Marine NZ

The Economics of Marine Protected Areas
Author(s): Allen Consulting Group

This 2009 report uses bio-economic modelling to measure the economic potential of a network of marine protected areas, applying the principals to Australia’s South West Bioregion. The findings show the combination of fishery buffer benefits, spillovers for commercial and recreational fishing and increased ecotourism are likely to outweigh losses due to recreational and commercial fishers displacement.

The Economic Contribution of Australia’s Marine Industries
Author(s): Allen Consulting Group

This 2004 report summarises the contribution of Australia’s marine industries to the national balance from 1995 till 2003. The largest contributor being Marine Tourism, this report highlights the ecosystem services of the marine environment.

Stocking Up: Securing our Marine Economy
Author(s): Centre for Policy Development - Australia

Our oceans are often out of sight, but that doesn’t mean they should be out of mind. Australia is surrounded by a vast wealth of oceans with the world’s third largest marine estate. Australian waters have the highest marine biodiversity in the world and it’s marine economy supports thousands of regional jobs through commercial fishing, marine tourism and recreational fishing. Yet official accounts record only a fraction of the real, long-term value of our oceans.

In a ground-breaking new report, CPD’s Sustainable Economy program reveals a shortfall in official accounts of $25 billion per year. The oceans contribute at least this much to the national economy in ecosystem services – such as carbon storage, fish nursery services and recreational fishing – free of charge.

Stocking Up: Securing Our Marine Economy is the first in a series of reports that will look at how different sectors of Australia’s economy can benefit from policies to preserve the environment and resources that sustain them.

KEY FINDINGS
In a national first, Stocking Up assesses the economic value of Australia’s oceans and finds:

Our oceans provide an unrecognised $25 billion in value every year to our national economy – billions of dollars that are currently unaccounted for in official statistics. 
The value of sustainably managed Australian fisheries could increase by 42% over 20 years if global fish stocks collapse.
Stocking Up fills a gap between the scientific knowledge of our oceans and the poor understanding of the economic and social value they provide, showing how we can secure marine jobs today and in the future by maintaining the value of the assets that these jobs rely on.

The report measures essential ecosystems services provided ‘free of charge’ by our oceans, such as:

$15.8 billion a year in carbon storage. Seagrasses store 10 to 40 times as much carbon per hectare as forests. Australia’s seagrass meadows are the largest in the world.
$6.2 billion a year in fish nursery services, pest and disease control. These services are crucial for our commercial fishing industry.
$1.85 billion per year in fish and recreation enjoyed by the 1 in 5 Australians who go fishing at least once a year
REPORT RECOMMENDATIONS
Stocking Up recommends five simple measures to secure our marine resources for all Australians; support long-term jobs in commercial fishing and marine tourism; and provide better catches for recreational fishers:

Protect the assets that underpin our marine estate – We must treat our marine estate as a portfolio of valuable ecological assets. We need to balance our investment portfolio across a well-managed commercial fishing estate; marine protected areas and highly protected areas.
Rebuild fish stocks – We need to take better care of fish stocks to reduce the risk of collapse. While management measures for our Commonwealth fisheries provide a strong foundation for reducing over-fishing, 42 per cent of our fisheries remain in an over-fished or unknown state.
Ensure all commercial fisheries are sustainably managed - We need to adjust economic incentives to avoid poverty traps for commercial fishers and loss of resources for tourism and recreation. Around half of Commonwealth fisheries are currently struggling to cope with economic pressure from rising fuel prices, a high Australian dollar and increased competition.
Establish baseline data for recreational catch and biomass in undisturbed ecosystems - We need better information to avoid sudden collapse of ecosystems. While our knowledge of many commercial fisheries has improved, we don’t have enough information on recreational catch and on how marine ecosystems function to manage multiple pressures well.
Support local communities through marketing and business innovation – We need innovations in marketing and business models to help local economies find opportunities from changing market demand and resource availability
As global fish stocks decline and the risk of ecosystem collapse grows worldwide, Australia can still take action to secure the third largest and most diverse marine estate in the world. This would support long-term jobs for commercial fishers, secure marine resources for tourism development, and provide better catches for recreational fishers.

In Stocking Up we’ve brought common-sense thinking to the question of how we can develop a thriving marine economy over the long term. It’s not a trivial question.

As the world heads into challenging times, Australia must make smart and informed decisions about how to navigate the waters ahead. These decisions need to be driven by the value of our oceans and the people who rely on them, not by politics.

Finding the Role of the Antarctic Toothfish in the Ross Sea Ecosystem
Author(s): NIWA

This NIWA Water and Atmosphere article from 2007 tells how NIWA scientists Matt Pinkerton, Stuart Hanchet, and Janet Bradford-Grieve have been piecing together the puzzle of Antarctic ecology to understand the potential effects of fishing for Antarctic toothfish.

A Global Map of Human Impact on Marine Ecosystems
Author(s): Halpern et. al.

The management and conservation of the world’s oceans require synthesis of spatial data on the distribution and intensity of human activities and the overlap of their impacts on marine
ecosystems. We developed an ecosystem-specific, multiscale spatial model to synthesize 17 global data sets of anthropogenic drivers of ecological change for 20 marine ecosystems. Our analysis indicates that no area is unaffected by human influence and that a large fraction (41%) is strongly affected by multiple drivers. However, large areas of relatively little human impact remain, particularly near the poles. The analytical process and resulting maps provide flexible tools for regional and global efforts to allocate conservation resources; to implement ecosystem-based management; and to inform marine spatial planning, education, and basic research.

MPA News Jan_Feb 2011, number 118
Author(s): MPA News

MPA NEWS, Vol. 12, No. 4 (January-February 2011)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Comparing Two Methods of Building MPA Networks: One Site at a Time vs. All at
Once
Network Launched for Managers of Very Large MPAs
MPA Perspective: Autonomous Vessels Offer New Tool for MPA Research and
Enforcement
Letters to the Editor
Science Spotlight: Studies on Larval Export, MPA Impacts on Communities
Notes & News: MPA web domains for sale - Purse seine closures - California -
Raja Ampat - US - IMCC2 - MPAs in fisheries management

MPA News Vol 12 November_December 2010
Author(s): MPA News

MPA NEWS, Vol. 12, No. 3 (November-December 2010)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
With Global MPA Coverage Falling Short of 10% Target, Biodiversity Summit
Extends Deadline
Views on Global MPA Coverage and the 10% Target: Interview with Kristina Gjerde
and Mark Spalding
More Outputs from the Convention on Biological Diversity Meeting: Publications,
Awards, Debt Swap
Large New MPAs Designated in North Atlantic, South America, Western Australia
Five-Year Study Releases Findings on Effects of MPAs
Program to Help Displaced Fishers Ends Up Costing 25 Times More than Planned
Letters to the Editor: On Chagos, MPA terminology
Notes & News: Carbon-neutral MPA - Shark sanctuaries - Plastic in MPAs -
French-funded MPAs - Applying IUCN categories - Parks Canada
Reef Resilience: Management Tips to Prepare for Ocean Acidification
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MPA News September - October 2010
Author(s): MPA News

MPA NEWS, Vol. 12, No. 2 (September-October 2010)

Table of Contents

MPAs and Indigenous Peoples: Co-Management as a Means of Respecting Traditional Culture and Strengthening Conservation

MPA Perspective: Reflections on Resource Management, Native Hawaiian Culture, and Papahānaumokuākea By Miwa Tamanaha

From the Editor: MPA News in Spanish; Reader Feedback

Notes & News: UK - Canada - Malta - World Heritage - US - MPA expert database - Connectivity handbook - Coral Triangle MPA - LMMA Network - Invasive lionfish - MPA networks - Coral ID guide - Sea level rise - Undersea weddings

Science Spotlight: Can Protected Areas Change Fish Behavior?

_______________
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MPA news May_June 2010
Author(s): MPA News

MPA news is a Global News and Analysis on Marine Protected Areas. In this May_June 2010 issue the education spotlight is on our very own Experiencing Marine Reserves programme.
This issue features :
The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico contributing millions of litres of crude oil entering the water column daily
The MPA around the Chagos Archipelego touted as the largest MPA in the world, yet the degree in which fishing will be restricted remains unclear
MPA law enforcement
Whale Sanctuary in Tokelau
Phoenix Islands Protected Area starts fundraising; no-take area to increase over time and much more…

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the subject line, and include your name, mailing address, and daytime phone number in the
text of the message. Also, please note whether you would like your subscription to be
delivered electronically or in paper form.

Precis. Fully Protected Marine Reserves : a guide
Author(s): Callum M Roberts et al

Callum M Roberts and Julie P Hawkins, fully protected marine reserves - a guide, answers all your questions about marine reserves. Fantastic summary points and key lessons for the creation of new reserves.