A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO THE REPORT EFFECTIVE DESIGN AND 2019 MANAGEMENT OF MPAs FOR SHARKS AND RAYS This project has been a collaboration between the Centre LEAD AUTHOR: for Sustainable Tropical Fisheries and Aquaculture Cassandra L Rigby, James Cook (CSTFA) at James Cook University, Australia, and WWF. University ABOUT WWF AUTHORS: WWF is one of the largest and most experienced Colin Simpendorfer, James Cook independent conservation organizations, with over University 5 million supporters and a global network active in Andy Cornish, WWF-Hong Kong more than 100 countries. WWF´s mission is to stop the degradation of the planet´s natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with HOW TO CITE THIS WORK: nature, by conserving the world´s biological diversity, Rigby, C.L., Simpfendorfer, C.A. ensuring that the use of renewable resources is and A. Cornish (2019) A Practical sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution Guide to Effective Design and and wasteful consumption. WWF works to reverse Management of MPAs for Sharks declining shark populations through Sharks: Restoring and Rays. WWF, Gland, Switzerland. the Balance, a global initiative. www.panda.org DESIGN AND PRODUCTION: sharks.panda.org Evan Jeffries, Catherine Perry – Swim2Birds Ltd ABOUT CSTFA www.swim2birds.co.uk Research within the Centre for Sustainable Tropical Fisheries and Aquaculture (CSTFA) focuses not only Published in May 2019 by WWF on the aquatic and aquaculture systems that produce – World Wide Fund for Nature, food, but also the industries and communities that Gland, Switzerland utilise them. Multidisciplinary collaborations between our researchers provide the synergies to address Any reproduction in full or part substantial research problems in a way that individual must mention the title and credit research groups cannot. CSTFA provides research the above-mentioned publisher as outputs for sustainable food production to local, state, the copyright owner. federal and international resource managers, both in government and in the private sector. Thus, making us a key player in helping secure aquatic food production COVER PHOTOGRAPH: in the tropics for future generations. © naturepl.com / Cheryl-Samantha www.jcu.edu.au/tropical-fisheries-and-aquaculture Owen / WWF WWF and James Cook University would like to thank the Shark Conservation Fund for its financial support of the James Cook University-led project, ‘Maximising outcomes for shark and ray MPAs’, that contributed significantly to the production of content for this Guide. Thanks also to the project’s partner institutions – the Australian Institute of Marine Science, the University of Queensland and Simon Fraser University – and to the project team for their input, comments and thoughts. WWF International, WWF-Germany and WWF-Netherlands provided the financial resources to produce and print this guide. CONTENTS ABOUT SECTION 3 SECTION 6 ABOUT THIS GUIDE 5 SPATIAL FISHERIES 16 DESIGNING SHARK 32 MEASURES AND RAY MPAS SECTION 1 SECTION 4 SECTION 7 EXISTING MPAS 6 DEFINING GOALS 20 MONITORING AND 40 AND OBJECTIVES FOR EVALUATION SHARK AND RAY MPAS SECTION 2 SECTION 5 INDEX EFFECTIVE MPA 12 KEY INFORMATION 24 INFORMATION, 44 MANAGEMENT REQUIRED FOR ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS PLANNING SHARK AND REFERENCES AND RAY MPAS 3 MPA Guide | Sharks and Rays 2019 FEATURE 4 DATA 4 MPA Guide | Sharks and Rays 2019 DATA The Office of the Comptroller of benefitted from waivers from certain the Currency is warning banks provisions of the SRA Handbook, an to review their risk management extraordinarily dangerous precedent for programs and take necessary a licensing authority, which purports to precautions against escalating be consumer-focused, to establish. attacks by fraud-minded hackers. Once again, the security of the waivers from rules rooted in the LSA and In an alert issued to national banks designed for the protection of the and federal savings associations, the consumer, enables ABSs to operate regulator is warning of Distributed their business and adopt practices Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks being which are not necessarily consistent used to perpetrate customer account with the best interests of clients. In fraud. A DDoS attack seeks to deny addition, the recentABOUT removal of the THIS GUIDE Internet access to b ‘sunset clause’ in the LSA to allow viser who is ‘tied’ to certain products. ABSs to remain in the Solicitors’ Concentrating on the latter, the new Compensatio Shark and ray numbers are declining globally, rule is dangerous, because it allows and a quarter of all species are believed to be legal practices to absolve themselves threatened with extinction.1 Marine protected of all responsibility by transferring the areas (MPAs) can potentially play a key role risk to the financial adviser. Further, the in protecting and conserving shark and ray absence of any incentive to monitor the populations – but for MPAs to be effective their performance of the financial adviser to planning, design and management need to ascertain whether or not the referral reflect the unique characteristics of these species. was in the client’s best interests could actually encourage lawyers to make MPAs for sharks and rays need clear goals, objectives referrals where the risk transfer is in line and conservation targets. They must incorporate with their own interests. the considerable scientific knowledge on shark and ray movement, biology and habitat use alongside ABS WAIVER POLICY socioeconomic and cultural considerations; and they Another case in point is the treatment must be well managed and enforced in the long term. of Alternative Business Structure (ABS) applications during the SRA’s first 12 This Guide has been produced to provide practical, months as a licensing authority. When science-based advice on how to maximize the the concept of non-lawyer ownership effectiveness of both new and existing shark and ray was unveiled, legitimate concerns were MPAs, to ensure these animals are protected now raised over the SRA’s ability to properly and far into the future. While it will be of interest to assess the suitability of prospective, anyone wanting to know more about the subject, it’s and in some cases, international, particularly aimed at: © Jarrett Corke / WWF-Canada © Jarrett investors in ABSs. In response, the SRA asserted that it was acutely aware ● Authorities responsible for marine habitat and of the risks posed to consumers by species protection complex structures and the involvement ● National fisheries managers of external investors. However, the ● Regional fisheries management organizations regulator’s credibility was subsequently (RFMOs) called into question when three of ● NGOs and other conservation practitioners the first seven ABS licences granted ● Shark and ray tourism operators. 5 MPA Guide | Sharks and Rays 2019 SECTION 1 EXISTING MPAS ● Introduction to MPAs ● Shark and ray species suited to MPAs ● Key features of effective shark and ray MPAs © Daniel Versteeg / WWF © Daniel Versteeg SECTION 1 EXISTING MPAS SHARKS AND RAYS IN CRISIS Sharks and rays are facing a global crisis. Many species are in decline due to overfishing,2 while populations are also being impacted by habitat degradation and loss.3 To compound these pressures, sharks and rays tend to be slow to recover when their numbers fall: they typically grow slowly, mature at a late age, and have few young. The conservation of sharks and rays is urgent and crucial. Many species play vital roles in the marine ecosystem, and their loss would cause major long- term issues for the environment.4 They’re also important for food security, and they generate income in many countries through fishing and tourism.5 © Ethan Daniels / WWF INTRODUCTION: fishing and retention of shark and ray The majority of these shark and ray products, and sometimes a ban on all MPAs encompass countries’ entire SPATIAL MANAGEMENT trade of shark and ray products, all within a exclusive economic zones (EEZs), AND MPAS clearly defined area. They may also include and are sometimes referred to as Support is growing for the use of seasonally closed areas, spatial fishery ‘shark sanctuaries’. Their large size spatial management to protect closures, and fishing gear restrictions. helps ensure they have the potential sharks and rays. Its purpose is to to protect not only inshore coastal protect sharks and rays from major species but also the highly mobile threats, such as overfishing and sharks and rays that range into habitat loss, as well as to reduce open waters offshore. the level of these impacts. Most shark and ray MPAs have Marine protected areas (MPAs) are the only been in place since 2009: as main tool used in spatial management. they’re relatively new, monitoring, They come in many forms – from large, evaluation and adaptive zoned multiple-use areas to small management are particularly no-take marine reserves – all aiming important. to restrict activities that affect marine IN 2018, SOME 38 life within a defined area, thereby EXISTING SHARK There are also many general MPAs benefiting biodiversity and improving 38 AND RAY MPAS that have been implemented to 6 ecosystem resilience. MPA governance COVERED A TOTAL protect a broad range of marine species and habitats. Although they varies widely, from government control AREA OF ABOUT to local management. aren’t designed solely for sharks 21 MILLION and rays, they do provide protection Some MPAs have been implemented 21 KM2, OR when they’re large enough and specifically for shark and ray conservation in the right areas to cover key – in this Guide, we refer to them as 6% OF THE movements, critical habitats or life ‘shark and ray MPAs’. These usually OCEAN SURFACE stages, such as nursery areas or incorporate a ban on shark and ray 6% breeding grounds.7 7 MPA Guide | Sharks and Rays 2019 SECTION 1 EFFECTIVE SHARK AND RAY MPAS EFFECTIVE MPAS PROTECT PROTECT POSITIVE REDUCE SPECIES FROM CRITICAL CONSERVATION MORTALITY KEY THREATS HABITATS OUTCOMES © naturepl.com / Doug Perrine WWF © naturepl.com habitats for part or all of their blacknose shark, can be protected lives tend to benefit the most.