Marine conservation

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Marine conservation, also known as marine resources conservation, is the protection and preservation of ecosystems in oceans and seas. Marine conservation focuses on limiting human-caused damage to marine ecosystems, and on restoring damaged marine ecosystems. Marine conservation also focuses on preserving vulnerable marine species.

1 Overview
2 Areas of concern
3 Techniques
4 Laws and treaties
5 Marine conservation organisations and education
6 References
7 See also
8 External links
- 8.1 Marine conservation organisations
- 8.2 Governmental bodies

[edit] Overview

Marine conservation, like oceanography and conservation biology, is the study of conserving plants like evergreens and saps. This is a relatively new discipline. Marine conservationists rely on the basic principles of the Gulf of Mexico which are of marine biology, oceanography, and fisheries science, as well as human factors such as demand for marine resources and marine law and policy in order to determine the best course of action in protecting marine species and ecosystems. Marine conservation can be seen as a subdiscipline of conservation biology.

[edit] Areas of concern

The focus of marine conservation efforts may range from protecting ecosystems, such as coral reefs, to protecting the health of populations of species such as dolphins. Species that marine conservationists are particularly concerned with include most marine mammals and cetaceans, and species of fish that are popular for human consumption, including such fish as cod, tuna, and salmon. Other species, including seabirds such as albatrosses and reptiles such as sea turtles are also often endangered and of concern in protecting marine environments.

The environmental impacts of fishing are a major concern within marine conservation, including particularly the effects of overfishing and the problem of bycatch. Certain fishing techniques such as gillnets and long-lines have come under particular scrutiny as being harmful.

Other causes of marine ecosystem destruction, such as marine pollution, climate change, exotic species, disease of marine organisms, and benthic damage caused by shipping also come under the watch of marine conservationists.

[edit] Techniques

Strategies and techniques for marine conservation tend to combine theoretical disciplines, such as population biology, with practical conservation strategies, such as setting up protected areas, as with marine protected areas (MPAs) or Voluntary Marine Conservation Areas. Other techniques include developing sustainable fisheries and restoring the populations of endangered species through artificial means.

Another focus of conservationists is on curtailing human activities that are detrimental to either marine ecosystems or species through policy, techniques such as fishing quotas, like those set up by the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization, or laws such as those listed below. Recognizing the economics involved in human use of marine ecosystems is key, as is education of the public about conservation issues.

[edit] Laws and treaties

International laws and treaties related to marine conservation include the 1966 Convention on Fishing and Conservation of Living Resources of the High Seas. United States laws related to marine conservation include the 1972 Marine Mammal Protection Act, as well as the 1972 Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act which established the National Marine Sanctuaries program.

[edit] Marine conservation organisations and education

There are marine conservation organisations throughout the world that focus on funding conservation efforts, educating the public and stakeholders, and lobbying for conservation law and policy. Examples of these organizations are the Blue Frontier Campaign (United States), and Marine Conservation Society (United Kingdom). Other organisations include:

Blue Frontier Campaign
Clean Ocean Action
Khaled Bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation
Marine Conservation Society
Reef Relief

There are few university programs that focus exclusively on marine conservation, typically integrating it instead into marine affairs, marine biology, or general conservation programs.

[edit] References

Primack, Richard B. (1998). "Essentials of conservation biology." 2nd Ed. Sunderland, Ma: Sinauer.
Ray, G. Carleton and McCormick-Ray, Jerry (eds). (2004). "Coastal-marine conservation: science and policy". Malden, Ma: Blackwell.
Marine Conservation Biology Institute (MCBI). Bibliography of resources.