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NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCE ISSUES NEW REPORT
<br>ON MARINE PROTECTED AREAS
<p>The National Research Council (NRC), part of the U.S. National Academy
of Sciences, just issued a new report on "MARINE PROTECTED AREAS: TOOLS
FOR SUSTAINING OCEAN ECOSYSTEMS". Press release from NRC is at the
web site:
<br><A HREF="http://www4.nationalacademies.org/news.nsf/isbn/0309072867?OpenDocument">http://www4.nationalacademies.org/news.nsf/isbn/0309072867?OpenDocument</A>
<p>Press release on the report from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (U.S. Department of Commerce) is listed below (and at web
site
<br><A HREF="http://www.publicaffairs.noaa.gov/releases2000/">http://www.publicaffairs.noaa.gov/releases2000/</A>).
<br>___________________________________
<br>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE / NOAA PRESS RELEASE 00-074
<p><b>NRC REPORT CONFIRMS USE OF MARINE PROTECTED AREAS</b>
<br><b>AS TOOL FOR SUSTAINING OCEAN ECOSYSTEMS</b>
<p>Contact: Gordon Helm, NMFS
<br> (301) 713-2370 November 9, 2000
<br> James Plante, DOC
<br> (202) 482 1008
<p>Secretary of Commerce Norman Y. Mineta says a peer-reviewed report on
Marine Protected Areas, released today by the National Research Council,
provides additional support for U.S. efforts to identify and protect special
ocean areas to help sustain marine fisheries, preserve valuable habitats,
provide outdoor leisure opportunities, and maintain healthy marine ecosystems
for the benefit of the nation.
<br> “This report, commissioned by the Commerce Department’s National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration provides strong scientific support
for the value of marine protected areas, and President Clinton’s call for
more effective use of MPAs,” said Mineta. “As this study also suggests,
MPAs will only be successful as effective management tools if we enlist
the participation of all stakeholders, provide effective planning and design,
and ensure regular monitoring, assessment, enforcement and community education.”
<p> The study notes that the concept of marine reserves or protected
areas has been in use in some form for the past 25 years. Recently,
there have been strong advocates for reserves, with a similar level of
concern from some resource users about the efficacy of marine reserves
as a resource management tool.
<p> “The NRC report underscores our concern that our oceans are beginning
to show wear and recommends MPAs as an essential tool for inclusion in
restoration and conservation tool kits,” Mineta said. “We need to
do a better job of protecting and nurturing our oceans and coastal environment.
Healthy oceans are critical to the nations economy as one of every six
jobs in the U.S. is related to our oceans and coastal areas.”
<p>The report endorses the use of MPAs as additional fishery management
tools to be used in combination with, and not as a replacement for, traditional
means of fishery management. As the report states, fishery management
councils and other groups have utilized the MPA concept in a variety of
ways for years, closing areas to various types of fishing gear for varying
time periods. Fishermen, scientists and conservationists have found
benefits from different types of protected areas, including areas closed
to fishing, providing protection and recovery of species that have declined
in numbers due to overfishing or other factors.
<p> The report notes that there are multiple goals and benefits of
MPAs, such as conserving biodiversity, improving fishery management, protecting
ecosystem integrity, preserving cultural heritage, providing educational
and recreational opportunities, and establishing sites for scientific research.
<p> The report suggests a roadmap on how to implement MPAs that includes:
<br>1. Evaluating conservation needs at local and regional levels;
2. Defining objectives and goals; 3. Describing the key biological
and oceanic features; and 4. Identifying and choosing MPA sites
that have the highest potential for implementation.
<p> A major concern is the limited experience resource managers have
in determining the costs and benefits of MPAs over more conventional management
approaches. The report noted that “MPA-based approaches will shift
the focus from agency-specific problem management” to a more comprehensive
approach to protect the oceans. “To accomplish this, it gave me great
pleasure to recently announce the establishment of the MPA Science Center
in Santa Cruz, Calif.,” said Mineta. “I have also directed NOAA to
work with our partners to marshal our joint resources to develop the science,
tools, and strategies necessary to support marine protected areas.”
<p> NOAA, anticipating the growing interest in MPAs in recent years,
provided primary funding for the study titled “Marine Protected Areas:
Tools for Sustaining Ocean Ecosystems.”
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