Marine Reserve and Resource Management
Protection Focused on a Single Species or an Ecosystem.
Oct 19, 2008
Single-Species Management: Focusing the Effort
Single-species management (SSM) is a management technique that, like the name implies, focuses the management on a single species. This is most often referred to as a "stock by stock" assessment in fisheries management. SSM can also be used in the eradication plans for invasive species because it targets a single species.
An example of a successful implementation of SSM is the Garibaldi of California. Demands from the aquarium industry for the juvenile Garibaldis led to a heightened collection effort of the fish, most notably around the Channel Islands of Southern California.
Fearing a localized depletion of the species, in 1995 the California Legislature established the Garibaldi as the state marine fish putting it under full protection. Because of this designation and accompanying regulations, Garibaldi are no longer in danger of being depleted.
Ecosystem Based Management: Seeing the Big Picture
Ecosystem based management (EBM) can be thought of as a collection of different SSM sets put together to protect an ecosystem. For this management style a broad knowledge of the ecosystem is required. This not only includes the life cycles and habits of the animals but also how they interact with each other. Some EBM plans also include activities on coastal lands.
A classic example of EBM in action is the Great Barrier Reef of Australia. Covering an estimated 214,621 square miles the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park was established in 1975 to monitor the status of the reef and provide a governing body by which to enforce protective regulations.
The park authority focuses its efforts on a combination of zoning, management plans, permits, education, and eco-tourism. Considering the reef as a whole instead of trying to protect every individual species has proved to be successful.
Marine Protected Areas: Putting It All Together In Practice
The most common method for putting single-species or ecosystem-based management into practice is through the Marine Protected Area (MPA). They are most often used in fisheries management but can also be used to protect such areas that contain cultural significance like shipwrecks or traditional fishing grounds.
The regulations for protected areas range on a scale from few regulations that still allow activity within the area, to some that are completely off limits to any kind of activity, even boating through the area.
There are two main ways that MPAs are organized. One is to have an area set completely on it's own to act as a reserve. This is an effective way of providing an area where animals can breed and bolster surrounding populations through "spill over". Spill over is when animals move from the protected area to the surrounding areas because the populations need more room. This is a desirable method if it's necessary to repopulate a single area.
However, if there is a larger area or several habitats that could benefit from protection, it often works better to set aside several smaller areas that together form a broader network of protection than one large area could.
For example, if given a certain amount of space that will be protected, it is often more efficient to create a network of smaller reserves covering a wider variety of habitats than create one large reserve.
The organization of the MPA is highly dependent on whether the management is driven by single-species or ecosystem-based policies.
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