A COMPARATIVE STUDY ON MARINE PROTECTED AREAS BETWEEN AUSTRALIA AND TANZANIA. Flora Akwilapo

Transcription

1 A COMPARATIVE STUDY ON MARINE PROTECTED AREAS BETWEEN AUSTRALIA AND TANZANIA By Flora Akwilapo United Nations The Nippon Foundation Fellow December 2006

2 OUTLINE Meaning and benefits of Marine Protected Areas Global Support for Marine Protected Areas Marine Protected Areas in Australia Marine Protected Areas in Tanzania Comparative analysis of MPAs in Australia and Tanzania Conclusion and recommendations

3 Map of the United Republic of Tanzania Tanzania Mainland and Zanzibar

4 IUCN Definition: Meaning of MPAs A marine protected area is an area of land and/or sea especially dedicated to the protection and maintenance of biological diversity and of natural and associated cultural resources, managed through legal or other effective means. WWF Definition: A marine protected area is an area designated to protect marine ecosystems, processes, habitats and species which can contribute to the restoration and replenishment of resources for social, economic and cultural enrichment.

5 Benefits of MPAs Conservation of biodiversity and ecosystems Marine protected areas protect entire habitats and their full range of animals and plants, preserving genetic diversity, age structures and the delicate balance among all the living component of an ecosystem Protection of rare or threatened species MPAs are effective in preserving endangered species and supporting the recovery of exploited species

6 Benefits of MPAs cont Potential contribution to ecosystembased management of fisheries MPA is a high profile and well-documented tool for protecting marine ecosystems and for managing marine fisheries. They support stock management including the protection of specific life stages (such as nursery grounds), protection of critical functions (feeding grounds, spawning grounds), provision of spillover and export of an exploited species

7 Benefits of MPAs cont Contribute to sustainable tourism Well-managed marine protected areas are often major tourist attractions therefore the establishment of marine protected area is an excellent way to raise the profile of an area for marine tourism

8 Global Support for MPAs United Nations Article 192 of the LOSC provides that States have the obligation to protect and preserve the marine environment Article 61:conservation of the living marine resources Article 303: Protection of archaeological and historical objects

9 Global Support for MPAs Cont UNCED- Agenda 21 Assert that the protection and sustainable development of the marine and coastal environment and its resources requires new approaches to management and development Chapter 17 lists seven program areas requiring action: Program area A: Integrated management and sustainable development of coastal areas, including exclusive economic zone. Program area B: Marine environmental protection Program area C: Sustainable use and conservation of marine living resources of high seas Program area D: Sustainable use and conservation of marine living resources under national jurisdiction Program area E: Management of marine environment and climate change Program area F: Strengthening international, including regional cooperation and coordination Program area G: Sustainable development of islands

10 Global Support for MPAs Cont International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) IUCN General Assembly in 1988 passed a resolution to adopt some specific objectives for a global representative system for MPAs as follows: To protect and manage marine and estuarine systems to ensure their longterm viability and to maintain genetic diversity To protect depleted, threatened, rare or endangered species To prevent outside activities from affecting the marine protected areas To provide for the continued welfare of people affected by the creation of marine protected areas To preserve, protect and manage historical and cultural sites and natural aesthetic values of marine and estuarine areas, for present and future generations

11 Global Support for MPAs Cont The World Summit for Sustainable Development (WSSD, 2002) Emphasized the need to maintain productivity and biodiversity of important marine and coastal areas and set target date of 2012 for the establishment of representative network of MPAs. WorldWide Fund for Nature (WWF) Working to develop and advocate solutions for sustainable fishing and the creation and management of MPAs. WWF has a team of Marine scientists, policy experts, economists, lawyers and communication experts working in more than 40 countries

12 MARINE PROTECTED AREAS IN AUSTRALIA Australia s Ocean Policy Was launched in 1998 with the goal of coordinating marine activities in Australia to create an effective and efficient ocean management regime. It established the framework for integrated and ecosystem-based planning and management for the marine jurisdictions

13 MARINE PROTECTED AREAS IN AUSTRALIA Marine Jurisdictions The management of Australia s marine jurisdiction is shared between seven States and Commonwealth Governments. State Governments have primary responsibility for marine environments up to three NM out from the baselines (low water mark). The Commonwealth Government manages the oceans from the State limit to 200 NM. Legislation The principal Australian legislation for establishing and managing protected areas is the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999(cth) (EPBC Act). National Representative System of MPAs In the early 1990 s, Australia s Governments agreed to establish a National Representative System of Marine Protected Areas (NRSMPA), in Australia s waters The primary goal of NRSMPA is to establish and manage a comprehensive, adequate and representative system of protected areas to contribute to the long-term ecological viability of marine and estuarine systems

14 Commonwealth Marine Protected Areas

15 MARINE PROTECTED AREAS IN TANZANIA Policy on Protection and Conservation of the Marine Environment Fisheries Policy, 1997 The objectives of the Fisheries Policy relevant to MPAs are: To encourage and support all initiatives leading to the protection and sustainable use of the fish stock and aquatic resources To integrate conservation and sustainable utilization of the fisheries resources into the social economic programmes of the community and To protect the productivity and biological diversity of coastal and aquatic ecosystems through prevention of habitat destruction, pollution and over exploitation National Environment Policy, 1997 The National Environment Policy objectives relating to coastal and marine protection is to ensure sustainability, security and equitable use of resources for meeting the basic need of the present and future generations

16 MARINE PROTECTED AREAS IN TANZANIA Cont MPAs Legislation and Institutional Arrangements The principle legislation for MPAs in mainland Tanzania is the Marine Parks and Reserve Act 1994 The overall mandate for protected areas lies within the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism In Zanzibar, the protected areas are established under three pieces of legislation Environmental Management for Sustainable Development Act 1996 Forest resource Management Act 1996 and Fisheries Act 1988 The overall mandate for protected areas lies within the Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources, Environment and Co-operatives (MANREC)

17 Protected and Managed Marine Areas in the United Republic of Tanzania TANZANIA MAINLAND: Maziwe Island Marine Reserve ZANZIBAR: Chumbe Island Coral Sanctuary Menai Bay Marine Park Misali Island Marine Park Mnemba Island Marine Park Areas Dar Es Salaam Marine Reserves comprises 4 islands, designated as Marine Reserves in 1975 Mafia Island Marine Park (Total Area = 822 km 2 ) Mnazi Bay Ruvuma Estuary Marine Park (Total Area = 650 km 2 ) Date Established Sub-tidal Area (km 2 )

18 COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF MPAs IN AUSTRALIA AND TANZANIA Policy Issues National Representative System of MPAs Legislation and Institutional Arrangement Management Issues Natural resources utilization

19 Policy Issues Australia Policy Australian Ocean Policy,1998 Tanzania Policy National Environment Policy,1997 and Fisheries Policy,1997

20 National Representative System of MPAs In Australia Australia has developed a significant national representative system of MPAs and has the largest number of MPAs of any country in the world In Tanzania Tanzania lacks a national system of MPAs and has few number of MPAs

21 MPAs Legislation In Australia In Tanzania Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999(cth) (EPBC Act) Living Marine Resources Act 1995 (Tasmania) National Park Act 1975 (Victoria) Marine Parks Act 1982(QS) Marine Parks Act 1997(NSW) Conservation and land management Act 1984 (WA) Fisheries Act 1982 (SA) Territory parks and wildlife Conservation Act (NT) Marine Parks and Reserve Act 1994 Environmental Management for Sustainable Development Act 1996 Forest resource Management Act 1996 Fisheries Act 1988

22 Management Issues and resource utilization In Australia In Tanzania Coastal people do not rely on coastal and marine resources for their livelihood since they have a wide range of alternative income generating activities Coastal people rely on coastal and marine resources for their livelihood due to lack of alternative income generating activities A high level of development, stable economy and wealth allow for the protection of marine environment, through government allocation of enough funds for the conservation and management of coastal and marine environment Communities are committed to environmental protection, since there enough awareness and conservation programs at all levels Low level of development, unstable economy and unbalanced budget of the country do not allow for proper protection of marine environment, through government allocation of enough funds for conservation and management of coastal and marine environment Communities are not committed to environmental protection; this is because there is no enough awareness and conservation programs at all level

23 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS Since the marine protected areas provide various benefits for the country, Tanzania should put more emphasis in the establishment of new protected areas and improve the management, conservation and protection of the existing ones. As a conclusion of the comparative evaluation of marine management in Tanzania and Australia, a number of recommendations can be made for the improvement of Tanzanian approach, as follows: Tanzania could develop a national ocean policy to have an effective, efficient and coherent ocean management. Tanzania should establish a national representative system of marine protected areas. Due to the high dependence of Tanzanian coastal people on coastal and marine resources, greater effort needs to be made to ensure sustainable utilization of those resources and the development of supplementary and/or alternative sources of resources and income. Tanzania needs to plan and implement a better system to collect relevant and sufficient data on the marine and coastal environment and to analyze and share this data with all concerned.

24 END Thank You