Marine conservation activism

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Animated map of the world's oceanic waters.
Animated map of the world's oceanic waters.

Marine conservation activism refers to the efforts of non-governmental organizations and individuals to bring about social and political change in the area of marine conservation. Marine conservation is properly conceived as a set of management strategies for the protection and preservation of ecosystems in oceans and seas. Activists raise public awareness and support for conservation, while pushing governments and corporations to practice sound ocean management, create conservation policy, and enforce existing laws and policy through effective regulation. There are many different kinds of organizations and agencies that work toward these common goals. They all are a part of the growing movement that is ocean conservation. These organizations fight for many causes including stopping pollution, overfishing, whaling, by-catching, and Marine Protected Areas.

Contents

[edit] History

[edit] United States

Though the environmental movement began in the United States during the 1960s, the idea of marine conservation really did not take off in the country until the 1972 Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act (MPRSA) passed, beginning the movement. The act allowed the regulation by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) over dumping in the seas. Though the act was later amended, it was one of several key events to bring marine issues towards the front of environmental issues in the United States.

[edit] International Issues

[edit] Debris

Debris along coastlines and underwater is a concern for many environmental activist organizations. It poses a major threat for marine life, as many animals confuse debris for prey, choking to death, or accidentally become entangled in it, many times suffocating to death.[1] 267 kinds of organisms are known to have been injured or killed from ingestion or entanglement.[2] The Ocean Conservancy, previously known as the Center of Marine Conservation, is an organization that fights for improvement and conservation of marine life. Among other marine issues, the group fights for the reduction of debris along coastlines and underwater. In the same year when the Coastal Zone Management, Clean Water, Marine Mammal Protection Acts passed, the Ocean Conservancy was created with the intention of promoting healthy ocean ecosystems through education and science-based activism[3].

Established in 1986 in Texas, the International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) is a major effort put forth annually by the group. The event is supported by the government-run Environmental Protection Agency, along with other shareholders. It takes place on the third Saturday of September each year. The largest of all environmental cleanups, the event has grown tremendously since the first cleanup in Texas. Beginning with only 2,800 people, picking up 124 tons of debris along 122 miles of coastline, in 2005 it drew over 158,000 people in the U.S. alone, picking up 2,000 tons of trash. Since 1989 the event has gone international and in 2005 over 300,000 volunteers showed up in 88 different countries, collecting 4,000 tons of litter[4].
The event itself both cleans up the coastline and oceans and provides detailed information on the types of debris. The results are used for reports on the state of the marine life. It is also used for education of the public about debris issues and to influence positive changes on all scales, both local and international.[5]

The International Coastal Cleanup has successfully raised public awareness of the marine life issue of debris. In just over 20 years, the Ocean Conservancy's efforts have gained thousands of supporters worldwide. As an organization, the research they do sometimes leads to calls for change in government policies. Along with the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy, the Ocean Conservancy produced a report card for the ocean's health status in 2005. It is evident the work the Conservancy does has the ability to have an effect on both social and government policy.

[edit] Whaling

Main article: Whaling
Whaling in the Faroe Islands.
Whaling in the Faroe Islands.

Whaling is the hunting of free roaming whales. It has become a high-profile issue in marine conservation activisim as it has led to the endangerment of 5 out of the 13 kinds of whales. The International Whaling Commission (IWC) had instituted a whaling moratorium, which purpose was to give the whale time to recover from the damage to its breed. Even with the time, blue whales have not recovered.[6] Humpback whales may have had 1.5 million living in the pre-whaling 1800s, compared to 20,000 currently. The IWC does not include three countries who ignore the moratorium, continuing their whaling practices; Japan, Iceland and Norway.[7] 20 years after the moratorium, the whale is again at risk for further endangerment.[7] Greenpeace, an international environmental organization founded in 1971 in British Columbia, has been known to fight against whaling. It is one of its main operations. Their campaigns are nonviolent, and many times involve one or more of the five ships Greenpeace operates. These ships are what first made the organization famous in the 1970s. In late December 2005, Japanese whaling fleets experienced heavy opposition from Greenpeace. Greenpeace was angry that the Japanese was participating in whaling, and even worse, they were doing so in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary.[7] They decided to take action by sending two of their ships to stop the whaling. Sending volunteer workers in inflatable boats to get in the line of fire, they saved many whales.[7]

The Farley Mowat, a vessel used by Sea Shepherd in enforcing the Antartic Whale Sanctuary shows the colours of various whalers it's sunk since 1979.
The Farley Mowat, a vessel used by Sea Shepherd in enforcing the Antartic Whale Sanctuary shows the colours of various whalers it's sunk since 1979[8].

The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, otherwise known as Sea Shepherd, is a group that does not agree with the passive approach other activists use. They believe it is up to them to enforce already existing laws, though many believe them to be environmental terrorists. They use a more intense, forced compliance than what Greenpeace uses and also fight against whaling. They have been known to sink ships, destroy fishing nets, and even splashing butyric acid at two Japanese crew members. The International Whaling Commission no longer supports the group because of their extreme acts.

While the group does not protect marine life in a proper way, their extreme ways of stopping the illegal acts committed on the seas helps get the public's attention and support. For them, it is not enough to wait for the government to make, enforce laws and save the ocean, they have to act.[9]

Pro-whaling nations argue that basing their views on moral judgements and not scientific fact violates the international rule of law[10]. Japan and Norway, two pro- whaling nations maintain they limit catches to sustainable levels. Japan also believes the whaling ban is no longer needed and wants the IWC to stop protecting whales and start regulating the recovering whale stocks[11]. Both countries are unhappy with the way the United States and its allies apply sanctions against them in attempts for their compliance to stop whaling. They argue that other nations and organizations need to recognize the difference in culture and its relation to the whaling industry[10]. The whaling industry will not help in its own elimination, which is what anti-whaling countries and organizations demand. Activists will not accept anything but a complete ban, which prevents any honest negotiations. Pro- whaling nations believe this activism is a violation of the law and only leads to tensions between otherwise friendly countries, and undermines the legislation of environmental causes[10].

[edit] Marine Protected Areas

Main article: Marine Protected Area
A school of Pennant coralfish, Pyramid and Millet butterflyfishes, and others at the Rapture Reef, French Frigate Shoals
A school of Pennant coralfish, Pyramid and Millet butterflyfishes, and others at the Rapture Reef, French Frigate Shoals

Even though the idea of Marine Protected Areas is an internationally known concept, there is no one term used internationally. Rather, each country has its own name for the areas. Marine Reserves, Specially Protected Areas, Marine Park all relate to this concept, though differ slightly. Some of the most famous Marine Protected Areas are the Ligurian Sea Cetacean Sanctuary along the coasts of Spain, Monaco, and Italy, and Australia's Great Barrier Reef. The largest sanctuary in the world is the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands National Monument is in the United States' Hawaii. The purpose of these sanctuaries is to provide protection for the living and non- living resources of the oceans and seas. They are created to save species, nursing resources and to help sustain the fish population.

The activists at the Ocean Conservancy fight for this cause. They believe that the United States should put forth a consistent and firm commitment in using Marine Protected Areas as a management strategy. Currently, the argument in the United States is whether or not they are necessary, when it should be how can they work the most efficiently[12]. Activists at the Ocean Conservancy have been working on a campaign called the Save Our Ocean Legacy, a campaign lasting several years trying to establish Marine Protected Areas' off of the California coasts. 29 Marine Protected Areas were planned to be established when the legislation bill passed in 1999. The hope is that the plan will be finalized in 2007[13].

Some fishers do not accept that Marine Protected Areas (MPA) benefit fish stocks and provide insurance against stock collapse. MPAs can cause a short-term loss in fisheries production[14]. However, the concept of spillover, where fish within a Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) move into fished areas, thus benefiting fisheries, has been misunderstood by some fishers[15]. The term is a simplification of numerous ecological benefits that are derived from removing fishing from nursery, breeding grounds and essential fish habitats[16].

[edit] References

  1. ^ John Clements, Ocean Natural Resources Special Report (Political Research, Inc: Dallas, Texas, 2003)
  2. ^ Vessel Sewage Discharge Program - Protecting Our Waterways | Ocean Regulatory Programs | US EPA
  3. ^ Natural Resource Defense Council,"Press Release,"http://www.nrdc.org/media/pressReleases/020103.asp
  4. ^ Jeanette J. Lee, "Worldwide Coastal Cleanup bags 4,000 Tons of Debris", The Associated Press, May 19, 2005.
  5. ^ Marine Conservation and Ocean Research - groups, associations, organizations, societies, alliances, conservationists and activists who help preserve, protect, research and conserve the earth's oceans
  6. ^ Whaling | Greenpeace International
  7. ^ a b c d Michael McCarthy, "SAVE THE WHALE: 20 years on and whales are under threat again", The Independent (London), January 2, 2006, sec. A
  8. ^ 030616 1.html Victory for the Whales in Berlin. News Release. Sea Shepherd Conservation Society (2003-16-16).
  9. ^ Peter Heller,"The Whale Warriors: Whaling in the Antarctic Seas." Retrieved 2007-4-30
  10. ^ a b c William Aron, William Burke, and Milton Freeman, "Flouting The Convention", Atlantic Monthly, vol 283 May 1999
  11. ^ David McNeill,"Japan launches bid to end ban on whale hunting,"The Irish Times February 12, 2007, World, p.11
  12. ^ David White, "Fully Protected Marine Reserves Will Promote Sustainable Fishing", 2001
  13. ^ Environment California, "Save Our Ocean Legacy,"http://www.environmentcalifornia.org/ocean-legacy/save-our-ocean-legacy
  14. ^ Robert L. Ship, "No Take Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) as a Fishery Management Tool, a Pragmatic Perspective: A Report to the FishAmerica Foundation", May 23, 2002
  15. ^ Richard B. Allen, "No-Take Reserves as a Fishery Management Tool", speech delivered at Fisheries, Oceanography, and Society: A Symposium Presented by the Ocean Life Institute, August 27, 2001
  16. ^ for example see N.A.J. Graham, R.D. Evans And G.R. Russ. 2003. The effects of marine reserve protection on the trophic relationships of reef fishes on the Great Barrier Reef. Environmental Conservation 30 (2): 200–208; Berkeley, S.A., Chapman, C., and Sogard, S. 2004. Maternal age as a determinant of larval growth and survival in a marine fish, Sebastes melanops. Ecology 85(5):1258-1264. http://californiafish.org/maternal_age.pdf; Longhurst, A. 2002. Murphy's Law revisited: longevity as a factor in recruitment to fish populations. Fisheries Research 56:125-131. http://www.cnr.uidaho.edu/fish510/PDF/Longhurst.pdf;Walsh, M.R., Munch, S.B., Chiba, S., and Conover, D.O. 2006. Maladaptive changes in multiple traits caused by fishing: impediments to population recovery". Ecology Letters 9:142-148. http://www.msrc.sunysb.edu/people/munchpdf/Walsh_et_al06_EcolLet.pdf