Marine conservation aims to protect ocean ecosystems through planned management to prevent overexploitation of resources. It addresses issues like species loss, habitat degradation, and ecosystem changes. Conservation techniques include marine protected areas with different zones allowing varying human activities. Technologies help protect endangered species and habitats while benefiting fishermen. Notable protected areas include the Great Barrier Reef and Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. Laws govern conservation internationally and within countries.
2. MARINE CONSERVATION
Marine conservation, also known as ocean conservation, refers to the study of
Marine plants and animal resources and ecosystem functions.
It is the protection and preservation of ecosystems in oceans and seas through
planned management in order to prevent the exploitation of these resources.
3. Marine conservation is driven by the manifested negative effects
being seen in our environment such as species loss, habitat
degradation and changes in ecosystem functions and focuses on
limiting human-caused damage to marine
ecosystems, restoring damaged marine ecosystems, and
preserving vulnerable species and ecosystems of the marine life.
Marine conservation is a relatively new discipline which has
developed as a response to biological issues such
as extinction and marine habitats change.
4. CONSERVATION TECHNIQUES
Strategies and techniques for marine conservation include marine protected
areas (MPAs) or Voluntary Marine Conservation Areas.
These protected areas may be established for a variety of reasons and aim to
limit the impact of human activity.
5. These protected areas operate differently which includes ares
that have seasonal closures and/or permanent closures as well as
multiple levels of zoning that allow people to carryout different
activities in separate areas; including, speed, no take and multi-
use zones.
Other techniques include developing sustainable fisheries and
restoring the populations of endangered species through
artificial means.
6. TECHNOLOGY
Marine conservation technologies are used to protect endangered and
threatened marine organisms and/or habitat.
These technologies are innovative and revolutionary because they reduce by-
catch, increase the survivorship and health of marine life and habitat, and
benefit fishermen who depend on the resources for profit.
7. Examples of technologies include marine protected areas (MPAs),
turtle excluder devices (TEDs), autonomous recording unit, pop-
up satellite archival tag, and radio-frequency identification
(RFID).
Commercial practicality plays an important role in the success of
marine conservation because it is necessary to cater to the needs
of fishermen while also protecting marine life.
8.
9. MARINE PROTECTED AREAS
“Any area of the marine environment that has been reserved by federal, state,
territorial, tribal or local laws or regulations to provide lasting protection to part
or all of the natural or cultural resources therein”
Marine protected areas (MPA) are protected areas of seas, oceans, estuaries or
large lakes. These marine areas can come in many forms ranging from wildlife
refuges to research facilities.
10. MPAs restrict human activity for a conservation purpose, typically to
protect natural or cultural resources.
Such marine resources are protected by local, state, territorial, native,
regional, national, or international authorities and differ substantially
among and between nations.
This variation includes different limitations on development, fishing
practices, fishing seasons and catch limits, moorings and bans on
removing or disrupting marine life.
11. CLASSIFICATIONS
Several types of compliant MPA can be distinguished:
A totally marine area with no significant terrestrial parts.
An area containing both marine and terrestrial components, which can vary
between two extremes; those that are predominantly maritime with little land
(for example, an atoll would have a tiny island with a significant maritime
population surrounding it), or that is mostly terrestrial.
Marine ecosystems that contain land and intertidal components only. For
example, a mangrove forest would contain no open sea or ocean marine
environment, but its river-like marine ecosystem nevertheless complies with the
definition.
12. IUCN offered seven categories of protected area, based on management
objectives and four broad governance types.
IUCN Protected Area Management Categories:
Strict nature reserve
A marine reserve usually connotes "maximum protection", where all
resource removals are strictly prohibited. In countries such
as Kenya and Belize, marine reserves allow for low-risk removals to
sustain local communities.
13. National park
Marine parks emphasize the protection of ecosystems but allow light human use.
A marine park may prohibit fishing or extraction of resources, but allow
recreation. Some marine parks, such as those in Tanzania, are zoned and allow
activities such as fishing only in low risk areas
Natural monuments or features
Established to protect historical sites such as shipwrecks and cultural sites such as
aboriginal fishing grounds.
14. Habitat/species management area
Established to protect a certain species, to benefit fisheries,
rare habitat, as spawning/nursing grounds for fish, or to
protect entire ecosystems.
Protected seascape
Limited active management, as with protected landscapes.
15. Related protected are categories include the following;
World Heritage Site (WHS) – an area exhibiting extensive natural or cultural history.
Maritime areas are poorly represented, however, with only 46 out of over 800 sites.
Man and the Biosphere – UNESCO program that promotes "a balanced relationship between
humans and the biosphere". Under article 4, biosphere reserves must "encompass a mosaic of
ecological systems", and thus combine terrestrial, coastal, or marine ecosystems. In structure
they are similar to Multiple-use MPAs, with a core area ringed by different degrees of
protection.
Ramsar site – must meet certain criteria for the definition of "Wetland" to become part of a
global system. These sites do not necessarily receive protection, but are indexed by importance
for later recommendation to an agency that could designate it a protected area.
16. NOTABLE MARINE PROTECTED AREAS
The Bowie Seamount Marine Protected Area off the coast of British Columbia,
Canada.
The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park in Queensland, Australia.
The Ligurian Sea Cetacean Sanctuary in the seas of Italy, Monaco and France.
The Dry Tortugas National Park in the Florida Keys, USA.
The Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument in Hawaii.
The Phoenix Islands Protected Area, Kiribati.[68]
The Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary in California, USA.[69]
The Chagos Marine Protected Area in the Indian Ocean.[70]
The Wadden Sea bordering the North Sea in the Netherlands, Germany, and
Denmark.
17. LAWS AND TREATIES
International laws and treaties related to marine conservation include the 1966 Convention
on Fishing and Conservation of Living Resources of the High Seas. United States laws related
to marine conservation include the 1972 Marine Mammal Protection Act, as well as the
1972 Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act, which established the National
Marine Sanctuaries program.
In 2010, the Scottish Parliament enacted new legislation for the protection of marine life with
the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010. Its provisions include marine planning, marine licensing,
marine conservation, seal conservation, and enforcement.
Since 2006, united nations introduce vulnerable marine ecosystem concept for the
management of deep-sea fisheries in the areas beyond national jurisdiction. This concept has
been transposed by the European parliament for Atlantic European waters.
18. The Wildlife Protection Act of India (WLPA), 1972 (Amended in 2002 and
2006) is the only act in India to focus on the conservation of habitats and
species. This act was enacted to allow for ‘the protection of wild animals, birds
and plants and connected matters, with a view to ensure the ecological and
environmental security of the country.’ According to the act, the term “Wildlife”
covers “any animal, aquatic or land vegetation which form part of any habitat.”
UNCLOS 1982 prescribes the responsibility on the Coastal States in preserving
and protecting the marine environment and associated resources.
The Maritime Zones of India Act 1976, enables the Government to take
measures for protection of the marine environment.
19. The Coast Guard Act 1978 states that the preservation and protection of marine
environment and control of marine pollution is the function of the Indian Coast
Guard.
The ICG has been accordingly nominated in 1986 as the Central Coordinating
Authority for oil-spill response in the Maritime Zones of India and Coast Guard
officers have been empowered under the Merchant Shipping Act 1958, for
taking necessary actions against polluters.