For five days in
June 2015, there was only one issue on the agenda of Marine Conservationists gathering
in Guanica, Puerto Rico: how to build and restore coral reefs to create
thriving marine systems.
Coral reefs are
central to marine health and are under threat as climate change raises ocean
temperatures. The effects are visible to the human eye, with the warmer waters draining corals of symbiotic algae in a
phenomenon known as coral bleaching.
But there are
strategies that can prevent and reverse that trend.
In a week long
workshop organized by The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and the US National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration, trainers led participants through the science
of designing Marine Protected Area networks that can better withstand the
stress of climate change to ensure healthier fisheries and greater diversity in
marine life.
The strategies
are based on the idea of “ fish
replenishment areas”, or protected zones where no fishing is allowed.
Dr. Alison Green,
from TNC, gave an overview of the latest research on fish habitats, movements
and recovery times that reef managers can use to define boundaries for no-take
areas.
Dr. Green followed
up with an explanation of how to classify major habitat types and protect
unique areas within those zones.
However,
conservation strategies are not enough on their own – they must be communicated
to the public, a process Kristen Maize outlined in presentation to the group.
For more
information contact:
Michelle
McNaught, National Coordinator/Jamaica, C-FISH, CARIBSAVE
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