Indicators of Marine Protected Area performance: a collaborative approach between managers and scientists, and application to contrasted case studies

Transcription

1 Indicators of Marine Protected Area performance: a collaborative approach between managers and scientists, and application to contrasted case studies Indicateurs de la Performance d Aires Marines Protégées pour la gestion des écosystèmes côtiers, des ressources et de leurs usages Dominique Pelletier IFREMER, BP 70, Plouzané Cedex, France

2 What is an indicator? Something can be measured (qualitative or quantitative) and used to track changes with respect to an operational objective (Fletcher et al. 2002) Indicators provide a bridge between objectives and actions (FAO 1999) Aim of the project : Propose and validate a set of indicators for assessing MPA performance Themes for indicators : Biodiversity & resource conservation, Management of uses, Governance Previous project MPA partners: Mediterranean MPAs: Natural Reserves of Banyuls, Bonifacio, Marine Park of Côte Bleue, Saint-Raphaël Coral reef MPAs: la Réunion Is., New Caledonia, Mayotte Is., St Martin Is.

3 Formalize management goals, objectives, and corresponding actions Propose candidate indicators for each objective/action Project Approach Revise observation protocols if needed Compile and collect needed information Test candidate indicators on a range of case studies Devise interpretation rule per indicator/(objective, action)

4 Project Approach Stick to MPA management objectives and actions for indicator development Prefer indicators based on data that can be collected from MPA managers Devise interpretation rules with MPA managers Requires frequent interactions between scientists and MPA managers Produce appropriate outputs and associated tools for MPA managers

5 Biodiversity conservation Management of uses Governance Calculate candidate indicators on a variety of case studies Produce appropriate outputs and associated tools for MPA managers: -routines for indicator calculation, graphics, analysis, reporting and communication -recommended observation protocols Project Approach Requires: -interdisciplinary work -standardisation of data* and tools** across case studies and themes *: data base, references **: routines, protocols, outputs

6 Themes addressed in the project Biodiversity conservation Management of uses Governance Status and dynamics of macrofauna, habitat and resources in and around MPAs Pressure and impact of uses* on biodiversity and resources Effect of MPA on pressure and impact (distribution, characteristics) Status of governance Influence of MPA on governance via effect on uses including user perceptions *fishing activities (all kinds), diving and other recreational activities: Require good ecological status and can be managed by MPA

7 Management Goal 1. Sustainable exploitation of resources* 2. Restore and conserve biodiversity Objectives 1.1. Restore and maintain target species 1.2. Increase exploitable biomass wrt to minimum level 2.1. Maintain communities and species representative of the ecosystem 2.2. Maintain ecosystem functions 2.3. Protect other individual species** 2.4. Maintain representative habitats 3. Maintain and develop uses 3.1. Contribute to sustainability of professional uses 3.2. Contribute to sustainability of subsistence fishing and other uses with patrimonial and social value 3.3. Contribute to territorial development *for human consumption **emblematic, locally threatened or under protection status, endemic

8 Management Goal 4. Implementation and sustainability of management 5. Participation et representation of stakeholders 6. Acceptance of MPA and conflict reduction Objectives 4.1. Efficiency of management plan 4.2. Management organisation and implementation 4.3. Implementation of surveyance and control 4.4. Management sustainability 5.1. Foster stakeholder involvement in MPA activities 5.2. Ensure consultation of stakeholders 5.3. Involve local stakeholders in management 5.4. Favour proper account of MPA in local development policies 6.1. Foster acceptance of MPA by populations 6.2. Conflict reduction

9 Candidate indicators for goals related to resources and biodiversity Observation methods for macrofauna and habitat : underwater visual censuses, underwater video, photographic method, catches (experimental or not) Observation protocols: -transect, fixed points, quadrats, line intercept, different gears -observation levels: species, genus, family, etc Many existing data sets to compile and standardize

10 Examples from the Southwest Lagoon MPA (New Caledonia) Densité moyenne Richesse spécifique Mean fish density Fish species number 1990.Amede 1994.Amede 1998.Amede 1990.Bailly 1994.Bailly 1998.Bailly 1990.Canard 1994.Canard 1998.Canard 1990.Laregnere 1994.Laregnere 1998.Laregnere 1990.Maitre 1994.Maitre 1998.Maitre 1990.Nouville 1994.Nouville 1998.Nouville 1990.Signal 1994.Signal 1998.Signal Nombre d'espèce Année caracteristique_ Laregnere Canard Bailly Signal Nouville Amede Maitre UVC monitoring of no-take islets since 1990 (/4yrs) Map of fish species number Site and Year Video monitoring of 2 notake islets ( ) and 2 unprotected reefs See Leleu et al. later today

11 Candidate indicators for goals related to uses Observation methods frequentation studies user interviews catch and effort data Observation protocols: -boat, aerial, drone, shore-based -exhaustive survey (frequentation) or sampling - semi-directed interviews -catch and effort sampling Fewer data sets: data to be collected in a standardized way Involves fisheries scientists, geographers, economists

12 Examples from the Southwest Lagoon MPA Fishers and all users: Maps and indices of pressure Divers Motivations Trip motivated by MPA existence? Important 28% See Gamp et al. later today Little important 33% Doesn t matter 39% Trip motivated by diving here? Completely 2% Moderately 28% Not really 70% Infos for predicting overall pressure Also useful for perceptions

13 Candidate indicators for goals related to governance Observation methods: Interviews, bibliographic analysis Observation protocols: -semi-directed interviews -user interviews (sample), operator interview (exhaustive), manager interview (exhaustive) -qualitative and quantitative data Very few data sets : data to be collected Involves fisheries scientists, geographers, economists, researchers on law studies

14 Examples from the Southwest Lagoon MPA (New Caledonia) : Users Perceptions Divers: does diving impact ecosystem? Yes 52% No 5% Doesn t know 43% Fishers compliance Divers perception of Think MPAs MPAs 90% are efficient Fishers and boaters opinion on MPAs Enough MPAs 54% Not enough 23% Doesn t know 15%

15 MPA outside D temps D & Tr D & Tr D & Tr Tr Sustainable exploitation of resources Restore and maintain target species Work in progress Project started in March 2008