DEMARN

Designation and Management of Marine Reserve Networks

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 Obiettivo del progetto (Objective)

'This research will explore physical elements of the environment and their spatial character, principles of conservation science, human needs and institutional constraints for the purpose of establishing marine protected areas. The goal is to identify institutional and societal constructs that are frequently left out of decision-making for marine protected area design and management. Research conclusions will be based on comparison of spatial outcomes. The researcher will synthesize approaches that have addressed the challenges of working in a multi-faceted, high-use marine environment in which there are varying levels of information, challenges of cooperation between local and regional managers, scientists and users and difficulty soliciting the input of relevant stakeholders. Major phases of the research are: 1) development of a typology of the designation of terrestrial reserves in Israel and marine reserves in the territorial waters of countries along the Mediterranean Sea; 2) review and application of appropriate decision support tools that can address at least two identified challenges in the Israeli context: connectivity of reserves and stakeholder participation; and 3) comparison of outcomes from the use of decision support tools chosen based on the country context needs and actual reserve design and management plans proposed by the nature protection authorities in Israel. This research can inform regulators, policymakers and conservationists about what various theoretical views and values mean when applied to conditions in the field (both in terms of physical resources and institutional constructs) and how and to what extent real-world outcomes engender preferred practices based on ecosystem based management and integrated coastal zone management for marine reserves in a network context.'

Introduzione (Teaser)

The Mediterranean supports a rich diversity of marine life, which is the focus of conservation efforts. An EU-funded initiative is investigating how best to designate and manage these sites for marine conservation.

Descrizione progetto (Article)

Many endangered species live in the Mediterranean Sea, including some that are found nowhere else. The Mediterranean is almost totally enclosed, which exacerbates the problem of pollution, and its coastline is subject to unregulated development and overexploitation. Therefore, there is a great need for an enhanced set of marine protected areas (MPAs), where the natural environment can conserved by restricting human activities.

The 'Designation and management of marine reserve networks' (http://demarn.net.technion.ac.il/ (DEMARN)) project is studying MPAs off the coast of Israel and other Mediterranean countries. Researchers will explore the spatial character and conservation needs of MPAs. They will identify challenges posed by both society and institutions that are often left out of the decision-making process.

Research conducted by DEMARN is divided in two main parts. The first involves mapping and analysing the context within which MPAs are established and designed. The second will identify the factors that influence conservation planning outcomes from MPAs that fail to follow conservation planning best practice. Particular focus is on those outcomes arrived at through the use of decision support tools and the main tool that will be studied is the use of zoning.

A case study will be conducted at the Rosh HaNikra Protected Area, which is a small reserve off the Israeli coast that is seeking to expand. The focus will be on the reserve's management regime, including proposed zoning, its ecological attributes and potential contribution to marine conservation in the eastern Mediterranean.

DEMARN is also investigating if countries with higher levels of protection for MPAs have greater focus on conserving the marine environment and depend more on the maritime economy. Researchers have found that these factors, together with efforts aimed at terrestrial conservation and reducing human impact, are associated with higher protection levels among northern Mediterranean countries.

The work conducted by DEMARN is particularly important as all the world's seas, but especially those around Europe and North America, face increasing exploitation and development. The project's findings will help support decision making about where efforts and finances should be directed. This will encourage successful ecosystem management and integrated coastal zone management for marine reserves.