators can be criticalto avoiding duplication o e ort when a site in the network encounters situations that others have already resolved.

DESigN cRitERiA foR EffEctiVE MPA NEtWoRKS

An e ective network o MPAs is not just several individual MPAsgrouped together. Major ecological design criteria (IUCN-WCPA2008) to consider when designing MPA networks, which maybe o less or more importance depending on the aims o anetwork, include:

Representativeness: MPA networks should represent therange o marine and coastal biological diversity ( rom genes toecosystems) and the associated oceanographic environmentwithin the given area. All ecosystems and habitats within theregion should be represented in the MPA network. To ensurethis, MPA managers must assess the type and distribution o

habitats and identi y representative and unique habitats thatshould be protected in order to address conservation goals. Forexample, i a network o MPAs is intended to protect nurseriesand eeding grounds o blue crabs, then MPA managers mustconsider all habitats that blue crabs use throughout their entireli e cycle (creeks, rivers, estuaries, bays, di erent depths withinthe water column, di erent salinities, etc.).

Replication: MPA networks are most e ective when eachhabitat type is represented in more than one MPA. Ideally, allhabitats in each region should be replicated within the network

and distributed spatially throughout the network. This replicationhelps provide stepping-stones or species that are dispersedwithin the network, and also provides a sa eguard against unex-pected habitat loss or population collapse.

Connectivity: Connectivity describes the extent to whichpopulations in di erent parts o a species range are linked bythe exchange o eggs, larvae, juveniles, or adults. MPA network design should recognize the patterns o connectivity within andamong ecosystems (e.g., ecological linkages among coral ree s,seagrasses, and mangroves). An MPA network that is intendedto protect a mobile species must consider all the habitats thespecies uses in its entire li e cycle.

Resilience: MPA networks must be designed to maintainecosystems natural states and to absorb shocks, particularly inthe ace o large-scale and long-term changes such as climatechange. Representativeness and resilience are closely relatedcriteria: i a range o habitats are represented in a network o MPAs, then that network may be able to accommodate changesin species distribution, salinity di erences, temperature di er-ences, and other ecosystem dynamics that are o ten associatedwith global warming.

Permanence: MPA networks must provide long-term protec-tion to e ectively conserve diversity and replenish resources.Though some biological changes may occur relatively quicklya ter implementation, the ull bene ts o MPAs and networks

o MPAs may not be noticeable or years. The long-term protec-tion o MPAs, especially no-take MPAs, may positively a ec

sh species and sheries because research has proven thatbiomass, abundance, size, and diversity o some sh species areall increased within an MPA. Larger shes produce more eggs,resulting in increased o spring that can repopulate the MPA andprovide recruits and spillover into non-protected areas.

Size and shape: Individual MPA units within the network mustbe o su cient size to minimize adverse impacts rom activitiesoutside the protected area. Typically, larger MPAs provide bene ts

B e rabs (Callinectes sapidus ) have a mp e e e wherehe ze d eren e s s ems d r n he r e me. Jrabs ke he ne sh wn ab ve ve n sha w es ar ne wa ers

where he se nderwa er sea rasses as a re e.


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to a wider diversity o species than smaller MPAs because theyencompass the adult movement ranges and larval dispersaldistances o more species. However, smaller MPAs have theirbene ts too, including the act that they are easier to en orce,and the bene ts (both ecological and economical) may accrue

aster in a smaller MPA. The shape o an MPA should considerthe onshore-o shore or li e-stage shi ts o the species it is tryingto protect, but should also allow or clear marking o boundaries

or both users and en orcement personnel.

cHAllENgES iN DESigNiNg AND MANAgiNgEffEctiVE NEtWoRKS of MPAS

Though the above design criteria will likely enhance the e ec-tiveness o MPA networks, managing human activities in oceanareas presents many challenges. MPA networks require the sameresources and conditions needed to ensure the success o othermanagement measures: management and technical capacity,

su cient unding, en orcement and public support, and recogni-tion o the value o ocean resources, which leads to the politicalwill to address these challenges (CBD 2007). Embedding thecreation o MPAs and networks o MPAs within a broader gover-nance system o integrated ocean and coastal management canhelp to address these problems and enhance e ectiveness,which becomes even more important when one considers thetransboundary nature o many ocean and coastal issues.

ExA MPlES of MPA NEtWoRKS

Institutional Networks

Ecosystems and the species living within them do not adhereto political or jurisdictional boundaries. There ore, they requirecooperative management among state, regions, nations, and

jurisdictions (WCPA/IUCN 2007). An institutional network o MPAs is a network o people managing the components o indi-vidual MPAs and promoting the networks viability and longevity.Institutional MPA networks can be ormed to acilitate collabo-ration, learning, resource sharing and MPA planning, and canhelp lay the groundwork or stronger political commitments tomarine conservation and more e ective cooperation across

jurisdictional boundaries. The U.S. participates in the NorthAmerican Marine Protected Areas Network (NAMPAN), thePaci c Islands Marine Protected Areas Community (PIMPAC),and the Caribbean Marine Protected Area Management Network and Forum (CaMPAM). These networks are urther described inthe article Institutional Networks o Marine Protected AreasConnecting People to Protect Places, ound later in this issue.

Ecological Networks

Ecological networks o MPAs are a set o discrete MPAs withina region that are connected through dispersal o reproductivestages (eggs, larvae, spores, etc.) or movement o juvenilesand adults. A common component o ecological networks aremarine reserves, commonly re erred to as no-take areas, orareas in the ocean that are ully protected rom activities thatremove animals and plants or alter habitats. Because reserves

do not allow any extractive activities, they can protect multiplehabitats and species, and provide insurance against catastro-phes. An example o an ecological network in the U.S. is theMarine Li e Protection Act in Cali ornia, which is a series o MPAs, including marine reserves in state waters o the coasto Cali ornia. The nearshore Cali ornia case study is describedin more detail in the article Why are Ecological Networks o

Marine Protected Areas Important? , while the articlePelagicReserves or Marine Top Predators: How Big and How Many? describes considerations or designing o shore MPAs to protectwider-ranging species such as whales and turtles.

Fitting Networks o MPAs into the Big Picture

MPA networks cannot solve broad ocean management confictsor issues alone. However, MPA networks can contribute toconserving our oceans health i they are implemented withinlarger rameworks o adaptive, ecosystem-based management,integrated ocean governance, and coastal management.

Coastal and marine spatial planning (CMSP) is a comprehen-sive, adaptive, integrated, ecosystem-based, and transparentspatial planning process, based on science, or analyzingcurrent and anticipated uses o ocean, coastal, and Great Lakesareas. CMSP has recently gained momentum in the U.S. withPresident Obamas creation o an Ocean Policy Task Force(OPTF). In December 2009, the Task Force released theInterim

Framework or E ective Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning or public comment, with a nal Framework expected in spring2010. The Interim Framework outlines the scope and breadtho ocean planning in the United States and identi es MPAs as amanagement and conservation tool that, when used compre-hensively with other tools, can acilitate compatible uses andpreserve critical ecosystem services to meet economic, envi-ronmental, security, and social objectives.

For CMSP to be success ul, it must be based on clear, broad-based goals that de ne the desired outcomes to be achieved.

ins na Ne w rks MPAs an a a e n rma n shar nand pr v de pp r n es r pe p e share he r v s n and

a s r MPAs.


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MPAs and MPA networks can contribute to two o the nationalgoals de ned in the Interim Framework:

to support sustainable, safe, secure, ef cient, andproductive uses o the ocean, our coasts, and the GreatLakes; and

to protect, maintain, and restore the nations ocean, coastal,and Great Lakes resources and ensure resilient ecosystems.

MPA networks can provide ecological, nancial, and social ben-e ts. Institutional networks can strengthen the acilitation o knowledge, resources, and communications. Ecological networkso MPAs can help conserve critical li e stages o marine species,protect groups o spawning adult sh, and act as an insurancepolicy against global threats such as climate change. Withcontinued research and increased education and awarenessabout the bene ts o MPAs and networks o MPAs, thesetools can continue to conserve our nations ocean and coastalresources or uture generations.

Kara Schwenke (see bio on page 1)

Lauren Wenzel (see bio on page 1)

Katya Wowk is the Policy Specialist at NOAAs NationalMarine Protected Areas Center, where she ocuses ondeveloping and implementing strategies that respond to andinfuence decisions made by ederal agencies, in the contexto the National System o MPAs. She has a special interest inenhancing marine ecological resilience in light o climate changeimpacts and ocean acidi cation, and conducting analyses o thepolicies that are needed to support such resilience. Katya is aPh.D. Candidate in Marine Policy at the University o Delaware,and holds an M.S. rom Columbia University in EnvironmentalScience and Policy.

REfERENcES

Agardy, T. (2005). Global marine policy versus site-level conser-vation: The mismatch o scales and its implications. Invitedpaper, Marine Ecology ProgressSeries 300:242-248.

Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). (2007).Recommendations adopted by the Ad Hoc WorkingGroup on Review o Implementation o the Conventionat its Second Meeting. Document UNEP/CBD/WG-RI/2/INF/1. at: http://www.cbd.int/recommendations/wgri/?m=wgri-02

IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas (IUCN-WCPA).(2008). Establishing Marine Protected Area Networks

Making it Happen. Washington D.C.: IUCN-WCPA,National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration andThe Nature Conservancy. 118 p.

Partnership or Interdisciplinary Studies o Coastal Oceans(PISCO). (2007). The Science o Marine Reserves(SecondEdition, United States Version). www.piscoweb.org. 22 pgs.

WCPA/IUCN. (2007).Establishing Networks o MarineProtected Areas: A Guide or Developing National and Regional Capacity or Building MPA Networks.Non-technical summary report.

White, A.T., P.M. Alino, and A.T. Meneses. (2006).Creating and Managing Marine Protected Areas in the Philippines.Fisheries Improved or Sustainable Harvest Project,Coastal Conservation and Education Foundation, Inc. andUniversity o the Philippines Marine Science Institute,

Cebu City: Philippines, 83 p.

Framework or the National System o Marine Protected Areaso the United States o America, National Marine ProtectedAreas Center, November 2008: http://mpa.gov/pd / national-system/fnal ramework_ ull.pd

Interim Framework or E ective Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning, Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force, December 9,2009: http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/de ault/fles/ microsites/091209-Interim-CMSP-Framework-Task-Force.pd

PHoto cREDitS

Pages 3, 6: Courtesy o Lauren Wenzel, NOAA

Page 4: Courtesy o NOAA

Page 5: Courtesy o Meghan Gombos, NOAA

Page 7: Courtesy o the National MPA Center

Ne w rks MPAs are j s ne mp nen a mprehens vee s s em-based mana emen appr a h.

foR MoRE RESouRcES


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in f ocus : t he n ational s ystem of m arine ProtecteD a reas of the u.s.

The United States has developed a national system o marine protected areas (MPAs) to advance the conser-vation and sustainable use o the nations vital naturaland cultural marine resources.

The national system was established to leverage thecapabilities o over 100 existing ederal, state, territorial,and tribal MPA programs that span the nations coastal,marine, and Great Lakes regions in order to strengthennatural and cultural marine resource conservation. Thenational system o MPAs enhances place-based protec-tion o important U.S. marine resources by providingnew opportunities or regional and national coop-eration; supports the national economy by helping tosustain sheries and maintain healthy marine ecosys-tems or tourism and recreation businesses; andpromotes public participation in MPA planning, decision-making by improving access to scienti c and publicpolicy in ormation.

The goals o the national system are to conserveand manage:

Natural heritage the nations biological commu-nities, habitats, ecosystems, and processes, and theecological services, values, and uses they provide

Cultural heritage cultural resources that refectthe nations maritime history and traditional culturalconnections to the sea, as well as the uses andvalues they provide

Sustainable production the nations renewableliving resources and their habitats (including, butnot limited to, spawning, mating, and nurserygrounds and areas established to minimize bycatcho species) and the social, cultural, and economicvalues and services they provide

The national system became a reality in 2009 withthe publication o the Framework or the National

System o Marine Protected Areas o the United Stateso America,and the acceptance o the charter group(225 sites) o existing ederal, state, and territorialMPAs into this voluntary partnership. Future nomina-tion processes will be held annually, and the systemwill expand over time.

l a n har er members he Na na S s em Mar ne Pr e ed Areas (Apr 2009).


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a ctivity : W orking t ogether With s herman anD the n ational s ystem of m arine ProtecteD a reas

focuS

Marine protected areas, the national system o MPAs,stakeholder participation

gRADE lEVEl

6-8 (Humanities, language arts, li e science)

focuS QuEStioNS

What is a marine protected area, and why is the nationalsystem o MPAs important?

Why is stakeholder participation important in MPA designand management?

MAtERiAlS

Copies of Joining the National System o MPAs: Frequently Asked Questions and Benefts o the National System o MPAs act sheets

Copies of the Lesson Vocabulary Guide (see For MoreResources to access these)

AuDio/ViSuAl MAtERiAlS

Computer with internet access to view Protecting Our Planet video

BAcKgRouND iNfoRMAtioN

Somewhere in a lagoon near the ctional Kapupu Island in theNorth Paci c, a great white shark named Sherman is planninghis next meal. And, thanks to the healthy and sustainable marineenvironment he calls home, Sherman has a delicious variety

rom which to choose. According to Jim Toomey, the creatoro Shermans Lagoon, the cartoon eatures a dimwitted shark named Sherman, his sea turtle sidekick, and an assortment o other coral ree critters who team up to battle the encroachmento civilization on their remote tropical paradise. I ShermansLagoon were real, chances are it would be a marine protectedarea (MPA).

WHAt iS A MARiNE PRotEctED AREA ?

Some people interpret marine protected areas to mean areasclosed to all human activities. Others interpret them as specialareas set aside or recreation, much like national parks. In reality,marine protected areas are de ned areas where natural and/or cultural resources are given greater protection than thesurrounding waters. In the United States, nearly all MPAs havemultiple uses and allow or activities such as shing, diving, andbeach use.

The o cial ederal de nition o an MPA is: any area o thmarine environment that has been reserved by ederal, state,tribal, territorial, or local laws or regulations to provide lasting

protection or part or all o the naturaland cultural resources therein, ExecutiveOrder 13158 (May 2000). U.S. MPAsspan a range o habitats, including theopen ocean, coastal areas, intertidal zones,estuaries, and the Great Lakes. They alsovary widely in purpose, legal authorities,agencies, management approaches, level o protection, and restrictions on human uses.Some common examples o MPAs in theU.S. include: National Marine Sanctuaries,National Parks and Seashores, NationalWildli e Re uges, sheries closures, andstate counterparts to these programs.

WHAt iS A SyStEM of MPAs ?

A system o MPAs is a set o areas connectedby their shared conservation goals, man-aging agency (such as a ederal or stateorganization), or other common interests. Asystem o MPAs is not necessarily con ned


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to a geographic region, but can span regions and ecosystems,like the U.S. National System o MPAs. The national systemo MPAs is the group o MPA sites established and managedby ederal, state, tribal, and/or local governments. Althoughindividual MPA sites and programs are managed independently,together these MPAs work to achieve common conservationgoals. Collectively, these sites help conserve the nationsnatural and cultural marine heritage and represent its diverseecosystems and resources.

WHy tHE NAtioNAl SyStEM of MARiNEPRotEctED AREAS ?

MPAs o er valuable natural and cultural assets through greaterprotection than the surrounding waters. They include areassuch as deep-water habitats, estuaries, intertidal zones, shspawning grounds, and the Great Lakes. The U.S. has morethan 1,600 MPAs, established by ederal, state, territorial, andlocal governments to protect ecosystems, conserve culturalresources, and sustain sheries.

The national system o MPAs:

enhances protection of U.S. marine resources by providingnew opportunities or MPA programs to collaborateand cooperate;

supports the national economy by helping to sustainsheries and maintain healthy marine ecosystems or

tourism and recreation businesses; and

promotes public participation in MPA decision-making byimproving access to scienti c and public policy in ormation.

Building awareness o MPAs as valuable tools or conservingthe nations natural and cultural marine resources encouragesa global view o a healthy planet or uture generations. Usethis series o lessons to enhance your teams curriculum inscience, social studies, math, and English/language arts; or usethem as an interdisciplinary project or more than one o thesedisciplines. The lesson plans center on the Jim Toomey posterand utilize internet resources to encourage critical thinking, andgive students tools or understanding and evaluating authenticsource materials.

Use these key words to make the connection to your state ordistrict standards: balance, culture, diversity, economic impact,ecosystem, estuary, ood chain, ood web, habitat, li e cycle,marine environments, marine organisms, maritime history,ocean resources, population, predator, prey.

gEttiNg StARtED

Engage

Show the poster and ask or student observations ( or in ormationon how to receive a copy o the poster or your classroom, seeFor More In ormation at the end o this lesson). Ask i any

have seen these cartoon characters elsewhere, and i so, whatthe general essence o the car toons message is. That theme o battling the encroachment o civilization on a remote tropicalparadise is extended to marine protected areas in general. Formore about the characters, visit the Shermans Lagoon websiteat http://slagoon.com/charactr/charactr.html.

Elicit the main idea and supporting details o the poster.

Help students determine that the information on the posteris segmented into three vignettes.

Have students use dictionar ies if needed to createoperational de nitions o healthy ecosystems, culturalheritage , and sustainable production . You might usethe MPA Glossary, ound in the For More Resourcessection o this lesson, as background on how the MPACenter de nes these terms.

Ask volunteers to read the speech bubbles in eachvignette and solicit other volunteers to tell what they think each conversation means. Work with students to connecttheir responses to their operational de nitions o healthyecosystems, cultural heritage, and sustainable production.

Explore

Take students to the National Marine Protected Areas Centerwebsite (http://mpa.gov/) to begin their exploration o thenational system o marine protected areas. Introduce this siteas a collaboration o two government agenciesthe NationalOceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Departmento the Interior. Tell them to treat the in ormation at a site (suchas this) as non ction text. Have volunteers tell how the homepage is structured and what kind o in ormation they can ndor navigate to.

Explain

Show students the short video Protecting Our Planet (http://mpa.gov/resources/multimedia/; approximately 10 minutes). Be oreviewing, ensure students know the de nitions o these terms:comprehensive system, management tool, network, and stake-holders. Use the lesson vocabulary guide ound in the ForMore Resources section. Ask the students to take notes whileviewing the video, and acilitate a discussion using the studentsobservations and below key points rom the video.

Contrast the amount of ocean that is protected comparedto the total amount o ocean on earth with the amount o land that is protected compared to the total amount o landon earth.

How the ocean may be affected by the shift of thepopulation to within 60 miles o a coastline.

Examples of the kinds of ecosystems they saw in the videoand habitats that are protected.


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How an MPA is similar to a state or national park or refugeon land, and how those similarities are bene cial to amarine ecosystem.

How having a national network of MPAs can be bene cialto individual MPAs.

Why stakeholders have to be involved in establishing MPAs.

The number of people worldwide who depend on theocean or ood.

That marine protected areas are one of many tools forconserving resources, ensuring sustainable production, andprotecting the long-term health o our oceans ecosystems.

Elaborate

Take students to the tab about MPAs (http://mpa.gov/

aboutmpas/). First have them discern how this page is struc-tured or navigation, with summary text in the main column andlinks on the le t that correlate to sections in the summary.

Under the national system tab, point out to students the threegoals o the national system o MPAsnatural heritage, culturalheritage, and sustainable production. Ask volunteers to readthe three points. Then elicit rom students how to set up thedescription o the goals as a simple graphic organizer, such as aVenn diagram or word web, telling the main idea and supportingdetails. Re er back to the operational de nitions o healthyecosystems, cultural heritage, and sustainable production theycreated or the poster and make comparisons.

Ask students about the purpose o FAQs or Frequently Asked

Questions. Download Joining the National System o MPAs:Frequently Asked Questionsand give small groups black andwhite copies o them. Then click onBenefts o the National

System o MPAsand download the act sheet. Have black and white copies available o pages 1-3 o the act sheet orsmall groups. Students should use markers to highlight keydescriptive phrases in each section. You might direct them tothe lesson vocabulary guide to ensure students understandterms such as: stewardship, partnership, outreach, connectivity,and transparent. Students might also bene t romThe National

System o MPAs: Snapshot o the United Statesact sheet (seeFor More Resources section).

Evaluate

Brainstorm an operational de nition o stakeholder and leadthe class in a discussion o which individuals or groups might beinterested in the designation and management o an MPA. Help

ocus the class by providing examples such as a commercialsherman or an environmentalist. Have students create a list o

stakeholders and discuss how each stakeholder is interested andinvested in MPAs. Have small groups choose a stakeholder andcreate a web diagram illustrating the characteristics, interests,and concerns o that particular stakeholder. Groups might usethe Benefts o the National System o MPAs act sheet and theFAQs as background.

Example:

Have each group use their web diagram to present theirstakeholders situation to the class and their position onwhether the stakeholder might be supportive, undecided, oragainst MPAs.

cloSiNg

Ask the class why is it important to include stakeholders in MPAmanagement decisions? Follow with a group discussion.

tHE BRiDgE coNNEctioN

Click on ocean science in the navigation bar on the le t, thenhuman activities, then Oceans or Li e Resources Library www.vims.edu/bridge/

ocEAN litERAcy: ESSENtiAl PRiNciPlES of ocEANSciENcES gRADES K-12

Essential Principal 1: Fundamental concept h Essential Principal 3: Fundamental concepts e,h Essential Principal 5: Fundamental concepts c,d,e,f,i Essential Principal 6: Fundamental concepts a,b,c,d,g

foR MoRE iNfoRMAtioN

To receive a copy o the National System Poster or yourclassroom or i you have any questions, please contact: KaraSchwenke, Communications Coordinator, National Marine Pro-tected Areas Center, NOAA, 1305 East West Highway N/ORM,Silver Spring, MD, 20910 (email: [email protected];phone: 301-563-1162).

Lesson developed by: Judy Elgin Jensen, Research & Con-ceptualization (phone: 813-659-4561; www.concorddata.com)


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T rade -O ff !t he m arine s Patial Planning b oarD g ame

SeaWeb and the University o Marylands Integration and Application Network createdTrade-O ! , an interactive boardgame that allows players to understand the concepts o marine spatial planning (MSP) and the perspectives andinterests o di erent ocean users. An opportunity to learn through play!

Trade-O ! puts players into the role o di erent coastal stakeholders rom natural resource managers, commer-cial shermen, scientists, developers, to elected o cials and othersto negotiate uses and activities in a coastalcommunity and shape a management plan.

Trade-O ! has been used to stimulate group discussion and learning in ormal (schools, universities) and in ormal(aquaria, museums) educational settings where the audience is interested in learning about these concepts through

a un, interactive visual tool.

Trade-O ! is a un and interactive way to gain insight intothe goals and perspectives o various ocean users throughparticipation in discussions and negotiations in oceanzoning and MSP, which emphasizes the importance o

ul lling ecological, social, and economic objectives.

To learn more about the Trade-O ! board game, please visit

SeaWebs website at http://www.seaweb.org/resources/ebm/SeaWebsEBMCommunicationsProject.php#tradeo .

To request a trial with the beta version o the game oryour classroom, or or any questions regardingTrade-O ! ,please contact SeaWeb at [email protected]. Please check SeaWebs website regularly or updates o when a new andexpanded version o the game will be available or wideruse and distribution.

the Trade-Off! b ard s ra es a s re h a empera eas w h a var e hab a s (r k as , sand bea hes,

we and, sea rass mead ws, pen ean, s p n p ands,e .). P a ers mpers na e as a s akeh ders n he

nan a , s a , and env r nmen a se rs wh ne a eand p a e a v es n eres , h s shap n a spa amana emen p an.

MPA Glossary:http://mpa.gov/resources/glossary/ Lesson Vocabulary Guide:http://mpa.gov/resources/education

Joining the National System o MPAs: Frequently Asked Questions act sheet:http://mpa.gov/resources/ aqs/

Benefts o the National System o MPAs act sheet:http://mpa.gov/nationalsystem/#bene ts

The National System o MPAs: Snapshot o the United States act sheet: www.mpa.gov/pd /national-system/nat_

sys_snapshot.pd

NOAA Coral Ree Conservation Program educationalresources website: http://coralree .noaa.gov/education/ educators/resourcecd/lessonplans/

NOAAs O ce o National Marine Sanctuaries (o ers a varietyo educational materials and activities):http://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/education/welcome.html

NOAAs National Estuarine Research Reserves Programeducation website (o ers extensive lessons and activities

or all ages):http://estuaries.gov/

SeaWeb (non-pro t) is the creator o Trade-O ! (a boardgame that illustrates the importance o stakeholderparticipation in marine protected area managementdecisions; and see below): www.seaweb.org

Article about the importance o community involvementin MPAs:http://www.uri.edu/news/releases/?id=5231

PHoto cREDit

Page 11: Courtesy o Daria Siciliano, SeaWeb

foR MoRE RESouRcES


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institutional n etWorks of m arine ProtecteD a reas c onnecting PeoPle to Protect PlacesBy Georgina Bustamante, Meghan Gombos, Hans Hermann, Karen Schmidt,and Alessandra Vanzella-Khouri

The U.S. is participating in three regional MPA networkstheNorth American MPA Network, the Caribbean Marine ProtectedAreas Management Network and Forum, and the Paci c IslandMPA Community. Each o these networks has a unique ocus,and provides an opportunity to address the challenges o MPAmanagement at a regional scale. While all o these networkswere established to address common threats to marinemanagement, including over shing, habitat loss, and pollution,they adopt regionally speci c approaches to these problems.

NoRtH AMERicAN MPA NEtWoRK

Canada, Mexico, and the United States have each made acommitment to move toward an ecosystem approach to themanagement and conservation o their marine resources. Anecosystem approach is precautionary in nature and has thehealth o the whole marine ecosystem as its primary objective.Although the three nations have taken signi cant steps indeveloping ederal legislation to protect the marine environment,e ective implementation o an ecosystem approach requirestransboundary cooperation and complementary conservationand management actions.

In response to this challenge, the North American MarineProtected Areas Network (NAMPAN) was born in November1999 under the auspices o the newly created North AmericanFree Trade Agreements Commission on Environmental

Cooperation (CEC). Its goal was to enhance and strengthenthe conservation o biodiversity in critical marine habitatsthroughout North America by establishing a unctional systemo ecologically based MPA networks that cross political bordersand depend on broad cooperation.

By creating a system o marine protected areas spanningnational, state/provincial, and local jurisdictions, the bene tso protected areas can be greatly increased. From its inceptionit was clear that the NAMPAN needed to unction both as anetwork o places and as a network o institutions and people.

NAMPAN aims to:

implement complementary, integrated conservation efforts;

increase collaboration and development of cross-cuttingconservation initiatives;

enhance collaboration to address common challenges tomarine biodiversity; and

increase regional, national, and international capacity toconserve critical marine and coastal habitats, sharing o data, in ormation, new technologies, and management

strategies.

f re 1. NAMPANs 24 n q e e -re ns.

MPA networks are networks of both people and places. While we o ten ocus frst on networks as connected places that provide enhanced ecological values, the connections among peopleMPA managers, stakeholders, and communitiesare perhaps even more important. These linkagesamong people provide opportunities to establish a common vision and goals or important marine areas, sharein ormation and resources, enhance capacity building, and work together to address problems beyond the borderso individual MPAs.


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De ning the biogeography and extent o North Americasmarine ecosystems was a key prerequisite to implementingan integrated ecosystem approach. To ll that gap, NAMPANdeveloped a nested system o 24 unique eco-regions to classi your coasts and oceans (Figure 1). These eco-regions transcendnational boundaries and provide a meaning ul ecologically based

ramework or a continental network o MPAs. Each o theseeco-regions represents a large body o water di erentiated byoceanographic eatures and geographically distinct assemblageso species that interact ecologically in ways that are critical ortheir long-term persistence.

As the next step in this strategic approach, the CEC convenedleading ecologists to identi y 14 ecologically signi cant regions(both terrestrial and marine), based on their ecological valueat the continental scale, level o threats to their integrity and

unctioning, and the potential opportunities or tri-nationalcooperation. O these 14 regions, the Baja Cali ornia to Bering

Sea Region (B2B) connects the marine realms o the threecountries and o ers concrete opportunities or collaboration.

SEttiNg coNtiNENtAl coNSERVAtioN PRioRitiES

Moving rom the large scale-strategic priorities down to thescale where conservation action and collaboration was im-mediately required, NAMPAN identi ed 28 Priority ConservationAreas (PCAs) in the B2B region. Those PCAs were selectedbecause o their ecological signi cance (e.g., species diversity,ecosystem services, migratory species, etc.); level and typeo threats (e.g., unsustainable sheries, pollution); and op-portunities or conservation (e.g., existing conservation initiatives,indigenous groups).

The B2B Priority Conservation Areas established a regionalblueprint or marine conservation on which to base a network o critical and important marine habitats. To make the network operational, several MPAs (within the PCAs) were selected bythe three countries to test the NAMPAN principles.

tAKiNg tHE PulSE of MPAs iN tHE BAJA cAlifoRNiA toBERiNg SEA REgioN

NAMPANs rst ocus in the B2B region was assessing theenvironmental condition and trends o MPAs within thenetwork. Healthy habitats and unctioning ecosystems arecritical components o an e ective network. To assess theenvironmental conditions, NAMPAN developed a Condition

Assessment Scorecard, distilling large amounts o complextechnical and traditional/local ecological knowledge about MPAconditions or a ew selected MPAs within the B2B region.

Ecological scorecards are a tool or understanding ecosystemhealth, contributing to the improvement o science andevidence-based ocean stewardship, and increasing publicinvolvement in MPA management. This assessment tool,applied broadly, could urther support systematic environmentalmonitoring or improved regional and continental scaleconservation strategies.

For the pilot project, NAMPAN selected 10 MPAs in theB2B region representing a diverse array o biogeographicalsettings (Figure 2). While the public perceives healthy oceansas highly desirable and supports public policies to sustainthem, people generally lack an adequate understanding o the conditions needed to evaluate ocean health. Ecologicalscorecards act as a bridge between the technical and scienti ccommunities and the public at large, including their elected andappointed leaders.

As a basis or this pilot, CEC, in collaboration with MPA expertsrom the three countries, developed a series o 14 standard

questions about MPA water, habitat, living resources, andhuman activities to describe environmental health (Table 1).This approach was adapted rom the condition reports createdby NOAAs National Marine Sanctuaries.

For each question, a standard scoring grid was developed,

related to conditions and trends. Conditions or each ecosystemelement addressed by the questions were de ned on a ve-point scale, ranging rom superior (best) to critical (worst).Trends in conditions were likewise de ned in ve categories,ranging rom rapidly improving to rapidly diminishing (likelyto reach a di erent state in ve years) and stable (unlikely tochange beyond normal variation).

With the success ul implementation o the condition scorecardapproach in the B2B, the CEC Council o ministers has en-couraged NAMPAN to consider expanding its strategic approach

f re 2. the 10 d verse MPAs n he B2B re n se e ed r hep pr je .


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n orth a merican m arine ProtecteD a rea n etWork e cological s corecarD Q uestions

Question 1 (Water/Stressors)

To what extent are speci c or multiple stressors, including changingwatershed, oceanographic and atmospheric conditions, a ectingwater quality, quality, distribution, and timing, and how are thestressors changing?

Question 2 (Water/Nutrient E ects) To what extent are nutrient loads a ecting ecosystem health, andhow are they changing?

Question 3 (Water/Human Health) To what extent do water conditions pose risks to human health, andhow are they changing?

Question 4 (Water/Human Activities)To what extent do human activities infuence water quality andinputs, and how are they changing?

Question 5 (Habitat/Extent and Distribution)To what extent does habitat alteration, including the extent anddistribution o major habitat types, a ect ecosystem health, andhow is it changing?

Question 6 (Habitat/Contaminants) To what extent do contaminants in habitats a ect living resourcesor water quality, and how are they changing?

Question 7 (Habitat/Human Activities) To what extent do human activities infuence habitat extent andquality, and how are they changing?

Question 8 (Living Resources/Biodiversity) What is the status o biodiversity, and how is it changing?

Question 9 (Living Resources/Extracted Species) What is the status o extracted species, and how is it changing?

Question 10 (Living Resources/Alien Species) What is the status o alien species, and how is it changing?

Question 11 (Living Resources/Keystone andIndicator Species)What is the status and condition o keystone and indicator species,and how is it changing?

Question 12 (Living Resources/Focal Species) What is the status and condition o ocal species, and how

is it changing?

Question 13 (Living Resources/Species o Common Concern)What is the status and condition o species o commonconservation concern?

Question 14 (Living Resources/Human Activities) To what extent do human activities infuence living resource quality,and how are they changing?

tab e 1. NAMPAN e a s re ard q es ns


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to embrace the Atlantic, the Gul o Mexico, and Caribbean.In 2010, NAMPAN will initiate activities in the Atlantic to theCaribbean region o Canada, Mexico, and the United States,implementing a methodology that applies current, science-driven network planning criteria as developed in CBD processesand elsewhere (such as connectivity and replication), to helpNorth American MPA agencies collectively and individuallyconsider how to plan an Atlantic to Caribbean network thatbuilds on nationally identi ed, existing and candidate MPA sites,and in a manner that takes into account climate change and theadaptive capacity o marine ecosystems.

PAcific iSlAND MPA coMMuNity

The Paci c Islands Marine Protected Areas Community(PIMPAC) is a collaboration o MPA managers; non-govern-mental organizations; local communities; ederal, state, andterritorial agencies; and other stakeholders working together

to collectively enhance the e ective use and management o MPAs in the U.S. Paci c Islands (Hawaii, American Samoa, theCommonwealth o the Northern Mariana Islands, and Guam)and Freely Associated States (Federated States o Micronesia,Marshall Islands and Palau) (Figure 3).

PIMPAC began in 2005 as a pilot program, unded by theNOAA Coral Ree Conservation Program and the Departmento Interiors O ce o Insular a airs, to identi y and address theunique set o challenges aced by MPA managers in the region.These challenges include limitations in human and nancialresources, physical isolation which restricts the sharing o success ul management approaches, and building on traditionalmanagement approaches while adapting to modern technologyand practices.

To overcome these challenges, more than 45 MPA leadersrom around the region met in August 2005 to explore ways

o working together to increase the e ectiveness o MPAmanagement in the Paci c (Figure 4). The participants shareda common vision or a regional social network that wouldstrengthen their individual and collective MPA e orts. Theycommitted to work together through the development o aregional Paci c Islands MPA Community, an idea which alsoserved as the original name o the group. Participants agreedthat the aim o PIMPAC would be to provide a continuous orum

or: 1) training and technical support, 2) learning exchanges, 3)partnership building, and 4) in ormation sharing.

Since 2006, PIMPAC has beenevolving and adapting to ul illits regional aims and meet localpartner needs. A three-year strategicplan was developed to ocusPIMPAC support and provide clearunderstanding on the approacho its e orts. During the rst ewyears, PIMPACs training e orts havebeen ocused on MPA managementplanning and community/stake-holder engagement to build a

oundation or uture technicalsupport on other priority topics suchas monitoring e ectiveness (socialand biological) and en orcement.PIMPAC also has ocused e orts onsharing in ormation among partners,o ering learning exchanges, andsupporting youth involvement inMPA e orts. PIMPAC has evolved tosupport national and regional e ortsto develop ecological networks o

f re 3. the Pa is ands Mar ne Pr e ed Areas c mm n (PiMPAc). th s maps ra es he s ze h s re n, re a ve he n nen a u.S.

f re 4. Par pan s a he PiMPAc A s 2005 w rksh pd s ss n rma n n wa s n rease he e e veness MPA mana emen n he Pa .


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e ective MPAs. For example, the Micronesia Challenge hascommitted to protecting 30% o the nearshore marine resourcesacross Micronesia by 2020. In addition, the Two SamoasInitiative is working to establish a linked network o MPAs inAmerican Samoa and the independent state o Samoa ( ormerlyWestern Samoa).

Building on these e orts, PIMPAC has recently expandedits scope to include management o land adjacent to marineprotected areas to take a holistic ridge to ree approach tomanagement, prompting the revision o the groups name toPaci c Islands Managed and Protected Areas Community. Plans

or the next ew years involve better integration o terrestrialmanagers into PIMPAC activities, as well as institutionalizingtraining into regional academic programs to provide long-termcapacity building opportunities.

PIMPACs mission is to provide continuous opportunities or

the sharing o in ormation, expertise, practice, and experienceto develop and strengthen area-based management capacitythroughout the Paci c Islands region. The community providessupport to land and marine area-based management e ortsin the region to support a holistic approach to management

rom ridge to ree . It provides support to on the groundresource managers.

As a social network, PIMPAC carries out our main activities toul ll its mission. They are:

Training and technical assistance: By acilitating anenvironment where area-based managers can expressneeds and identi y gaps in capacity, PIMPAC can strategicallysupport these managers by developing, adapting, and/orproviding access to tools that will be most e ective to theregional audience. Additionally, PIMPAC can o er a suite o skills to ll in capacity gapsand build logical steps ormanagement e ective-ness that meet regionalstandards or ecosystem-based management.

Learning exchanges: As a mechanism to com-municate lessons learnedand stories betweenislands, learning exchanges

both provide inspirationand examples o solutionsto those acing similarchallenges.

Partnership building: With a long-term vision,PIMPAC aims to insti-tutionalize training so thataccess to skill building isongoing. This supports

the management e ectiveness o current managers, aswell as providing opportunities or uture managers to gainexperience in resource management. As a coordinationmechanism among regional partners, PIMPAC can leveragecomplimentary programs to get more accomplished withless unding.

Communications/in ormation sharing: PIMPAC canact both as a orum or sharing successes and lessonslearned within the community and as a voice orleadership to help shape support programs andincrease political will.

PIMPAC coordinates the above stated activities to supportarea-based management e orts on the ground. PIMPAC hasprogressed through in ormal, transparent approaches where allpartners can provide input, comments, and be part o shapingthe direction o PIMPAC activities. Strategic plans have been

developed through stakeholder input, and the identi ed activitiesare implemented via PIMPAC Coordinators and partners.Coordination provides a common vision among partners andthe ability to leverage resources (technical and nancial) to theregion or area-based management.

cARiBBEAN MPA MANAgEMENt NEtWoRK AND foRuM

The Wider Caribbean region includes 38 continental and islandcountries and territories that posses coasts along the tropicaland subtropical waters o the Caribbean Sea and the Gul o Mexico. The region extends rom South Florida south to FrenchGuyana, including the Bahamas, Mexico, Central America, theGreater and Lesser Antilles, and Colombia, Venezuela, Trinidadand Tobago, Suriname and Guyana; and occupies a CoastalBiogeographic Province with nine marine eco-regions (Sullivan,

f re 5. Map he W der car bbean and s en a ve n s b a nne v mar nea ns ( va s w h d ed nes dep ess d men ed r p en a add na d v s ns).


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Sealey, and Bustamante 1999; Spalding 2008) (Figure 5).Recent studies on larval dispersal (Paris et al. 2006; Cowenet al. 2006; Bustamante and Paris 2008; Steneck et al. 2009)suggest that the eco-regional scenario o the Caribbean is morecomplex and divided than previously estimated.

The expansion o the sheries industry in the region hasexceeded the capacity o many sh stocks to replenish naturally.As a result, the abundance o shes, lobster, and conch havedeclined in some areas to a point where species such as Nassaugrouper and queen conch, have become commercially extinct(not abundant enough to be shed). In addition to excessive

shing, major impacts to ecosystems include poorly managedcoastal development, inadequate tourism practices, and land-based and marine pollution, leading to loss o critical marinehabitats such as coral ree s, seagrasses, and mangroves.In additional, coral ree diseases and bleaching have had asigni cant impact in ree environments.

As more in ormation becomes available on the success andailures o managing individual MPAs and the linkages among

populations o marine species within the entire Caribbean, theneed or MPAs to coordinate their management and unctionas a network to achieve their conservation goals is increasinglyclear. Individually, MPAs can provide some local bene ts, butworking as a network they can better protect critical areas

or species reproduction, nesting, and growth. Thus, mostCaribbean countries and conservation organizations aimto establish e ective networks o MPAs with multiple uses(e.g., conservation, recreation, and shing). So ar, only a ewnational MPA systems are being developed by some countries,

and eco-regionally based networks are still in the minds o conservation scientists and planners.

In order to expedite the process o ecologically based MPAnetworks and coordination o transboundary national systems,human communication is critical. Social and pro essionalnetworks o marine resource practitioners are essential to

acilitate learning, coordination, and e cient use o resources.In this context, the Caribbean Program o the United NationsEnvironment Programme (UNEP-CEP) created the CaribbeanMarine Protected Area Management Network and Forum(CaMPAM) in 1997 to enhance marine and coastal areamanagement in the Wider Caribbean Region through sharingand collaboration to strengthen national and regional systems

o existing and uture marine and coastal protected areas. Sincethen, based on priority needs identi ed by managers, CaMPAMhas developed a series o communication and capacity buildingtools to disseminate best management practices and ostercollaboration in MPAs across the Wider Caribbean. CaMPAMhas evolved since its inception, adjusting to emerging needs,as well as adapting to new science and in ormation to improvemanagement e ectiveness.

CaMPAMs program to build institutional capacity o MPAsincludes the ollowing activities:

Regional Training of Trainers Program (Figure 6);

exchange visits of shers and MPA managers to disseminatebest practices;

small grants to promote responsible shing and alternativelivelihoods or shers in or around MPAs;

a regional MPA database; and

information dissemination via CaMPAM Forum, a list-serve,publications, and workshops.

The unique geopolitical and cultural setting o the WiderCaribbean region has many characteristics that may acil-itate a regional approach to managing marine resources.These include:

Similar climate and oceanographic conditions:Tropical marine currents that enter the Caribbean Sea romthe Atlantic Ocean fow to exit along the Florida coast asthe Gul Stream.

One marine biogeographic province with severaleco-regions: Although the region shares most marinespecies populations ( shes, invertebrates, turtles, plants,

mammals), the province is probably divided into distincteco-regions or units o connectivity o marine populationsdue to the existence o the gyres and meandering currentsthat retain oceanic larvae (see Figure 5 on page 16).

Coastal tourism-based economies: In most countries,coastal tourism is the dominant industry.

Few languages: English and Spanish are the dominantlanguages, although French, Dutch, Creole, and Papiamentoare also spoken in some islands.

f re 6. the f r da Ke s Na na Mar ne San ar aw en r e-

men ers sh w he par pan s he 2006 tra n n tra nersRe na c rse r MPA Mana ers he r en r emen pra es.


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Similar historical and cultural heritage: Colonialismand slave trade shaped the ormation o the Caribbeanculture in the 16th-18th centuries.

Geographic closeness: Thirty-eight states and territorieswithin a 1.2 million km2 basin.

A regional intergovernmental agreement or coastaland marine resources: The Cartagena Convention andits Protocols (1981) provide a legal ramework to addressissues or the protection and sustainable developmento the marine environment. All countries o the regioncurrently participate in this program.

Despite these avorable conditions, many challenges toe ective transboundary and eco-regional scale managemento marine resources remain. National and sub-regional systemso MPAs that include no-take areas and areas o responsible

shing, in combination with other management tools ( or thecoastal and upland areas), may contribute to maximize themarine environmental services o the Wider Caribbean in the21st century.

coNcluSioN

The experiences o these three regional MPA networksillustrate the bene ts o establishing institutional connectionsbetween MPA managers and programsdeveloping acommon conservation vision; sharing the best MPA scienceand management tools; and collaborating on shared problems.The International Union or the Conservation o Nature (IUCN)has noted the critical importance o economic, social, andgovernance considerations in establishing e ective networks.By establishing coordination mechanisms, institutional networkscan promote and acilitate stronger political commitments tomarine conservation and more e ective cooperation across

jurisdictional boundaries.

Alessandra Vanzella-Khouri is the ProgrammeO cer or the Caribbean Environment Programme (CEP)o the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) inKingston, Jamaica. She promotes and coordinates activitieswith governments and organizations in the Wider Caribbeanon biodiversity conservation; sustainable use o coastaland marine resources; marine protected areas; coral ree management; threatened and endangered species; and otherrelated issues. She is a member o the World Commission

on Protected Areas and has been a ounder and an activemember o the Caribbean Marine Protected Areas Network and Forum (CaMPAM). She also unctions as the responsibleo cer within the UNEP-CEP Secretariat or the regionalbiodiversity treaty on Specially Protected Areas and Wildli e orthe Wider Caribbean (SPAW Protocol).

Hans Herrmann is a marine ecologist with over 25years experience in the eld o biodiversity conservationand natural resource policy. As Head o the BiodiversityConservation Program o the North American Commission or

Environmental Cooperation (CEC), he led the developmentand implementation o a North American cooperation strategy

or the conservation o biodiversity. Be ore joining the CEChe was the General Director o Pronatura Nacional or eightyears, the largest non-governmental organization devoted tothe conservation o biodiversity in Mexico. Prior to that, Mr.Herrmann was the Science Director at the Scienti c ResearchCenter o Quintana Roo (CIQRO) in the Yucatan Peninsula wherehis main responsibility was the management and coordinationo scienti c research in the Sian Kaan Biosphere Reserve.

Karen Schmidt joined CECs Biodiversity Conservationprogram in the summer o 2000, where she has coordinatedthe implementation o numerous trilateral initiatives andpublications. She has a background in Education rom McGillUniversity and the National Autonomous University o Mexico(UNAM), with majors in psychology and capacity buildingand training. Prior to joining the CEC, she was involved inthe evaluation o teacher training programs at theInstitutoLatinoamericano de la Comunicacin Educativa (ILCE). Shehas written a number o ar ticles or Trio, CECs newsletter and ICEducation. She has been involved in various outreach activitiesrelated to mass media and education.

Georgina Bustamante, Ph.D., is a marine con-servation scientist and coordinator o the Caribbean MarineProtected Area Management Network and Forum (CaMPAM).She graduated as a marine biologist at the University o Havana,Cuba in 1973 and in 1987 received her Doctorate degree inBiological Sciences. She worked or 20 years at the Institute o Oceanology o Cuba as a scienti c researcher and consultanton sheries resource management, coastal development,and mariculture. From 1994 to 2007, she worked as a marineconservation scientist in the Caribbean and Latin Americanprograms o The Nature Conservancy (TNC), an internationalconservation organization based in the United States. She hascoauthored over 30 scienti c articles and books.

Meghan Gombos works or NOAAs Coral Ree Con-servation Program and is based in Hawaii. She was involved inthe development o the Paci c Islands Marine Protected AreasCommunity (PIMPAC) six years ago and has co-coordinated thenetwork ever since. She also works regionally with partners in theU.S. Paci c and Freely Associated States on coral conservationrelated initiatives such as the Micronesia Challenge. Prior to herwork at NOAA, she ocused her studies and work on internationalresource management, with a ocus on marine protected areas.This work led her to opportunities in Belize, Costa Rica, andMexico speci cally. She has a BS in Marine Biology rom theUniversity o New Hampshire and a Masters o Marine A air

rom the University o Rhode Island.

REfERENcES

Bustamante, G., and C. Paris. (2008). Marine PopulationConnectivity and its Potential Use or the Nominationo New World Heritage Sites in the Wider Caribbean.


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U.S. Department o Commerce, NOAA, National MarineSanctuary Program, NMSP-08-07, Silver Spring, Maryland,eds. R. Grober-Dunsmore, and B.D. Keller, 97-112.(http://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/science/conservation/pd s/carib.pd )

Cowen R.K., C.B. Paris, and A. Srinivasan. (2006). Scalingconnectivity in marine populations, Science 311:522-527.

Paris C.B., M. Perez-Perez, J. Kool, and D. Aldana-Arnada. (2008).Segregation o conch ( Strombus gigas) populationsin Mexico, InCaribbean Connectivity: Implications or

marine protected area management . U.S. Departmento Commerce, NOAA, National Marine Sanctuary Program,NMSP-08-07, Silver Spring, Maryland, eds. R. Grober-Dunsmore, and B. Keller, 71-88. (http://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/science/conservation/pd s/carib.pd )

Spalding, M.D., H.E. Fox, G.R. Allen, N. Davidson, Z.A. Ferdaa,M. Finlayson, B.S. Halpern, M.A. Jorge, A. Lombana, S.A.Lourie, K.D. Martin, E. McManus, J. Molnar, C.A. Recchia,

and J. Robertson. (2007). Marine ecoregions o the world:A bioregionalization o coastal and shel areas.Bioscience,57(7): 573-583. (additional pictures and data atwww.nature.org/meow)

Steneck R.S., C.B. Paris, S.N. Arnold, M. Butler, M.C. AblanLagman, A.C. Alcala, L.J. McCook, G.R. Russ, and P.F. Sale.(2009). Thinking and managing outside the box: Coalescingconnectivity networks to build region-wide resilience incoral ree ecosystems. Theme section: Larval connectivity,resilience and the uture o coral ree s,Coral Ree s, DOI10.1007/s00338-009-0470-3.

PHoto cREDitS

Pages 12-14: Courtesy o CEC

Page 15 (bottom): Courtesy o PIMPAC

Page 15 (top): Courtesy o Meghan Gombos, NOAA

Pages 16-17: Courtesy o Georgina Bustamante, CaMPAM

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W hy are e cological n etWorks of m arine ProtecteD a reas imPortant ?By Steven Gaines and Satie Airam

Scientists have long debated the merits o single large orseveral small (SLOSS) protected areas on land. Larger protectedareas can include multiple habitats and large populations o associated species, while several small protected areas mayprovide protection or an even greater diversity o habitat typesand species in a smaller total area. Although smaller protectedareas create more borders that, when crossed, put speciesat risk, sa e corridors between separate protected areas mayenhance protection by directing movement, such as dispersal,

migration, and recolonization, to other protected patches.In the sea very large marine protected areas (MPAs), suchas the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument inthe Northwest Hawaiian Islands, can protect a rich diversityo habitats and species (Selkoe et al. 2008). However, the

easibility o creating very large MPAs along most coastlines islimited by the high density o coastal human populations andthe multitude and intensity o human activities in the ocean. Insuch settings, networks o multiple MPAs are a compromise toachieve broad scale conservation bene ts or ocean species,while allowing a multitude o uses in the gaps between MPAs.In the ocean, marine animals can disperse and migrate througha liquid medium, which provides ewer barriers than the urban

and developed landscapes between terrestrial protectedareas. In addition, most marine animals produce young thatare microscopic and dri t in the plankton. As a result, they can

leave the protection o one MPA and disperse to another MPAwithout being at risk rom sheries while they are in unprotectedwaters. I designed correctly, networks o MPAs can allow orconnections between animal populations in separate MPAs,leading to increased abundance, resilience, and sustainability o targeted marine populations (Almany et al. 2009; Lester et al.2009; Hamilton et al. in press; Bots ord et al. 2001). In addition,where easible, MPAs should be located in areas with importantbiological habitats and not based on political or administrativerules, as these actions may limit the overall ecological bene t o the MPA (Monaco et al. 2007).

There are only a ew places in the worlds ocean where largenetworks o MPAs exist. The Great Barrier Ree Marine Park inAustralia encompasses the largest network o MPAs in the world,while the state o Cali ornia is completing a network o MPAswithin state waters (Osmond et al. 2010). Smaller networks o MPAs are located in New Zealand, where MPAs have been inplace or over 30 years, South A rica, the Philippines, and SaintLucia in the Lesser Antilles, and southern Florida, among others.Scientists have studied these MPAs extensively to learn howthey a ect marine ecosystems (Halpern and Warner 2002;Halpern 2003; Lester et al. 2009).

WHAt BENEfitS Do MPAs PRoViDE ?

Not all types o MPAs provide the same level o protection orhabitat and species. Fully protected marinereserves, or no-take areas, provide ahigh level o protection, because they donot allow any type o extractive activity.Other types o MPAs allow some kindso shing and other extractive activities,reducing the level o protection a ordedby these MPAs. To evaluate the protectionprovided by MPAs, scientists musttake into account the types o activitiesallowed, the species targeted, and the

gear types used in MPAs.The bene ts o highly protected marinereserves that minimize human impactsare well known rom over 124 studiesconducted in marine reserves worldwide(Lester et al. 2009). On average, biomass(the mass o animals and plants studied)is more than 400% greater, and density(the number o plants and animals in agiven area) is 166% greater in marine

f re 1. Papahana m k akea Mar ne Na na M n men , en mpass n 140,000sq are m es (360,000 km 2) ean wa ers and 10 s ands and a s he N r hwes ernHawa an is ands, was es ab shed n J ne 15, 2006.


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reserves than outside. Body size also typically increases or shand invertebrates in marine reserves, and the number o speciesin the reserve is greater. Marine reserves in both tropical andtemperate climates exhibit similar bene ts (Lester et al. 2009). Itis much harder or s

11. Current Journal - New Stresses on Marine MPAs (2010)

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