Strengthening capacity to support Marine Protected Areas PoWPA workshop, 6 December 2011

B. C. Choudhury & K. Sivakumar

With contributions from Tim Carruthers Ecosystem services supported by MPA’s Localized threats

• Indiscriminate and uncontrolled over fishing and fisheries related impacts

• Coastal and marine developmental projects and chronic impacts

• Stochastic natural events such as cyclone, earthquake, tsunami, global warming Climate changethreats

And related demographic and landuse patterns Positive benefits of protection

Restoration and recovery of the marine habitat types and their obligate flora and fauna (e.g. Great Barrier Reef)

Restoration of ecological processes and their services (E.g. Gulf of Kutch National Park and Marine Sanctuary in )

Enhanced the livelihood options of local communities using marine resources (e.g. National Park) Marine Protected Areas in the world

Source: World Environment Library

Marine Protected Areas in India

Lothian Gulf of Kachch Halliday Sajnakhali Bhitarkanka Bhitarkanika Gahirmatha Chilika

Malvan Coringa Krishna Wandur Pulicat Middle Button Kadalundi North Button Cingue Rani Jhansi Cothbert South Button Galathea Pitti Point Calimere

Lohabarrack Marine National Parks Gulf of Mannar North Reef Wildlife Sanctuaries Gulf of Mannar Wildlife Sanctuaries Mangrove Community Reserve South Reef No Conservation Reserves South Reef Coastal and Marine Biosphere Reserves, Ramsar sites & Important Bird Areas in India

Sunderbans

Bitharkanika Chilka

Kolleru

Vembanad Point Calimere Asthamudi Gulf of Mannar

Biosphere Reserves Ramsar sites Important Bird Areas Nicobar Courtesy: Birdlife International Existing methodologies to identify MCPAs

Global (macro-level) priority setting approaches for biodiversity conservation

Biodiversity hotspots Habitat based, e.g., rain forests (Myers, 1988)

Major tropical wilderness areas Ecosystem based, e.g., high biodiversity tropical areas (Myers, 1990; Mittermeier, 1990)

Mega-diversity countries Country based biodiversity assessment method e.g., B-17 (Mittermeier et al., 1997) Existing micro-level approach for India

Available methodology in India

•Untawale, 2000 – based on threatened taxa status •Singh et al., 2000 – both on taxa and habitat types – suggested 12 sites along Indian coastline Other options for site Identification

• Important Bird Areas (IBAs) – Birdlife International • Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) – Birdlife International • Special Area Conservation (SAC) – EU’s Habitat Directive • Marine Eco-regions – WWF & Nature Conservancy & • Important Coastal & Marine Biodiversity Areas (ICMBA) Criteria for identification of ICMBAs

Six “Conservation amplifiers ” were picked up from standard methods for criteria development

1. Ecosystem resilience 2. Ecosystem function 3. Biodiversity uniqueness 4. Cultural, Religious & Aesthetic significance 5. Socio-economic potential 6. Land tenure CRITERION 1

Coastal ecosystem resilience Indicators 1.Considerable area

2.Ecosystem contiguity

3.Habitat diversity (mangrove, mud flat, coral, seagrass, sand beach etc)

4.Adequacy of the site to maintain ecosystem level processes (nutrient flow, salinity changes)

5.Wildlife corridor (connected by vegetation, water or others) CRITERION 2

Ecosystem functions

Indicators 1.Freshwater discharge/ recharge function 2.Coastal erosion control 3.Carbon sequestration value 4.Natural protection against disaster CRITERION 3

Biodiversity uniqueness

Indicators 1.Presence of Globally threatened species 2.Presence of Regionally threatened Species (IWPA 1972) 3.Presence of restricted range species 4.Presence of flagship species 5.Presence of endemic species 6.Nursery and Breeding site provisions for species of conservation significance 7.Congregation area for species of conservation significance 8.Congregation area for migratory species CRITERION 4

Cultural, Religious & Aesthetic significance

Indicators 1.Cultural value 2.Religious value 3.Historical value 4.Aesthetic value CRITERION 5

Socio-economic potential

Indicators 1.Renewable natural resource extraction opportunity 2.Ecotourism prospects 3.Support for agriculture 4.Aquaculture and Fisheries CRITERION 6

Land tenure (Governance)

Indicators 1.Government ownership or other private ownership Survey for identification of ICMBAs

Number of sites visited and examined

Number of sites Coastal Coast States surveyed and Length (Km) examined * Gujarat 1610 44 Maharashtra 720 32 West Goa 120 10 Karnataka 280 46 Kerala 590 75 West Bengal 210 16 Orissa 480 25 East Andhra Pradesh 1014 42 & Pondicherry 950 60 Total 5974 350 * within 5 km on the landward side Identified ICMBA sites

Coast States Identified ICMBAs Total Gujarat & Diu-Daman 15 Maharashtra 14 West Goa 4 62 Karnataka 12 Kerala 17 West Bengal 2 Orissa 14 East 44 Andhra Pradesh 15 Tamil Nadu & Puducherry 13 Total 106 * * An ATLAS of 106 ICMBA site prepared Prioritization among ICMBAs for immediate attention

Prioritization based on

• Additional biodiversity values of candidate site’s surrounding landscape matrix • Habitat vulnerability to range of threat • Land tenure system Prioritized ICMBA sites

Coast States Prioritized ICMBAs Total Gujarat & Diu-Daman 3 Maharashtra 3 West 13 Karnataka 3 Kerala 4 West Bengal - Orissa 3 East 9 Andhra Pradesh 3 Tamil Nadu & Puducherry 3 Total 22 *

* Fact Sheets in ICMBA Atlas were coloured in Red Prioritized ICMBA sites

Alia Bet Madhavpur Purna Chandipur

Thane Chilka Rushikulya Purnagad Naupada Achra-Malvan Bantumilli Machilipatnam Kali Netrani Kundapur Kaliveli Kolavipalem Pichavaram Vypin-Fort Kumarakom Palk Bay Kumbalangi • For example – Gujarat and Tamil Nadu Identified ICMBAs in Gujarat & Diu - Daman

Koteswar Sangi

Gasabara Sabarmati Turtle hatchery in Wadgham Madhavpur Navbandar Alia bet Porbandar Madhavpur Kotpar Narmada Purna Diu Damanganga Umergaon

Mudflat in Alia Bet

Mangroves in Purna Prioritized sites Protection of migratory species requires networks of protected areas including Trans Boundary Protected Areas • Sea turtles • Dugong • Whales • Sharks • Birds Many of the threats to marine habitats are land based: a ‘ridge to reef’ approach is recommended

• Unsustainable coastal development • Forest clear-felling • Strip mining • Hill-slope erosion • Unsustainable agriculture • Pesticide runoff • Nutrient input from urban areas • Nutrient inputs from farming

Goal 1.2: Integrate land and seascape Trans Boundary Marine Protected Areas

E,g. Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve (India and Sri Lanka)

• Dugong • Sea turtles • Sharks • Whales • Sea birds etc

Goal 1.3: Transboundary protected areas and MPA collaborations Ability and capacity to enforce an MPA is essential for success

• All links in the enforcement chain need to be strong

Goal 1.4: Substantially improve site based MPA planning and management Internal issues as well as identified external threats influence enforcement efforts

Goal 1.5: Prevent and mitigate impacts of key threats Protected seascape can increase catches in surrounding buffer areas

• This was measured after establishing ‘no take’ zones in Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Goal 2.1: Promote equity and benefit sharing The multiple effective scales of MPA’s

•Global: Convention on Biological Diversity

•Mesoamerican reef (annual report card)

•National level: governance uniformity

•MPA – Specifically established National Park

Goal 3.1: Provide enabling policy, institutional and socio-economic support IUCN classification of MPA ’s

Goal 3.2: Build capacity for planning, establishment and management Marine Protected Areas can contain zoning for multiple uses

Goal 3.3: Develop, apply and transfer appropriate technologies Important permissible activities in various zones of the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve and National Park as per consultation with stakeholders

Snorkeling Scuba diving Fishing & crabbingResearch with permitNavigation Aquaculture Stock enhancement of fishes M onitoringS p e cie Habitat/ s Coral reef restorationSeagrass bed restoration M angrove restorationEndangeredrecovery Species programsCoral watching usingglass bottomed boat Core Zone Y Y Y Y Y N N N N Y N N Y Keelakkarai Y Y Y Y Y N N N N Y N N Y Vembar Y Y Y Y Y N N N N Y N N Y Tuticorin Y Y Y Y Y N N N N Y N N Y Buffer Zone Y Y N Y N Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N Y N N Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Eco- Development TourismZone Water Y N Y N N Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N Zone Land Y N N Y N N N N - Y Y N

Great Barrier Reef Marine Park history •1975: establishment

•1979: first formal zoning (12, 000 km 2)

•1981: first formal zoning plan (4.7% of area ‘no take’)

•1988: zoning strategy for 98% of area

•2004: implemented revised zoning plan (including 33% of area ‘no take’)

Goal 3.3: Develop, apply and transfer appropriate technologies Great Barrier Reef Marine Park

Goal 3.4: Ensure financial sustainability Example GBR zoning map, Cairns FNQ

Goal 3.4: Ensure financial sustainability Effective development and implementation of an MPA requires e.g. Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park •Adaptive management: built in flexibility

•Appropriate boundary definition: biological, cultural, political

•Transparent and highly participatory process

•Incorporation of both scientific and traditional knowledge

Goal 3.5: Strengthen communication, education and public awareness Rapid recovery of fish populations with protection

Goal 4.3: Assess and monitor ecosystem status and trends Participatory Governance of Marine Protected Areas

Resources are in the CPR Regime Multiple user agencies Resources use are often non-sustainable Conflicting interest of resource use Current Status of EDC Zone (Administrative setup) of Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve

Director GOMBRT

Eco Developmental Officer Sociologist

Mandapam Keelakarai Erwadi Thoothukudi Zone No Zonal Transferred No Zonal officer officer Vembar Danushkodi Periapattinam Erwadi

Thoothukudi Pambam Thinaikulam Mariyur No sub-zonal officer Sub-zone Uchipuli Keelakarai Kamarajapuram Ratchenyapuram

No sub-zonal officer No sub-zonal officer No sub-zonal officer No sub-zonal officer Proposed Administrative Setup of the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve Management Authority

Governing Body

Director Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Authority (CCF)

WLW Research Biologist* EDO Rural Development Officer Deputy Director EDO GOMNP Scientist C (South) (Sociologist)* of Fisheries* (North)

Tourism and Tourism and GIS & RS Interpretation Officer* Interpretation Officer* ACF (System Manager) Protection, restoration & Management Laboratory (South) Aquarium preservation staff RFO RFO (Tuticorin) (Vembar) Zonal Officer Zonal Officer Zonal Officer Zonal Officer Zonal Officer ACF Eco-development Eco-development Eco-development Eco-development Eco-development Protection, restoration (Tiruchendur) (Sayalkudi) (Tuticorin) (Mandapam) (Keelakarai) & Management (North) 3 sub-zonal 3 sub-zonal 3 sub-zonal 3 sub-zonal 3 sub-zonal Officers Officers Officers Officers Officers RFO RFO (Mandapam) (Keelakarai) NGOs NGOs NGOs NGOs NGOs

EDCs & VMCCs EDCs & VMCCs EDCs & VMCCs EDCs & VMCCs EDCs & VMCCs Resources… Thanks!

Stuart Chape