MPA- Again

Mark Tupper mtupper at guam.uog.edu
Wed Mar 13 20:33:02 EST 2002


Don and Coral-L,

Two thoughts:

1. If you are planning these MPAs with eco-tourism in mind, then there are
some "numbers" you can refer to. Murray Rudd (now at DFO in Nova Scotia - I
don't believe he subscribes to this list) has done extensive research on
nonextractive valuation of reef resources in the Turks & Caicos Islands. His
research has shown that the nonconsumptive value of grouper and lobster to
the dive tourism industry is high, and that depletion of grouper stocks may
cost more to local economies than conservation of these stocks. To get the
numbers, read:

Rudd MA. 2001. The non-extractive value of spiny lobster, Panulirus argus,
in the Turks & Caicos Islands. Environmental Conservation 38: 226-234.

Rudd MA, Danylchuk AJ, Gore SA, Tupper MH. 2002. Are marine protected areas
in the Turks & Caicos Islands ecologically or economically valuable? In:
Proceedings of the International Conference on the Economics of Marine
Protected Areas. Fisheries Center Research Reports 9(8). (I don't have the
page numbers handy, but you can order a copy at
http://www.fisheries.ubc.ca/Reports/fcrr.htm).

Rudd MA, Tupper MH. 2002. The impact of Nassau grouper size and abundance on
scuba diver site selection and MPA economics. Coastal Management 30:
133-151. (This will be out in the April issue, contact me for a reprint).


2. If explosives, poisons and foreign fleets are that big a problem in
Sabah's fisheries, then I wonder if it might not be better to put available
time and money into reducing destructive fishing practices and illegal
foreign fishing before establishing MPAs. Addressing those problems first
might gain some support among the local fishing communities (at least those
that don't use dynamite and/or cyanide). That, in turn, may help to
establish MPAs with better compliance from local fishers. In effect you are
showing your support for local fishers by "siding against the foreign
fleets" (though I hate to phrase it in such combative terms). That's just
off the top of my head, and I'd appreciate any comments/responses from other
Coral Listers who may have experience with such issues

Cheers,

Mark Tupper


Dr. Mark Tupper, Assistant Professor
University of Guam Marine Laboratory
UOG Station, Mangilao
Guam 96923, USA
Tel. 671-735-2185; Fax 671-734-6767

Coordinator, Marine Protected Areas Research Group
http://www.uog.edu/marinelab/mpa/index.html



More information about the Coral-list-old mailing list