JAY BANJADE, SAVE THE CHILDREN LAUREN HENDRICKS, CARE USA

1
REVERSING ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION TRENDS IN THE
SOUTH CHINA SEA AND GULF OF THAILAND
WWW.UNEPSCS.ORG

• Reversing Environmental Degradation Trends in the
  South China Sea and Gulf of Thailand through
  Fisheries Refugia

Fisheries Over-exploitation Land-based Pollution
2
REVERSING ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION TRENDS IN THE
SOUTH CHINA SEA AND GULF OF THAILAND
WWW.UNEPSCS.ORG
PARTICIPATING COUNTRIES CAMBODIA, CHINA, INDONESI
A, MALAYSIA, PHILIPPINES, THAILAND, VIET NAM.
FOCAL MINISTRIES ARE MINISTRIES OF ENVIRONMENT
22 GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS 20 UNIVERSITIES AND RE
SEARCH INSTITUTES AND 2 NGOs ENGAGED AS
SPECIALISED EXECUTING AGENCIES
In excess of 400 Institutions involved in project
activitiesboth directly and indirectly
3
REVERSING ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION TRENDS IN THE
SOUTH CHINA SEA AND GULF OF THAILAND
WWW.UNEPSCS.ORG
KEY OUTCOMES OF THE 6 YEARS PROJECT (2002-08)
REGIONAL SCIENCE FOR LOCAL MANAGEMENT AT THE
DEMONSTRATION SITES
DATA AND INFORMATION EXCHANGE
PLANNING FOR FUTURE ACTIONS IN REVERSING
ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION OF THE SOUTH CHINA SEA
The Strategic Action Programme, 29 National
Action Plans, Strategy for regional fisheries
refugia
See Website For OUTPUTS
A PROPOSED FRAMEWORK FOR CO-OPERATION IN THE
MANAGEMENT OF THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT OF THE SOUTH
CHINA SEA AND GULF OF THAILAND
4
REVERSING ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION TRENDS IN THE
SOUTH CHINA SEA AND GULF OF THAILAND
WWW.UNEPSCS.ORG
Fisheries of the South China Sea
Fish stocks critically important for food
security, income, and foreign exchange
Fish production from SCS 10 of global
production
Most fish stocks fully-fished or over-fished
Future landings will decline unless total effort
reduced
Difficult to reduce effort high community
dependence
OVERFISING AS A SERIOUS ENVIRONMENT CONCERN IN
THE SCS
5
REVERSING ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION TRENDS IN THE
SOUTH CHINA SEA AND GULF OF THAILAND
WWW.UNEPSCS.ORG
Loss of Coastal Habitats of the South China Sea
Continued decline in the total area of habitats
has raised serious concerns for sustainability of
fisheries

• Estimated Decadal Rates of Habitat Loss
• Seagrass 30
• Mangroves 16
• Coral Reefs 16

• Fishing is a key factor in the continued loss of
  marine habitats and biodiversity in the South
  China Sea

Habitats are refuges for fish during critical
stages of their life-cycles - e.g., as larvae,
when spawning, and feeding
6
REVERSING ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION TRENDS IN THE
SOUTH CHINA SEA AND GULF OF THAILAND
WWW.UNEPSCS.ORG

• Fishing and the Loss of Marine Habitats and
  Biodiversity
  

Key characteristics of marine fisheries in
Southeast Asia contributing to habitat loss
High level community dependence on fish for food
and income
Over-capitalisation and over-fishing,
particularly in the small-scale sector
Use of destructive fishing gear and practices
Excessively high fishing effort in most inshore
areas
NEED FOR PARTNERSHIP AND ENHANCED COMMUNICATION
BETWEEN FISHEIRES AND ENVIRONMENT SECTORS
7
REVERSING ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION TRENDS IN THE
SOUTH CHINA SEA AND GULF OF THAILAND
WWW.UNEPSCS.ORG

• Development of the Fisheries Refugia Concept as a
  Mechanism to Improve the Management of Links
  Between Fish Stocks and Habitats
  

• Fisheries Refugia
• Specific areas of significance to the life-cycle
  of fish species
  
• Should be defined in space and time
• Should NOT be no-take zones
• Serve to safeguard spawning aggregations, nursery
  grounds, and migration routes

Fisheries Refugia are Spatially and
geographically defined, marine or coastal areas
in which specific management measures are applied
to sustain important species fisheries
resources during critical phases of their
life-cycle, for their sustainable use.
8
REVERSING ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION TRENDS IN THE
SOUTH CHINA SEA AND GULF OF THAILAND
WWW.UNEPSCS.ORG
Stakeholder Consultations on Refugia Concept
Intergovernmental Guidelines on Refugia
Local knowledge for Mapping Known Refugia
Conduct of Regional Training Events on Refugia
Science and Management
Development of a Fisheries Refugia Information
Portal
Review of Fish Egg and Larvae Data for Refugia
Identification
9
REVERSING ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION TRENDS IN THE
SOUTH CHINA SEA AND GULF OF THAILAND
WWW.UNEPSCS.ORG

• Ongoing Future Actions Needed for Development
  of a Regional System of Fisheries Refugia
  

• Regional Actions
• Policy guidance
• Capacity development
• Data Information Management
• Support establishment of national fisheries
  management systems
  
• Promote regional fisheries management frameworks

• National Actions
• Establish programme for refugia identification
  and mapping
  
• Develop national fisheries management systems
• Implement awareness programmes
• Support regional data sharing

• Local Actions
• Establish local management board
• Delineate refugia boundaries with fishers
• Identify fisheries management problems/solutions
  for refugia sites
  
• Establish regulations and monitoring

10

• Do Marine Protected Areas Qualify as Fisheries
  Refugia and Vice Versa?
  

Similarities and Differences?
Fisheries Refugia
Marine Protected Areas
Requires consideration of
Scientific basis of purported fisheries benefits
Strategic objectives
Use Status
Acceptability to and impacts on communities
Criteria for site selection
Integration of Fisheries Refugia in Developing
and Managing MPAs with Active Involvement of
Local Governments and Communities