Establishing Representative No-Take Areas in the Great Barrier Reef: Large-Scale Implementation of Theory on Marine Protected Areas |
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| Authors: | LEANNE FERNANDES JON DAY ADAM LEWIS SUZANNE SLEGERS BRIGID KERRIGAN DAN BREEN DARREN CAMERON BELINDA JAGO JAMES HALL DAVE LOWE JAMES INNES JOHN TANZER VIRGINIA CHADWICK LEANNE THOMPSON KERRIE GORMAN MARK SIMMONS BRYONY BARNETT KIRSTI SAMPSON GLENN DE'ATH BRUCE MAPSTONE HELENE MARSH HUGH POSSINGHAM IAN BALL TREVOR WARD KIRSTIN DOBBS JAMES AUMEND DEB SLATER KATE STAPLETON |
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| Affiliation: | Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, P.O. Box 1379, Townsville, QLD 4810, Australia;GeoScience Australia, GPO Box 378, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia;National Land Survey of Iceland, Stillholti 16-18, 300 Akranes, Iceland;Queensland Fisheries Service, 80 Ann Street, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia;Port Stephens Research Center, New South Wales Fisheries, Taylor's Beach Road, Taylor's Beach, NSW 2316, Australia;National Oceans Office, GPO Box 2139, Hobart, TAS 7000, Australia;Queensland Environment Protection Agency, 160 Ann Street, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia;Cooperative Research Centre for the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area, Townsville, QLD 4810, Australia;P.O. Box 74, Yarralumla, ACT 2600, Australia;Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB #3, Townsville, QLD 4810, Australia;Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre, Centenary Building, Grosvenor Crescent, Sandy Bay, TAS 7005, Australia;James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia;Department of Mathematics and School of Life Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia;Australian Antarctic Division, Channel Highway, Kingston, TAS 7050, Australia;Institute for Regional Development, University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA 6907, Australia |
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| Abstract: | Abstract: The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, an area almost the size of Japan, has a new network of no-take areas that significantly improves the protection of biodiversity. The new marine park zoning implements, in a quantitative manner, many of the theoretical design principles discussed in the literature. For example, the new network of no-take areas has at least 20% protection per "bioregion," minimum levels of protection for all known habitats and special or unique features, and minimum sizes for no-take areas of at least 10 or 20 km across at the smallest diameter. Overall, more than 33% of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park is now in no-take areas (previously 4.5%). The steps taken leading to this outcome were to clarify to the interested public why the existing level of protection was inadequate; detail the conservation objectives of establishing new no-take areas; work with relevant and independent experts to define, and contribute to, the best scientific process to deliver on the objectives; describe the biodiversity (e.g., map bioregions); define operational principles needed to achieve the objectives; invite community input on all of the above; gather and layer the data gathered in round-table discussions; report the degree of achievement of principles for various options of no-take areas; and determine how to address negative impacts. Some of the key success factors in this case have global relevance and include focusing initial communication on the problem to be addressed; applying the precautionary principle; using independent experts; facilitating input to decision making; conducting extensive and participatory consultation; having an existing marine park that encompassed much of the ecosystem; having legislative power under federal law; developing high-level support; ensuring agency priority and ownership; and being able to address the issue of displaced fishers. |
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| Keywords: | biophysical operational principles cultural operational principles economic operational principles reserve-design software social operational principles |
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