Evaluating the potential for transboundary management of marine biodiversity in the Western Indian Ocean

The economic and socio-political interactions between countries can have major impacts on transboundary conservation decisions and outcomes. Here, we examined for 14 Western Indian Ocean (WIO) continental and island nations the extent of their marine coral reef species, fisheries and marine protected areas (MPAs), in the context of their geopolitical and socio-economic connections. We also examined the role of external countries and organisations in collaboration within the region. We found large variation between the different countries in their protected area size, and management, which result from different interests in establishing the MPAs, ranging from fisheries management, biodiversity conservation to asserting sovereignty claims. Seventy-four per cent of the 154 MPAs in the region belong to island nations; however, the largest MPAs in the WIO were established by European powers, and include Mayotte and Glorioso Islands (France) and Chagos (UK). While the majority of MPAs are managed by individual countries, between-country collaboration within and outside the region is key if the aim is to achieve effective conservation of ecosystems and species across the island and mainland nations in the region. This may be advanced by creating transboundary MPAs and by regional conservation investment by external powers that benefit from the region’s resources.

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Regional Management of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction in the Western Indian Ocean: State of Play and Possible Ways Forward

The International Journal of Marine and Coastal Law ◽

10.1163/15718085-13204020 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 32 (4) ◽

pp. 765-796 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Glen Wright ◽

Julien Rochette

Keyword(s):

Indian Ocean ◽

Protected Areas ◽

Marine Protected Areas ◽

Western Indian Ocean ◽

Marine Biodiversity ◽

International Organisations ◽

Management Tools ◽

Regional Management ◽

National Jurisdiction ◽

Regional Organisations

Abstract In recent years, the international community has become increasingly aware of the growing threats to marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction (abnj), and international discussions on a new international legally binding are underway. In parallel, some States, through regional organisations, have progressively extended their activities into abnj, particularly through the development of area-based management tools (abmts). In this article, we consider how actors in the Western Indian Ocean (wio) might engage in abnj governance. In particular, we develop some possible scenarios for developing abmts in the wio, including through the development of fisheries closures, the establishment of marine protected areas (mpas), and the adoption of abmts under the auspices of relevant international organisations. We conclude that while the wio is currently not the most advanced region in terms of ongoing efforts to improve the governance of abnj, there are already some positive signals and promising options for the future.

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The Coral Triangle Initiative: what are we missing? A case study from Aceh

Oryx ◽

10.1017/s0030605312000178 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 46 (4) ◽

pp. 482-485 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Edi Rudi ◽

Stuart J. Campbell ◽

Andrew S. Hoey ◽

Nur Fadli ◽

Matthew Linkie ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Indian Ocean ◽

Western Indian Ocean ◽

Andaman Sea ◽

Marine Biodiversity ◽

Western Boundary ◽

Coral Triangle ◽

Coral Fauna ◽

High Conservation ◽

Reef Fauna

AbstractThe Coral Triangle Initiative is an ambitious attempt to conserve the marine biodiversity hotspot known as the Coral Triangle. However, the reef fauna in many nearby regions remains poorly explored and, consequently, the focus on the Coral Triangle risks overlooking other areas of high conservation significance. One region of potential significance, Aceh, Indonesia, has not been visited by coral taxonomists since the Dutch colonial period. Here we document the species richness of scleractinian corals of Pulau Weh, Aceh. We also compare the species richness of the genus Acropora at 3–5 sites in each of nine regions in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. Although dominated by widespread Indo-Pacific species, the coral fauna of Pulau Weh is also the eastern and western boundary for many Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean species, respectively. We identified a total of 133 scleractinian species, of which three have been previously recorded only in the western Indian Ocean and five are presently undescribed. The mean species richness of the Acropora at Pulau Weh is similar to regions within the Coral Triangle. This high species richness plus the high proportion of endemics suggests that the Andaman Sea is of similarly high conservation value to the Coral Triangle. We suggest that an international initiative similar to the Coral Triangle Initiative is required to conserve this region, which includes the territorial waters of six countries.

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The Polyplacophora (Mollusca) collected during the First International Marine Biodiversity Workshop for Rodrigues (western Indian Ocean), with the description of a new species

Journal of Natural History ◽

10.1080/00222930410001695114 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 38 (23) ◽

pp. 3143-3173 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Enrico Schwabe

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Indian Ocean ◽

Western Indian Ocean ◽

Marine Biodiversity ◽

A New Species

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Putting the ‘Indo’ back into the Indo-Pacific: resolving marine phylogeographic gaps

Invertebrate Systematics ◽

10.1071/is15032 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 30 (1) ◽

pp. 86 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

N. G. Wilson ◽

L. A. Kirkendale

Keyword(s):

Indian Ocean ◽

Large Body ◽

Western Indian Ocean ◽

Marine Biodiversity ◽

Coral Triangle ◽

West Pacific ◽

Sea Levels ◽

Leeuwin Current ◽

Marine Realm ◽

The Indian Ocean

The Indo-Pacific is an extremely large marine realm that unites two oceans via a restricted Coral Triangle corridor, which was historically subjected to lowered sea levels during global glaciation. Although a strong phylogeographic focus on the Central and West Pacific has produced a large body of research, the Indian Ocean has been largely neglected. This may have serious consequences, because the Indian Ocean hosts a large number of marine centres of endemism, yet a large number of nations rely on its marine resources. We examine reasons for this neglect and review what is known about this region and its connectivity to the Indo-West Pacific. We draw attention to the ‘Leeuwin Effect’, a phenomenon where the southward flow of the Leeuwin Current is responsible for transporting larval propagules from the Coral Triangle region down the coast of Western Australia, resulting in broader Indo-West Pacific rather than Indian Ocean affinities. Given challenges in accessing infrastructure and samples, collaboration will inevitably be key to resolving data gaps. We challenge the assumption that the peak of shallow-water marine biodiversity is solely centred in the Coral Triangle, and raise awareness of a seemingly forgotten hypothesis promoting a secondary peak of biodiversity in the western Indian Ocean.

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Post-2020 Kunming 30% target can easily protect all endemic sharks and rays in the Western Indian Ocean and more

10.1101/2021.03.08.434293 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Jessica Cheok ◽

Rima W. Jabado ◽

David A. Ebert ◽

Nicholas K. Dulvy

Keyword(s):

Indian Ocean ◽

Protected Areas ◽

Marine Protected Areas ◽

Regional Cooperation ◽

Western Indian Ocean ◽

Marine Biodiversity ◽

Conservation Priorities ◽

Management Actions ◽

Regional Collaboration ◽

Distribution Ranges

SummarySharks and rays are possibly the most threatened Class of marine fishes and their declines can be halted if protected areas are optimised to benefit these species. We identify spatial priorities for all 63 endemic sharks and rays in the marine biodiversity hotspot, the Western Indian Ocean (WIO). Collectively, while the WIO nations currently surpass the 10% Aichi ocean protection target, this amounts to a dismal protection of only 1.57% of each species’ distribution range. We show that the entire ranges of all endemics can be achieved by protecting 11% of EEZs of WIO nations, well within reach of the new 30% of oceans by 2030 target. Regional management bodies exist, which if taken advantage of to implement shark and ray management, provide opportunities to implement more efficient management across the region. We recommend key management actions to implement and explicit incentivisation of international cooperation in the post-2020 biodiversity framework.Science for SocietyThe past decade has seen massive growth in the establishment of marine protected areas (MPAs), driven by the Aichi biodiversity target of protecting 10% of all ocean areas. This expansion of MPAs, however, has largely occurred in areas residual to extractive uses, often coinciding with less threatened areas of lower conservation value. This coming decade will see a further push to ensure 30% of the oceans are protected by 2030. It is important to understand how existing and future MPAs should be placed to benefit threatened biodiversity. Currently this is unclear for sharks and rays, comprising a species group that is the most evolutionarily distinct vertebrate radiation in the world and also one of the most threatened. We identify both regional and national conservation priorities for expanding marine protected areas to benefit all 63 endemic sharks and rays occurring in the Western Indian Ocean region. We find that the region has already exceeded the 10% ocean protection target, but this amounts to an average of only 1.57% protection of the distribution ranges of these species. We show that protecting the top 10% priority sites will conserve almost half of the geographic range of each species yet require only 1.16% of the total EEZ – a tiny fraction of the 30% by 2030 target. We also show that regional collaboration among all nations can result in more spatially efficient conservation priorities. We recommend that the post-2020 biodiversity framework needs to explicitly incentivise regional cooperation between nations to efficiently achieve urgent targets and maximise benefits to biodiversity.

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Genetic connectivity of the reef fish Lutjanus kasmira at the scale of the western Indian Ocean

Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences ◽

10.1139/f2012-012 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 69 (5) ◽

pp. 842-853 ◽

Cited By ~ 19

Author(s):

D. Muths ◽

G. Gouws ◽

M. Mwale ◽

E. Tessier ◽

J. Bourjea

Keyword(s):

Genetic Structure ◽

Indian Ocean ◽

Genetic Differentiation ◽

Marine Protected Areas ◽

Western Indian Ocean ◽

Genetic Connectivity ◽

Marine Biodiversity ◽

Mitochondrial Cytochrome ◽

Mitochondrial Cytochrome B ◽

Significant Genetic Structure

Examining the genetic structure of species allows an estimate of the level of evolutionary connectivity between localities; this information is important for marine biodiversity protection, in particular, for the delineation of marine protected areas. In this context, a total of 601 Lutjanus kasmira (Forsskål, 1775) were sampled in 16 localities of the western Indian Ocean and analyzed with both mitochondrial cytochrome b sequencing and eight microsatellite loci genotyping. Both genetic markers indicate that differentiation was not significant even between samples separated by more than 4000 km. This absence of genetic differentiation among samples was favored by ecological plasticity of the species and is now ensured by resultant high levels of dispersal. Nevertheless, some significant genetic structure was detected for the areas of Mauritius and Moroni, as well as within populations in all localities, which will have to be explained by additional studies on local processes.

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Editorial Introduction

The Journal of Indian Ocean World Studies ◽

10.26443/jiows.v4i1.68 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (1) ◽

pp. 1

Author(s):

Editors of the JIOWS

Keyword(s):

Nineteenth Century ◽

Indian Ocean ◽

Western Indian Ocean ◽

Late Nineteenth Century ◽

Fourth Volume ◽

History Of ◽

The Indian Ocean ◽

Complex Relationships ◽

Indian Ocean World ◽

Shed Light

The editors are proud to present the first issue of the fourth volume of the Journal of Indian Ocean World Studies. This issue contains three articles, by James Francis Warren (Murdoch University), Kelsey McFaul (University of California, Santa Cruz), and Marek Pawelczak (University of Warsaw), respectively. Warren’s and McFaul’s articles take different approaches to the growing body of work that discusses pirates in the Indian Ocean World, past and present. Warren’s article is historical, exploring the life and times of Julano Taupan in the nineteenth-century Philippines. He invites us to question the meaning of the word ‘pirate’ and the several ways in which Taupan’s life has been interpreted by different European colonists and by anti-colonial movements from the mid-nineteenth century to the present day. McFaul’s article, meanwhile, takes a literary approach to discuss the much more recent phenomenon of Somali Piracy, which reached its apex in the last decade. Its contribution is to analyse the works of authors based in the region, challenging paradigms that have mostly been developed from analysis of works written in the West. Finally, Pawelczak’s article is a legal history of British jurisdiction in mid-late nineteenth-century Zanzibar. It examines one of the facets that underpinned European influence in the western Indian Ocean World before the establishment of colonial rule. In sum, this issue uses two key threads to shed light on the complex relationships between European and other Western powers and the Indian Ocean World.

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