New National Academy of Science Report on MPA's

[Roger B Griffis]

NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCE ISSUES NEW REPORT
ON MARINE PROTECTED AREAS

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:
http://www4.nationalacademies.org/news.nsf/isbn/0309072867?OpenDocument

Press release on the report from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (U.S. Department of Commerce) is listed below (and at web
site
http://www.publicaffairs.noaa.gov/releases2000/).
___________________________________
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE / NOAA PRESS RELEASE 00-074

NRC REPORT CONFIRMS USE OF MARINE PROTECTED AREAS
AS TOOL FOR SUSTAINING OCEAN ECOSYSTEMS

Contact: Gordon Helm, NMFS
  (301) 713-2370    November 9, 2000
  James Plante, DOC
  (202) 482 1008

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.
 “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.”

 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.

 “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.”

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.

 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.

 The report suggests a roadmap on how to implement MPAs that includes:
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.

 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.”

 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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