MARINE PROTECTED AREAS INTERNATIONAL FRAMEWORK, STATE OF THE ART, THE BELGIAN SITUATION Rabaut, M., Cliquet, A., and Maes, F. Table of Content TABLE OF CONTENT I. Introduction..................................................................................................................................................1 II. Analysis.........................................................................................................................................................3 1 International Framework for MPAs ..........................................................................................................3 1.1 Global Agreements...............................................................................................................................3 1.1.1 Introduction .....................................................................................................................................3 1.1.2 UNCLOS, Law of the Sea Convention (1982) ................................................................................3 1.1.3 CBD, Convention on Biological Diversity (1992) ..........................................................................3 1.1.4 Global Protected Area Conventions and Programmes.....................................................................4 1.1.4.1 Ramsar convention on Wetlands of International Importance (1971)....................................4 1.1.4.2 World Heritage Convention (UNESCO, 1972)......................................................................4 1.1.4.3 MAB, Man and the Biosphere Programme (UNESCO, 1971)...............................................5 1.2 Regional Agreements............................................................................................................................5 1.2.1 Regional Nature Conservation Agreements and Directives.............................................................5 1.2.1.1 General Concept.....................................................................................................................5 1.2.1.2 EC Directives .........................................................................................................................6 1.2.2 Regional Marine Agreements ..........................................................................................................6 1.2.2.1 OSPAR Annex V (1998)........................................................................................................6 1.2.2.2 Others.....................................................................................................................................7 1.3 MPAs Related to Specific Aims of International Conventions..............................................................7 1.3.1 Regional Shipping Measures under Global Agreements .................................................................7 1.3.1.1 MARPOL...............................................................................................................................8 1.3.1.2 PSSAs (IMO) .........................................................................................................................8 1.3.2 Marine Protected Species ................................................................................................................8 2 State of the Art: Some Examples ..............................................................................................................10 2.1 U.S. - Stellwagen Bank.......................................................................................................................10 2.1.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................................10 2.1.2 Species and Habitat Protection ......................................................................................................10 2.1.3 Management Problems ..................................................................................................................11 2.2 Australia - Great Barrier Reef ...........................................................................................................11 2.2.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................................11 2.2.2 Management ..................................................................................................................................12 2.3 Europe- North Sea- Wadden Sea........................................................................................................13 i International Legal Framework for MPAs, focused on Belgian Situation M. Rabaut Table of Content 2.3.1 International framework – European Situation..............................................................................13 2.3.2 Wadden Sea...................................................................................................................................14 3 The Belgian North Sea...............................................................................................................................15 3.1 Biological Relevance for MPAs..........................................................................................................15 3.2 Legal Basis for MPAs: the MMM-Act ................................................................................................16 3.2.1 The MMM-Act, a Framework Law for MPA designation.............................................................16 3.2.2 Designation of Belgian MPAs possible.........................................................................................16 3.2.3 Effectiveness of the Framework Law in a Federal State ...............................................................17 3.3 State of the Art....................................................................................................................................18 III. Conclusions.................................................................................................................................................20 IV. Bibliography...............................................................................................................................................22 ii International Legal Framework for MPAs, focused on Belgian Situation M. Rabaut Introduction I. INTRODUCTION The general understanding that we have for terrestrial systems is unlikely to hold in marine systems because for marine systems: 1) a much larger proportion of the biological action (productivity and biomass) is in the water column, and 2) the density of water allows organisms easily to migrate for long distances. The first observation suggests that we need to protect water masses as they move; the second point implies that protection is needed over larger spatial scales (Stevenson, 2000). The dual oceans agenda for the 21st century is to maintain the benefits and functions of marine ecosystems and to reconcile the sector-specific thread of international legal instruments. Ecosystem functioning is important for the communities dependent upon them and for human society as a whole. An ecosystem-based approach is necessary to diagnose complex problems, determine the relative importance of different sources of stress, and establish priorities (Kimball, 2001). A nature conservation policy to reverse the loss of biodiversity in marine areas is necessary for several reasons, such as ecological, economical, social, scientific and ethical reasons. Attention for marine area protection is increasing in international and national law (Cliquet, 1999 & 2003). The term "marine protected area" (MPA) has been in use for over two decades. The concept of marine protected areas has been around for centuries. A marine protected area has come to mean different things to different people, based primarily on the level of protection provided by the MPA. Some see MPAs as sheltered or reserved areas where little, if any, use or human disturbance should be permitted. Others see them as specially managed areas designed to enhance ocean use (NOAA, 2003). According to the World Conservation Union (IUCN, 1988) a Marine Protected Area is defined as any area of intertidal or subtidal terrain together with their overlying waters and associated flora, fauna, historical and cultural features, which has been reserved by law or other effective means to protect part or all of the enclosed environment (Kelleher, 1995 & IUCN, 1988). The marine protected areas cover a wide rage of habitats and they include different terms, such as marine reserve, marine sanctuary, marine park, protected seascape. According to Agardy ‘the ultimate goal of any marine protected area is marine conservation – that is, the protection of critical ecological processes that maintain the ecosystem and allow for the production of goods and services beneficial to humankind, while allowing for utilisation of ocean space and resources that is 1 International Legal Framework for MPAs, focused on Belgian Situation M. Rabaut Introduction sustainable in an ecological sense’ (Agardy, 1997). It is rather clear that specific goals will vary from area to area. Throughout this paper, the global agreements with respect to marine protected areas will be discussed. Several regional marine instuments contain provisions on the designation and management of marine protected areas. Regional agreements will be discussed. An overview of states which implemented specific law about marine protected areas will be