Question 1
Figure A:Area without fishing exclusion
Figure B:Marine area with preserved/no-take area
Figure A:Community planting of mangroves in 2004
Figure B:Same site in 2011 with established mangroves
Figure:Drop in demand for shark fins in Hong Kong and mainland China
| Mangrove | Seagrass | Coral reef |
|---|---|---|
| Provides nursery and habitat for fish and shellfish | Provides nursery and habitat for variety of species | Provides nursery and habitat which supports high biodiversity |
| Intercepts freshwater flow, traps sediments and absorbs nutrients | Traps sediments and absorbs nutrients from the water | Filters particulate matter from the water, increasing water clarity |
| Absorbs carbon dioxide and emits oxygen | Absorbs carbon dioxide and emits oxygen | |
| Provides a source of fish and shellfish | Provides a source of fish and shellfish | Provides a source of fish and shellfish |
| Reduces coastal erosion | Provides coastal protection by buffering incoming waves and currents | |
| Provides a source of wood | Provides a tourist and recreation attraction |
Figure:Ecosystem goods and services in coastal marine habitats
| Ecosystem category | Ecosystem | Soil organic carbon (metric ton carbon per hectare) | Living biomass (metric ton carbon per hectare) | Total (metric ton carbon per hectare) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Terrestrial forest ecosystems | Boreal forest | 150 | 94 | 244 |
| Terrestrial forest ecosystems | Tropical forest | 83 | 167 | 250 |
| Coastal marine ecosystems | Mangroves | 1030 | 464 | 1494 |
| Coastal marine ecosystems | Tidal marsh | 920 | 31 | 951 |
| Coastal marine ecosystems | Seagrass meadows | 608 | 10 | 618 |
Figure:Carbon storage in different ecosystems
• The Coral Triangle is an area of approximately 6 million square kilometres in South-east Asia.
• It is the most biodiverse marine ecosystem in the world.
• Its habitats include coral reefs, seagrass beds and mangroves.
• The Coral Triangle provides a range of ecosystem goods and services, and supports the livelihoods of over 120 million people.
• It provides an important spawning area to the largest tuna fishery in the world.
• In 2014, capture fisheries within the Coral Triangle were valued at US$9.9 billion representing over 10 % of the world market.
• Income in the area is also generated through a growing recreation and tourist industry.
• Coral reefs and mangroves in the Coral Triangle have declined by over 40 % since the 1970s.
• Over 85 % of coral reefs are under threat from population growth and human activity.
• Mangroves have commonly been removed to make way for agriculture, aquaculture or urban development.
• Increase in unsustainable fishing practices, because of the demand for marine resources, has led to the decline of many species, such as bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus) and yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares).
• Destructive fishing methods that impact marine habitats have been used throughout the region, such as use of dynamite and cyanide.
• Demand for wildlife goods such as turtle products and shark fins (used to make shark-fin soup) has caused a reduction in population numbers of some species.
• Land-based pollution from agriculture, logging, mining and urban development has damaged habitats within the Coral Triangle.
Large-scale tourism development also threatens the Coral Triangle through:
• pollution produced by tourists, such as sewage effluent, plastic waste materials
• coral trampling by snorkelers and divers
• physical damage caused by boat anchors ripping up corals and seagrass
• stress to marine wildlife caused by tourists following them too closely
• collection of wildlife souvenirs, such as corals, shellfish or turtle shells.
Climate change is a major threat to the Coral Triangle. The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) estimates that at current rates of global temperature increase, most coral reefs could be destroyed by 2050.
• The Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries and Food Security (CTI-CFF) is an agreement between all six nations in the area with the objectives of:
• ensuring food security and a sustainable livelihood of residents of the Coral Triangle
• protecting the unique ecosystem and marine species within the Coral Triangle.
• Conservation projects in the Coral Triangle involve collaboration between national governments, regional organisations, non-governmental organisations, private companies and local communities.
• Popular approaches to encourage sustainable use of the sea and its resources include creation of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and networks of Locally Managed Marine Areas (LMMAs).
• MPAs are usually managed by national and local government whereas LMMAs are more likely to be managed by the local community.
• These designated areas are often classified according to their use or the restrictions placed on them, such as “no-take zones” where no fishing is allowed or “tourism zones” that can be used for recreation but where other activities such as fishing are banned.
• Some zones allow restricted activity, such as use by local fishermen using only traditional fishing methods or during certain times of the year.
• Research has shown that over time in a well-managed MPA there is an increase in fish size, fish numbers and overall biodiversity.
• There are currently over 1000 MPAs within the Coral Triangle.
• The Coral Triangle Initiative aims to designate 20 % of each of the main habitats within the Coral Triangle as MPAs by 2020.
With reference to data throughout the resource booklet, to what extent would the establishment of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) benefit marine ecosystems and human societies within the Coral Triangle?