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    examBoard: Cambridge
    examType: IGCSE
    lessonTitle: Sustainable Marine Environment Management
Geography - Physical Geography - Changing Coastal Environments - Sustainable Marine Environment Management - BrainyLemons
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Changing Coastal Environments » Sustainable Marine Environment Management

What you'll learn this session

Study time: 30 minutes

  • What sustainable marine management means and why it's important
  • Different approaches to managing coastal environments
  • The role of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and marine reserves
  • Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) principles
  • Case studies of successful sustainable marine management
  • Challenges and future directions for marine conservation

Introduction to Sustainable Marine Environment Management

Our oceans and coastal areas face growing threats from pollution, overfishing, habitat destruction and climate change. Sustainable marine environment management aims to protect these valuable ecosystems while allowing people to benefit from marine resources in ways that don't damage them for future generations.

Key Definitions:

  • Sustainable Marine Management: Approaches to using and protecting marine resources that meet current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.
  • Marine Protected Area (MPA): A clearly defined geographical space that is recognised, dedicated and managed to achieve the long-term conservation of nature.
  • Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM): A process that brings together all those involved in the development, management and use of the coast within a framework that helps integration of their interests and responsibilities.

🌊 Why Our Oceans Matter

Oceans cover 71% of Earth's surface and contain 97% of Earth's water. They provide:

  • Food security for billions of people
  • Livelihoods for over 3 billion people who depend on marine biodiversity
  • Oxygen production (phytoplankton produce over 50% of Earth's oxygen)
  • Climate regulation by absorbing CO₂ and heat
  • Biodiversity with millions of species, many still undiscovered

🚨 Threats to Marine Environments

Our oceans face numerous challenges:

  • Overfishing and destructive fishing practices
  • Plastic pollution and chemical contamination
  • Coastal development destroying habitats
  • Climate change causing ocean warming and acidification
  • Invasive species disrupting ecosystems
  • Oil spills and industrial pollution

Approaches to Sustainable Marine Management

There are several key approaches used worldwide to manage marine environments sustainably:

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)

MPAs are designated areas where human activity is limited to protect marine ecosystems. They range from areas that allow sustainable use to strict "no-take" zones where fishing and resource extraction are prohibited.

🏴 Types of MPAs
  • Marine Reserves (no-take zones)
  • Marine Parks (limited use)
  • Marine Conservation Zones
  • Locally Managed Marine Areas
👍 Benefits of MPAs
  • Protect biodiversity
  • Allow fish stocks to recover
  • Provide "spillover" benefits to nearby fishing areas
  • Protect habitats like coral reefs and mangroves
👎 Challenges of MPAs
  • Enforcement difficulties
  • Potential conflicts with local communities
  • Need for long-term funding
  • Balancing conservation with livelihoods

Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM)

ICZM is a holistic approach that recognises the interconnections between land and sea. It brings together all stakeholders to manage coastal areas in a coordinated way.

🛠 Key ICZM Principles

  • Integration: Coordinating across sectors (fishing, tourism, shipping, etc.)
  • Participation: Involving all stakeholders in decision-making
  • Adaptive management: Learning and adjusting as conditions change
  • Ecosystem-based: Considering whole ecosystems, not just individual species
  • Precautionary approach: Taking action even when there's uncertainty

📝 ICZM in Practice

A successful ICZM process typically includes:

  1. Identifying issues and stakeholders
  2. Collecting and analysing data
  3. Developing a shared vision
  4. Creating an integrated management plan
  5. Implementing actions
  6. Monitoring results
  7. Evaluating and adapting the plan

Sustainable Fisheries Management

Fisheries management aims to maintain fish populations at levels that can produce the maximum sustainable yield while protecting marine ecosystems.

🎣 Fisheries Management Tools

  • Catch limits: Restricting how much fish can be caught
  • Gear restrictions: Regulating fishing equipment to reduce bycatch
  • Seasonal closures: Protecting fish during breeding seasons
  • Individual transferable quotas: Assigning fishing rights that can be traded
  • Certification schemes: Like the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) blue label

🔍 Monitoring and Enforcement

Effective fisheries management requires:

  • Scientific stock assessments
  • Vessel monitoring systems
  • Observer programmes
  • Port inspections
  • Penalties for illegal fishing
  • International cooperation to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing

Case Study Focus: Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, Australia

The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (GBRMP) is one of the world's most successful examples of sustainable marine management:

  • Size and significance: Covers 344,400 km² and includes the world's largest coral reef ecosystem
  • Zoning system: Uses a multi-zone approach with different levels of protection:
    • Green zones (33%): No-take areas where fishing is prohibited
    • Yellow zones: Limited fishing allowed
    • Blue zones: General use areas with regulated activities
  • Management approach: Combines scientific research, community involvement and adaptive management
  • Results: Studies show fish populations in green zones have increased by 50-90% since the 2004 rezoning
  • Challenges: Despite protection, the reef faces threats from climate change, with mass coral bleaching events in 2016, 2017 and 2020
  • Response: The Reef 2050 Long-Term Sustainability Plan addresses climate change impacts and improves water quality

Community-Based Marine Management

Local communities often have traditional knowledge and practices that can contribute to sustainable marine management. Community-based approaches recognise this and give local people a central role in decision-making.

🏠 Locally Managed Marine Areas (LMMAs)

LMMAs are areas of nearshore waters and coastal resources that are largely or wholly managed by local communities. They often combine traditional knowledge with modern conservation techniques.

Example: In Fiji, over 250 communities manage local marine areas using a combination of traditional "tabu" (no-take) areas and modern conservation practices. Fish biomass has increased by 35% in many areas.

👥 Co-management Approaches

Co-management involves shared responsibility between government agencies and local communities. This approach recognises that both scientific knowledge and local expertise are valuable.

Example: In the Philippines, local government units work with fishing communities to establish and enforce marine protected areas, resulting in increased fish catches in surrounding areas.

Future Directions in Marine Management

As our understanding of marine ecosystems grows and new challenges emerge, approaches to sustainable marine management continue to evolve:

🌍 Marine Spatial Planning

A process that brings together multiple users of the ocean to make informed decisions about how to use marine resources sustainably. It's like town planning but for the sea, mapping out where different activities can take place.

🌐 High Seas Protection

Areas beyond national jurisdiction (the "high seas") cover nearly half the planet but have limited protection. The new UN High Seas Treaty (2023) aims to establish a framework for creating MPAs in these areas.

🔬 Technology Solutions

New technologies like satellite monitoring, environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling and AI are improving our ability to monitor and protect marine environments cost-effectively.

Case Study Focus: Plastic Pollution Management

Plastic pollution is one of the biggest threats to marine environments, with an estimated 8 million tonnes entering oceans annually.

Management approaches include:

  • Source reduction: Plastic bag bans and single-use plastic restrictions (e.g., UK's ban on plastic straws, stirrers and cotton buds)
  • Beach and ocean cleanups: The Ocean Cleanup project aims to remove 90% of floating plastic from oceans
  • Circular economy initiatives: Designing plastics for reuse and recycling
  • Example: Kenya's plastic bag ban (2017) has reduced plastic pollution on beaches by over 50%

Key Principles for Successful Marine Management

Research shows that successful sustainable marine management typically follows these principles:

  1. Ecosystem-based approach: Managing entire ecosystems rather than individual species
  2. Stakeholder involvement: Including all affected groups in decision-making
  3. Integration across sectors: Coordinating between fishing, tourism, shipping, energy, etc.
  4. Evidence-based: Using the best available scientific information
  5. Adaptive management: Monitoring results and adjusting approaches as needed
  6. Precautionary principle: Taking action to prevent harm even when there's uncertainty
  7. Long-term perspective: Planning for decades, not just years

By applying these principles, we can work towards healthier marine environments that continue to provide benefits for people and nature for generations to come.

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