Building Resilient Building Resilient Marine Protected Areas Marine Protected Areas

in Madagascarin Madagascar

By Harifidy Ralison

31 January 2008

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• Funded by the MacArthur FoundationFunded by the MacArthur Foundation

• Implementation period: January 2008 to December 2010Implementation period: January 2008 to December 2010

• Principal partner: ANGAPPrincipal partner: ANGAP

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Challenges for effective conservationChallenges for effective conservation

Three challenges to overcome for effective conservation:Three challenges to overcome for effective conservation:

(a)(a) MPAs part of a broader sustainable resource management MPAs part of a broader sustainable resource management systemsystem

(b) climate change impacts requires a flexible, adaptive approach to (b) climate change impacts requires a flexible, adaptive approach to MPAMPA

(c) long-term financial sustainability remains an elusive goal for all (c) long-term financial sustainability remains an elusive goal for all PAs in Madagascar.PAs in Madagascar.

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About the challenge on Climate changeAbout the challenge on Climate change

• Imaginative responses needed to address the effects of climate Imaginative responses needed to address the effects of climate changechange

• Successful conservation: flexible, adaptive management Successful conservation: flexible, adaptive management approaches that can identify climate change effectsapproaches that can identify climate change effects

• Approaches must be based on the best science available Approaches must be based on the best science available combined with effective monitoring of well-identified indicatorscombined with effective monitoring of well-identified indicators

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Why this project now?Why this project now?

• Madagascar’s adoption of new international norms (such as Madagascar’s adoption of new international norms (such as other IUCN categories) opens door to new and more innovative other IUCN categories) opens door to new and more innovative approachesapproaches

• Appearance of climate change impacts makes the moment opportune Appearance of climate change impacts makes the moment opportune to begin to apply the best science available to begin to apply the best science available

• Necessity to identify and develop new approaches to financial Necessity to identify and develop new approaches to financial sustainability at the end of the National Environmental Action Plan sustainability at the end of the National Environmental Action Plan (NEAP)(NEAP)

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Overall goal of the projectOverall goal of the project

To identify and apply new, innovative policies and strategies To identify and apply new, innovative policies and strategies which help to ensure thatwhich help to ensure that the Nosy Hara Archipelago and the the Nosy Hara Archipelago and the Toliara Reef system have secure long-term funding and are Toliara Reef system have secure long-term funding and are resistant and resilient to climate change and evolving patterns resistant and resilient to climate change and evolving patterns of use, ensuring the long-term maintenance of biodiversity and of use, ensuring the long-term maintenance of biodiversity and ecosystem services.ecosystem services.

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• First attempt to apply specific solutions that help stakeholders First attempt to apply specific solutions that help stakeholders to adapt to, or mitigate the impacts of climate changeto adapt to, or mitigate the impacts of climate change

• Condition of success of MPAs: maintain or restore critical Condition of success of MPAs: maintain or restore critical biodiversity and manage resources sustainablybiodiversity and manage resources sustainably

• MPAs help to protect livelihoods depending on the sea and MPAs help to protect livelihoods depending on the sea and coastscoasts

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Four objectives:Four objectives:

• Climate change responses are integrated into MPA design and Climate change responses are integrated into MPA design and management, and sound monitoring programmes are management, and sound monitoring programmes are developed developed

• Key stakeholder capacity to be effective marine/coastal Key stakeholder capacity to be effective marine/coastal resource managers is strengthenedresource managers is strengthened

• Feasible sustainable financing mechanisms for Nosy Hara are Feasible sustainable financing mechanisms for Nosy Hara are identifiedidentified

• A knowledge base for marine biodiversity and MPAs is A knowledge base for marine biodiversity and MPAs is developed and used by all stakeholders as an educational tooldeveloped and used by all stakeholders as an educational tool

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• MPA design and management contribute to building the MPA design and management contribute to building the resistance and resilience of marine biodiversity resistance and resilience of marine biodiversity

• Sound monitoring programs will offer the most relevant Sound monitoring programs will offer the most relevant methods and indicatorsmethods and indicators

• The project will build also upon:The project will build also upon:

– The results and recommendations from this on-going The results and recommendations from this on-going marine biodiversity and livelihood vulnerability assessmentmarine biodiversity and livelihood vulnerability assessment

– The experience of WWF networkThe experience of WWF network

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Examples of monitoring criteria:Examples of monitoring criteria:

(a)(a) overall and marine resources impacts from climate change and the overall and marine resources impacts from climate change and the perceptions of different stakeholders in this respect;perceptions of different stakeholders in this respect;

(b) the significance of new IUCN/SAPM good governance principles to (b) the significance of new IUCN/SAPM good governance principles to adapting to climate change through improved management-sharing adapting to climate change through improved management-sharing roles;roles;

(c) the effectiveness of measures taken to adapt to or mitigate climate (c) the effectiveness of measures taken to adapt to or mitigate climate change impacts;change impacts;

(d) the effectiveness of the knowledge base in promoting MPA support (d) the effectiveness of the knowledge base in promoting MPA support and in finding solutions to climate change and sustainable resource and in finding solutions to climate change and sustainable resource management.management.

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Monitoring indicators:Monitoring indicators:

(a)(a) basic terrestrial climate data from local weather stations;basic terrestrial climate data from local weather stations;

(b) specific marine biophysical and climate trends such as salinity, (b) specific marine biophysical and climate trends such as salinity, turbidity, pH and temperature;turbidity, pH and temperature;

(c) biodiversity parameters including coral reef health and diversity, (c) biodiversity parameters including coral reef health and diversity, coral fish diversity, coral fish biomass (mostly indirectly from coral fish diversity, coral fish biomass (mostly indirectly from catches) and key species indicators such as turtle nests;catches) and key species indicators such as turtle nests;

(d) pertinence and application of good governance principles and (d) pertinence and application of good governance principles and their contribution to climate change adaptation and mitigation.their contribution to climate change adaptation and mitigation.

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THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION

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Major policy implicationsMajor policy implications

(a) improved management/coordination skills for MPAs within (a) improved management/coordination skills for MPAs within SAPM;SAPM;

(b) MPA integration into regional land and sea use plans, and thus (b) MPA integration into regional land and sea use plans, and thus greater political support;greater political support;

(c) commitments to design and create multi-purpose MPAs that (c) commitments to design and create multi-purpose MPAs that protect critical biodiversity and maintain/improve commercial protect critical biodiversity and maintain/improve commercial and subsistence resources;and subsistence resources;

(d) consolidation of MPA values within the Durban Vision process (d) consolidation of MPA values within the Durban Vision process and MAP commitments concerning the environment, and and MAP commitments concerning the environment, and sustainable economic growth.sustainable economic growth.

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• Climate change monitoring and responses are integrated into Climate change monitoring and responses are integrated into MPA management at the two target sites;MPA management at the two target sites;

• Appropriate good governance principles are adopted and Appropriate good governance principles are adopted and implemented, including management responsibility and implemented, including management responsibility and benefits sharing;benefits sharing;

• Resource quantity and quality are stabilized and in the future Resource quantity and quality are stabilized and in the future improved;improved;

• Critical habitats and species are maintained or restored;Critical habitats and species are maintained or restored;

• Sustainable revenues are identified and begin to appear;Sustainable revenues are identified and begin to appear;

• Knowledge of MPAs and their value is improved and shared Knowledge of MPAs and their value is improved and shared among a wide variety of users and MPAs.among a wide variety of users and MPAs.

Major outcomes:Major outcomes:

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