MSGID: 1:317/3 64781f1c   
   PID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08   
   TID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08   
    Protecting large ocean areas doesn't curb fishing catches    
      
     Date:   
         May 31, 2023   
     Source:   
         University of California - San Diego   
     Summary:   
         In the first-ever 'before and after' assessment of the impact of   
         establishing Mexico's Revillagigedo National Park on the fishing   
         industry, a team of US and Mexican researchers found that Mexico's   
         industrial fishing sector did not incur economic losses five years   
         after the park's creation despite a full ban in fishing activity   
         within the MPA.   
      
      
         Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIN Email   
      
   ==========================================================================   
   FULL STORY   
   ==========================================================================   
   A new study published in Science Advances today provides evidence that   
   large- scale, offshore, and fully-protected marine areas (MPAs) protect   
   biodiversity without negatively impacting fishing and food security.   
      
   In the first-ever "before and after" assessment of the impact of   
   establishing Mexico's Revillagigedo National Park on the fishing industry,   
   a team of US and Mexican researchers found that Mexico's industrial   
   fishing sector did not incur economic losses five years after the park's   
   creation despite a full ban on fishing activity within the MPA.   
      
   Established in 2017, the "Gala'pagos of Mexico" is the world's   
   13th-largest MPA, and one of the few where all damaging human activities,   
   including fishing, are banned to help marine populations recover. Home   
   to one of the world's largest aggregations of sharks and manta rays,   
   as well as tuna, humpback whales and five species of sea turtles, it   
   also shelters more than 300 species of fish, of which 36 are not found   
   anywhere else in the ocean. At the time, the Mexican industrial fishing   
   lobby opposed the creation of the National Park, arguing that it would   
   impact their catches and increase their costs.   
      
   "Worldwide, the fishing industry has blocked the establishment of the   
   marine protected areas we urgently need to reverse the human-caused   
   global depletion of sea life. This study uses satellite tracking of   
   fishing vessels and artificial intelligence (AI) to show that the   
   fishing industry's concerns are unfounded," said Enric Sala, Explorer   
   in Residence at National Geographic Society, the founder of Pristine   
   Seas and a study co-author. "Even the largest of MPAs, which safeguard   
   entire ecosystems, home to thousands of species of marine creatures, do   
   not impact the handful of fish species that the fishing industry seeks   
   out. The larger the MPA, the larger the benefits."  Methodology The   
   study, conducted by a team of researchers from the Mexican Center for   
   Marine Biodiversity, UC San Diego's Scripps Institution of Oceanography,   
   the Institute of Americas' Gulf of California Marine Program, and the   
   National Geographic Society, analyzes the behavior and productivity of   
   the Mexican industrial fishing sector before and five years after the   
   implementation of the largest fully protected MPA in North America,   
   the Revillagigedo National Park.   
      
   Using data from satellite tracking, fish catches from the Mexican   
   Fisheries Commission, and new AI tools from the Allen Institute for   
   AI's Skylight platform, the experts set out to determine whether the   
   creation of the MPA reduced fishing within the protected area, whether   
   fishing catches were affected and if the creation of the MPA displaced   
   fishing onto a larger area, resulting in an overall negative impact on   
   marine biodiversity.   
      
   "The use of satellite tracking devices and AI monitoring platforms was   
   critical to show compliance from the fishing industry and for the MPA   
   managers' to monitor the protected area," said Dr. Fabio Favoretto,   
   postdoctoral scholar at Scripps Institution of Oceanography and lead   
   author of the study.   
      
   The satellite data analyzed by Favoretto came from government-mandated GPS   
   devices installed on some 2,000 fishing vessels. By reviewing the open   
   source data, they were able to identify movement of fishing vessels to   
   see if fishing behaviors or maneuvers were performed. The team then   
   employed machine-learning enabled techniques to identify patterns   
   associated with vessels.   
      
   They found that the Revillagigedo National Park has had no negative   
   effect on the Mexican industrial fleet's catches, nor did it increase   
   the area used for fishing that would drive fishing vessels to venture   
   further to catch fish.   
      
   Skylight revealed only a few isolated cases of illegal fishing within the   
   MPA after 2017, highlighting the effectiveness of technology in helping   
   those monitoring and protecting the 147,000 square kilometers of waters   
   included within the park's boundary.   
      
   The study results refute the Mexican fishing industry's argument that   
   the park would cause a potential loss of 20% of their tuna and other   
   pelagic catches and provide proof that large, fully-protected MPAs   
   can contribute to a more sustainable and equitable use of the ocean,   
   without major economic repercussions on the fishing industry.   
      
   "The findings of this study are consistent with what experts have   
   recorded in other Pacific marine protected areas," said Octavio Aburto,   
   co-author and professor of marine biology at Scripps Institution of   
   Oceanography. "Any argument to the contrary were just assumptions -- this   
   study provides the data to show that negative impacts to fishing do not   
   exist. We hope the results can open a discussion to work together with   
   the fishing industry to protect biodiversity and improve fish stocks."   
   Safeguarding Biodiversity The findings are released at a time when   
   countries debate how to implement the global goal to protect and conserve   
   at least 30% of the ocean by 2030, which is enshrined in a landmark   
   agreement reached at the UN Global Biodiversity Conference (COP15)   
   in December 2022. Just last month, United Nations members agreed on a   
   legally-binding instrument to protect biodiversity in the high seas --   
   the international waters beyond national jurisdictions.   
      
   "The clock is ticking until 2030," Sala said. "If the world is serious   
   about protecting the natural world -- our life support system -- we need   
   to drastically increase ocean protection. Right now, less than 8% of the   
   ocean is somewhat protected, and only 3% is fully protected from fishing   
   and other damaging activities. Millions of species, including humans,   
   who rely on the ocean for oxygen, food, mitigation of global warming,   
   medicine and more depend on us to act."  Threatened by human activities   
   like overfishing, the ocean's rich stockpile of biodiversity is rapidly   
   declining, posing risks to food security, health and the environment. By   
   rapidly establishing marine protected areas in strategic ocean areas,   
   the world can collectively safeguard more than 80% of the habitats of   
   endangered species, up from a current coverage of less than 2%.   
      
   Amid these debates, the study provides empirical evidence that large-scale   
   MPAs in countries' Exclusive Economic Zones can contribute to global   
   conservation goals without compromising fisheries' interests or a nation's   
   ability to ensure food security.   
      
   Shoring up the Fishing Industry The study refutes a long-held view   
   promoted by the industrial fishing lobby that ocean protection harms   
   fisheries, and opens up new opportunities to revive the industry just   
   as it is suffering from a recession due to overfishing and the impacts   
   of global warming.   
      
   "Some argue that closing areas to fishing hurts fishing interests. But   
   the worst enemy of fishing is overfishing and bad management -- not   
   protected areas," Dr. Sala said.   
      
   The study will enrich ongoing discussions taking place in Mexico and   
   beyond as Catalina Lo'pez-Saga'stegui, co-author and a researcher at   
   the Institute of Americas, said: "Access to data and technology is   
   improving our collective understanding of marine ecosystems health,   
   which allows us to design and implement MPAs that help restore the   
   health and resilience of marine ecosystems, benefiting fisheries in the   
   long term."  Dr. Reniel Cabral, Senior Lecturer at James Cook University   
   in Australia, who wasn't involved in this study, added: "It's simple:   
   When overfishing and other damaging activities cease, marine life bounces   
   back. After protections are put in place, the diversity and abundance   
   of marine life increase over time, with measurable recovery occurring in   
   as little as three years. Target species and large predators come back,   
   and entire ecosystems are restored within MPAs. With time, the ocean can   
   heal itself and again provide services to humankind."  Dr. Sala said:   
   "MPAs are the most effective tool we have for protecting the health and   
   diversity of our oceans. We need to expand and strengthen protected areas   
   to ensure that our oceans can continue to provide food, jobs and other   
   vital benefits for future generations. Our study helps to dispel the   
   myth put forward by the industrial fishing lobby that MPAs harm them."   
   This study was funded by Oceans 5 and the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation.   
      
       * RELATED_TOPICS   
             o Plants_&_Animals   
                   # Fish # Fisheries # Marine_Biology   
             o Earth_&_Climate   
                   # Ecology # Oceanography # Environmental_Awareness   
             o Science_&_Society   
                   # Ocean_Policy # Travel_and_Recreation #   
                   Environmental_Policies   
       * RELATED_TERMS   
             o Environmental_effects_of_fishing o   
             Commercial_fishing o Fishery o Overfishing o Piranha   
             o Chicxulub_Crater o Environmental_impact_assessment o   
             Geology_of_the_Capitol_Reef_area   
      
   ==========================================================================   
   Story Source: Materials provided by   
   University_of_California_-_San_Diego. Original written by Robert   
   Monroe. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.   
      
      
   ==========================================================================   
   Journal Reference:   
      1. Fabio Favoretto, Catalina Lo'pez-Saga'stegui, Enric Sala, Octavio   
      Aburto-   
         Oropeza. The largest fully protected marine area in North America   
         does not harm industrial fishing. Science Advances, 2023; 9 (22)   
         DOI: 10.1126/ sciadv.adg0709   
   ==========================================================================   
      
   Link to news story:   
   https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/05/230531145225.htm   
      
   --- up 1 year, 13 weeks, 2 days, 10 hours, 50 minutes   
    * Origin: -=> Castle Rock BBS <=- Now Husky HPT Powered! (1:317/3)   
   SEEN-BY: 15/0 106/201 114/705 123/120 153/7715 218/700 226/30 227/114   
   SEEN-BY: 229/110 112 113 307 317 400 426 428 470 664 700 291/111 292/854   
   SEEN-BY: 298/25 305/3 317/3 320/219 396/45   
   PATH: 317/3 229/426