scholarly journals Alien Species Threat across Marine Protected Areas of Turkey—An Updated Inventory

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. 1077
Author(s):  
Murat Bilecenoğlu ◽  
Melih Ertan Çınar
Keyword(s):  
Protected Areas ◽  
Alien Species ◽  
Marine Protected Areas ◽  
Significant Proportion ◽  
Distinct Group ◽  
Aegean Sea ◽  
Entire Study ◽  
Management Actions ◽  
Levantine Sea ◽  
Species Occurrences

This study presents the first comprehensive assessment of alien species occurrences within the selected 11 Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) located on the Aegean and Levantine coasts of Turkey. The inventory includes a total of 289 species belonging to 15 phyla, in which lowest and highest diversities were observed in Saros Bay MPA (27 species, northern Aegean Sea) and Fethiye-Göcek Bay MPA (150 species, northwest Levantine Sea), respectively. Alien species distributions that were revealed in protected areas located in the southern Aegean and Levantine Seas were 56.9% similar (based on presence vs. absence data), while northern Aegean sites formed another distinct group. According to the breakdown of major phyla through the entire study areas, Mollusca had the highest alien diversity (22.1% of alien species), followed by Actinopterygii (19.0%), Arthropoda (15.2%) and Annelida (13.5%). Casual aliens were represented by very low proportions in each MPA, proving that most species were already established in the region, with a significant proportion of invasive species. Regardless of the localities, the majority of the species originated from the Red Sea, whose primary pathway of introduction is the corridor, the Suez Canal. In the absence of effective management actions against bioinvasions, MPAs located along the Turkish coastline do not currently seem to provide any protection, revealing a large conservation gap to be filled.

scholarly journals Lessepsian fish invasion in Mediterranean marine protected areas: a risk assessment under climate change scenarios

2019 ◽  
Vol 77 (1) ◽  
pp. 388-397 ◽  
Author(s):  
M D’Amen ◽  
E Azzurro
Keyword(s):  
Invasive Species ◽  
Protected Areas ◽  
Marine Protected Areas ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Risk Level ◽  
Suitable Habitat ◽  
Climate Change Scenarios ◽  
Risk Levels ◽  
Invasive Fishes ◽  
Levantine Sea

Abstract Mediterranean marine protected areas (MPAs), designed to achieve long-term nature conservation, are progressively conquered by invasive species of tropical origin, posing novel challenges for managers and policymakers of the 21st century. In this study, we assessed the vulnerability of 142 coastal Mediterranean MPAs to nine of the most invasive fishes under current and future climatic conditions. We predicted invasive species’ habitat suitability using an ensemble modelling approach, calibrating models on the entire distribution of the species. We categorized three risk levels for Mediterranean MPAs, based on the assumption that more suitable habitat conditions make protected areas more prone to invasion. Future projections forecasted an increase of suitable areas for all considered species in the Mediterranean basin. In the Levantine Sea, almost all MPAs are at high risk of invasion by the considered species both in the current and future scenarios. MPAs located in the other Mediterranean sectors have currently a low suitability for most invasive species, but their risk level will increase overall by 2050, especially in the South Adriatic Sea and off South Western Italy. By identifying spatial priorities in a global change context, we fill critical information gaps on the vulnerability of MPAs to the future expansion of warm-water invaders.

Heterogeneity in fishers' and managers' preferences towards management restrictions and benefits in Kenya

2012 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 357-369 ◽  
Author(s):  
TIMOTHY R. MCCLANAHAN ◽  
CAROLINE A. ABUNGE ◽  
JOSHUA E. CINNER
Keyword(s):  
Protected Areas ◽  
Marine Protected Areas ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
National Level ◽  
Minimum Size ◽  
Management Tools ◽  
Management Actions ◽  
Key Stakeholders ◽  
Landing Sites ◽  
The Government

SUMMARYIncreasing the chances that resource users engage in and comply with management regulations is a continual problem for many conservation initiatives globally. This is particularly common when resource users perceive more personal costs than benefits from specific management actions. Analysis of interviews with managers and fishers from 22 landing sites along the coast of Kenya indicated how key stakeholders perceived the scale of benefits and costs from different management strategies. Potential underlying causes of divergent perceptions towards different management tools were evaluated, including marine protected areas, no-take fisheries closures, gear use, minimum size of fish caught and species restrictions. The analysis identified three distinct opinion groups: (1) a group of nine landing sites that scaled their preference for most management restrictions neutral to low, with exceptions for minimum sizes of captured fish and gear restrictions; (2) a group of eight landing sites that scaled their preference for the above and species restrictions and closed season higher, and were more neutral about closures and marine protected areas; and (3) a group containing four landing sites and the managers’ offices that rated their preference for the above and closed areas and marine protected areas as high. Logistic regression was used to examine whether these groups differed in wealth, education, age, perceptions of disparity in benefits, dependence on fishing and distance to government marine protected areas. The most frequent significant factor was the resource users’ perceived disparity between the benefits of the management to themselves and their communities, with the benefits to the government. Consequently, efforts to reduce this real or perceived disparity are likely to increase adoption and compliance rates. Most widespread positively-viewed restrictions, such as gear use and minimum size of fish, should be promoted at the national level while other restrictions may be more appropriately implemented at the community level.

scholarly journals The effect of protection and wave-exposure of two marine protected areas have opposite trends on macroalgae invasiveness.

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andreu Blanco Cartagena ◽  
Jesús Souza Troncoso ◽  
Celia Olabarria ◽  
Marco Filipe Loureiro Lemos
Keyword(s):  
Protected Areas ◽  
Marine Protected Areas ◽  
Significant Proportion ◽  
Wave Exposure ◽  
Ecosystem Functions ◽  
Marine Biodiversity ◽  
Grateloupia Turuturu ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Marine Invasions ◽  
Marine Invasive Species

Negative impacts of marine invasions include loss of genetic diversity, ecosystem functions/processes, and/or community structure and, consequently, a threat to global biodiversity through biotic homogenization. Recent studies indicate that invasive macroalgae make up a significant proportion of marine invasive species. Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) have been proved to have positive effects on marine biodiversity conservation; however, their role in preventing biological invasions, especially macroalgae, is still poorly understood. In this context, we studied the effects of protection and wave exposure on the abundance of six invasive macroalgae (Grateloupia turuturu, Asparagopsis armata, Colpomenia peregrina, Sargassum muticum, Undaria pinnatifida, and Codium fragile ssp. fragile) at two MPAs of the western Iberian Peninsula, one located along the Spanish coast (Illas Atlánticas) and the other on the Portuguese coast (Berlangas). The results showed opposite effects of protection and wave-exposure at the two MPAs. Greater biomass of invasive macroalgae was found at semiexposed areas outside the reserve in the Spanish MPA, whereas in the Portuguese reserve, biomass (especially of A. armata) was significantly greater inside the reserve, mainly at semiexposed sites. These differences highlight the importance of understanding the functioning of reserves to apply proper conservation management policies in order to preserve the MPAs resilience.

scholarly journals From measuring outcomes to providing inputs: Governance, management, and local development for more effective marine protected areas

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathan Bennett ◽  
Philip Dearden
Keyword(s):  
Protected Areas ◽  
Marine Protected Areas ◽  
Local Development ◽  
Economic Benefits ◽  
Management Effectiveness ◽  
Paper Briefly ◽  
Outcome Indicators ◽  
Management Actions ◽  
Management And Development ◽  
Measuring Outcomes

Marine protected areas (MPAs) have the potential to conserve marine resources as well as provide social and economic benefits to local communities. Yet the percentage of MPAs that might be considered “successful” or effective on ecological and/or socio-economic accounts is debatable. Measurement of biophysical and socio-economic outcome indicators has become de rigeur for examining MPA management effectiveness so that adaptive feedback loops can stimulate new management actions. Scholars and practitioners alike have suggested that more attention should be given to the inputs that are likely to lead to successful MPA outcomes. This paper briefly discusses the potential ecological and socio-economic outcomes of MPAs then reviews the literature on three categories of inputs – governance, management, and local development – that lead to effective MPAs. In conclusion, the paper presents a novel inputs framework that incorporates indicators for governance, management and development to be used in the design and analysis of MPAs.

scholarly journals Specialised recreational fishers reject sanctuary zones and favour fisheries management

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Asha McNeill ◽  
Julian Clifton ◽  
Euan S. Harvey
Keyword(s):  
Protected Areas ◽  
Fisheries Management ◽  
Marine Protected Areas ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Significant Proportion ◽  
Community Support ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
The Public ◽  
Management Interventions ◽  
User Access

Policy-makers are faced with the ongoing challenge of designing management interventions which conserve marine ecosystems while maintaining a sustainable level of resource user access. Recreational fishers are a key user group to consider as their activities can have significant impacts on fish populations. In some contexts, recreational fishers also represent a significant proportion of the public and can hold considerable influence on governing authorities. This issue is particularly pertinent for marine protected areas as significant opposition exists within some local communities, including recreational fishers, and community support is critical to achieving success. An online survey was employed across Western Australia to investigate recreational fishers' motivations and their attitudes towards fisheries management and different types of spatial closures, including marine protected areas. The results show the most specialised fishers demonstrate stronger support for traditional fisheries management compared to other groups, but stronger opposition to closed fishing zones specified as sanctuary zones. In comparison, no strong opposition is present for temporarily closed fishing zones or those protecting unique or fragile places. Our results suggest that rather than spatial fishing closures, it is the designated purpose of sanctuary zones for precautionary management which some specialised fishers reject. Understanding patterns of support are vital for policy-makers to design and communicate policy which is seen as appropriate and legitimate amongst stakeholders, particularly to those specialised fishers who hold significant influence in fishing communities.

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

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.

scholarly journals An overlooked alien species present on the coasts of Greece (Eastern Mediterranean): the polychaete Polycirrus twisti Potts (Polychaeta: Terebellidae)

2011 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 239 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. SIMBOURA
Keyword(s):  
Alien Species ◽  
Mediterranean Sea ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
Aegean Sea ◽  
Suez Canal ◽  
Polychaete Species ◽  
Marine Area ◽  
Levantine Sea ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
Of Greece

The Terebellidae polychaete Polycirrus twisti Potts, 1928 had been confused in several previous records the Eastern Mediterranean with the co-generic species Polycirrus plumosusWollebaeck, 1912, because of incomplete specimens or unclear descriptions; therefore its presence in Greek seas had been overlooked. Specimens of Polycirrus twisti were currently identified from the Korinthiakos Gulf (Greece, Eastern Mediterranean), while older records from the Hellenic marine area, erroneously assigned toPolycirrus plumosus and recorded since 1983 (Rhodos island, Dodekanesse) were emended. Polycirrus twisti is an alien species, most likely introduced to the Mediterranean from the Suez Canal, while it was recently reported from the Southern coasts of Turkey (Levantine Sea). Its identification and report in Greek Seas increases the number of alien polychaete species in this area to 37 and offers a further evidence and link of its introduction and dispersion dynamics from the Suez Canal to the Levantine and Aegean Sea. The presence of the previously reported species Polycirrus plumosus in the Mediterranean Sea is therefore strongly questionable.

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