11th ICRS Abstract book - Nova Southeastern University

23.1014
Second And Third Order Management Issues in South Sinai Protected Reef Areas
Rupert ORMOND* 1 , Wera LEUJAK 2 , Mohammed SALEM 3 , Ayman MABROUK 3
1 SaveourSeas Foundation, West Lothian, United Kingdom, 2 University Marine Biological
Station Millport, University of London, Isle of Cumbrae, United Kingdom, 3 South Sinai
Protectorates, Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency, Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt
Over the last 15 years the whole of the Egyptian coast of the Gulf of Aqaba has been
incorporated within a series of Marine Protected Areas. The relevant authorities
(Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency) have effectively implemented a series of first
order management objectives. However the region has been promoted so successfully
that some reef areas are now subject to a greater intensity of visitor use than any others
worldwide.
Quantitative studies have elucidated a series of second order management issues:
i. The most popular reef sites are being so heavily used that, through incidental trampling
and breakage, coral cover has declined, and at some sites the reef assemblage been
changed.
ii. Largely as a consequence of this impact, and Crown-of-thorns starfish outbreaks, coral
cover now appears to be in decline across the region.
iii. Public awareness initiatives have increased the care that visitors from traditional
tourist source countries take to avoid coral damage, but there has been a recent large
increase in the proportion of other tourists with little knowledge of or concern for marine
life.
iv. With even larger numbers of developments and visitors, infringements of MPA
regulations are becoming increasingly evident.
In response, the EEAA has supported research addressing a number of key third order
issues:
a) What are the carrying capacities of different types of reef area? Data suggest that
ecological carrying capacities may not be clearly defined, while at heavily used sites
social carrying capacity may be the more important issue.
b) How can the behaviour of visitors with little concern for coral protection be more
effectively controlled? Sanctions against tour operators and tour group leaders may be as
important as positive publicity campaigns.
c) How effectively can the tools of integrated coastal zone management be applied to
mange visitor behaviour as well as tourist development?
23.1015
Community Participation in Coral Reef Management On Phuket Island, Thailand
Pitul PANCHAIYAPHUM 1 , Hansa CHANSANG* 2 , Krawi ONGSORANACOMKUL 3 ,
Anuwat NATEEWATTANA 4
1 Department of Marine and Coastal resources, Phuket, Thailand, 2 Phuket Marine
Biological Center, Phuket, Thailand, 3 Department of Fisheries, Phuket, Thailand,
4 Department of Marine and Coastal Resources, Bangkok, Thailand
In Thailand a pilot project in community participation in managing reefs of Phuket Island
has been initiated since 1992. The communities along the west coast have been benefit
from tourism by changing their occupation from coastal fisheries to tourism related
occupation. They were encouraged in setting up associations which participated in
various activities i.e., installation and maintenance of mooring buoys and assisting
authorities in surveillance of illegal activities. The network of associations has been
formed to exchange information and experiences among various groups. Increasingly the
network began to settle the conflicting issues of reef resources among themselves. Parts
of the activities were also supported by local government and private sectors. At present,
the communities still depend upon supports from authorities in various ways i.e. some
financial and logistic supports, and information regarding successful management
elsewhere.
In conclusion it is shown that transferring management responsibility of reef resources to
local communities is possible but it is a long term process. Close cooperation between
government officials and communities is the key of success.
Poster Mini-Symposium 23: Reef Management
23.1016
Improving Governance Of Marine Protected Areas Through Inter-Local Government
Collaboration in Central Philippines
Rizaller AMOLO* 1 , Rose-Liza EISMA-OSORIO 2
1 Local Governance for Coastal Management Project, Coastal Conservation and Education
Foundation Inc., Cebu City, Philippines, 2 Coastal Conservation and Education Foundation Inc.,
Cebu City, Philippines
Establishment of no-take marine protected areas (MPAs) in the Philippines has become an
efficient approach to address coral reef degradation and decline in reef fishery production by
numerous local governments. In Central Visayas, Philippines, over 400 MPAs both declared by
local ordinances and through the National Integrated Protected Areas System Act were
established to improve marine habitats and increase fishery resources. However, only 20-25%
has been effectively managed by local government units (LGUs) along with their constituents.
Achieving its objectives, there is a need for LGUs to collaborate strategies to improve MPA
management and maximize benefits. This paper examines the effect of collaboration of the
LGUs in Southern Cebu and Siquijor province, in improving reef management by looking into
various outcomes of effective governance. A 3-year biophysical monitoring of MPAs showed
significant changes in benthic community and reef fish population. MPA governance rating has
improved overtime. Effective coastal law enforcement within and outside MPAs has increased.
Various strategies such as collecting user fee, joint enforcement effort, and effective community
education and information dissemination were found to also be an emerging approach to
increase support in management. Lesson learned in inter-local government collaboration
includes: clarify organizational requirement prior to effective program implementation and
effective joint law enforcement plays a crucial role to sustain collaborative support.
23.1017
Recreational Diving Management in the Coral Reefs of Cozumel, Mexico
Luis SANTANDER* 1
1 Division de Desarrollo Sustentable, Universidad de Quintana Roo, Cozumel, Mexico
The general objective is twofold: i) a review of the management principles and actions aimed to
reduce the negative impacts of recreational diving in coral reefs; and, ii) point out the
shortcomings of such principles and actions in Cozumel’s MPA (Marine Protected Area).
The paper has a presentation and discussion of two principles and strategies for MPA: zoning
and carrying capacity. The study includes a selection of other specific measures and actions
designed to reduce the environmental impacts of recreational diving and it also deals with the
characteristics and tendencies of the industry of recreational diving.
After the analysis of the international experiences in the management of recreational diving in
coral reefs in MPA, the analysis is centered in Cozumel’s MPA, mainly with data obtained from
monitoring over 350 divers and 82 diving groups.
The quantitative results of physical contacts and sediment removals due to divers is explained in
relation to behaviours and omissions of instructors and diving guides that fall beyond the scope
of principles, policies and actions contained by management plans for recreational diving.
The main conclusion is that general management principles of MPA are usefull and important
but have shortcomings. For example, i) carrying capacity (number of divers) can change
drastically with different divers’ profile and diving practices, or ii) restrictions in a zone not
necessarily mean that the consequences of negative impacts in a nearby area of intensive use,
are absent on the former. When it comes to standard actions to protect reefs from divers the
main limitations come from the great diversity of physical and biological features of sites and
from the different behaviours of divers.
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