Chapter 11 Abby Kushner Alex Glavin

Major threats to aquatic biodiversity Aquatic Biodiversity: -Occurs in coral reefs, estuaries, deep ocean - Higher near coasts than in open sea - Higher in bottom region of ocean than surface

Human activities destroying  Trawling and dredging  HIPPCO Introduction of invasive species - Introduction of invasive species -  United Nations declaration  Freshwater (dams)

Invasive Species  2008 study Nature Conservancy 84% of the world’s coastal waters are colonized by invasive species  Asian Swamp eel

 U.N. Environmental Programme – by 2020, 80% of the world’s people will be living along or near coasts  Only 4% of the world’s oceans are not affected by pollution

 Fertilizers- added nitrogen result in eutrophication of marine and freshwater systems can lead to algae blooms  Lake Victoria  Pollutants Runoff from construction- chemicals can poison life Runoff from construction- chemicals can poison life Plastic in the water Plastic in the water

 Climate Change is growing threat During past 100 years, sea levels risen centimeters from global warming During past 100 years, sea levels risen centimeters from global warming  Over fishing Fish print Fish print Commercial extinction Commercial extinction bycatch bycatch

Fish harvesting - Trawler fishing- fish and shellfish on ocean floor - Purse seine fishing - Longlines - Drift net fishing

How can we protect Marine Biodiversity  Reasons protecting is difficult Human ecological footprint Human ecological footprint Damage to oceans is not visible Damage to oceans is not visible People incorrectly view ocean as infinite supply People incorrectly view ocean as infinite supply Oceans lie out of jurisdiction of any country Oceans lie out of jurisdiction of any country Leatherhead turtles Leatherhead turtles Exclusive economic zones Exclusive economic zones

The hope:  To establish a network of fully protected marine reserves which are put off-limits to destructive human activities in order to enable their ecosystems to recover and flourish $12-14 billion a year $12-14 billion a year

How should we manage and sustain marine fisheries?  It will require: Improved Monitoring of fish populations Improved Monitoring of fish populations Cooperative fisheries management among communities and nations Cooperative fisheries management among communities and nations Reduction of fishing subsidies Reduction of fishing subsidies Careful consumer choices in seafood market Careful consumer choices in seafood market

Estimating and Monitoring Fishery Population  Old ways of thinking MSY- Maximum sustained yield MSY- Maximum sustained yield Hard to estimateHard to estimate Negative effectsNegative effects  New ways OSY- Optimum sustained yield OSY- Optimum sustained yield Multi-species management Multi-species management Complex computer models Complex computer models

Precautionary Principle  Sharply reducing fish harvest and closing some over fished areas until they recover and until we have more information about what levels of fishing can be sustained

Some communities Cooperate to regulate fish harvest?  Costal Communities- Self Regulate Norway’s Lofoten fishery Norway’s Lofoten fishery  Co-management Costal Communities Costal Communities Regulate and enforcesRegulate and enforces Government Government Sets quotasSets quotas Limits fishing SeasonsLimits fishing Seasons

Government Subsidies Can Encourage Over fishing  U.R Sumaila and Daniel Pauly  Governments : Billion Dollars Per Year Billion dollars - Overfishing Billion dollars - Overfishing  World Trade Organization

Government Subsidies Can Encourage Over fishing  U.R Sumaila and Daniel Pauly  Governments : Billion Dollars Per Year Billion dollars - Overfishing Billion dollars - Overfishing  World Trade Organization

Some Countries Use the Marketplace to Control Over fishing  IRTs- Individual Transfer Rights Buy, Sell, Lease Buy, Sell, Lease  TAC- total allowable catch  Problems Private to Commercial- Public Pays Private to Commercial- Public Pays Squeeze out small companies- illegal fishing Squeeze out small companies- illegal fishing TAC to high - 50% - 90% OSY TAC to high - 50% - 90% OSY  New Zealand 1986, Iceland 1990, U.S. 1995

Consumer Choices Can Help to Sustain Fisheries and Aquatic Biodiversity  Bottom- Up Pressure Sustainable Seafood Sustainable Seafood  Labeling and Certification  MSC- Marine Stewardship Council Wal-mart Wal-mart

How can we protect and sustain wetlands?  To Maintain the ecological services ecological services economic services economic services  We must maximize preservation of wetlands preservation of wetlands restoration of degraded and destroyed wetlands restoration of degraded and destroyed wetlands

Coastal and Inland Wetlands are disappearing around the World  Human Harm The united states - lost >50% inland and costal wetlands The united states - lost >50% inland and costal wetlands New Zealand - 92% loss New Zealand - 92% loss Italy- 95% loss Italy- 95% loss  Natural Filters  Lake Victoria- Uganda, Africa

We can preserve and restore  U.S. requires a permits to fill in or deposit dredged material into wetlands  Cut loss 80% since 1969  Mitigation banking - Zero Net Loss  Creating Wetlands

Can We Restore the Florida Everglades?

How can we protect and sustain freshwater lakes, rivers, and fisheries?  We must: Protect their watersheds Protect their watersheds  Because: These area are strongly influenced by the human activity on adjacent land These area are strongly influenced by the human activity on adjacent land

Freshwater Ecosystems are under Major Threats  HIPPCO summarizes threats  40% of rivers dammed or engineered  Threats: Destruction Destruction Pollution Pollution Invasive species Invasive species Climate Change Climate Change

Can the Great Lakes Survive repeated Invasions by Alien Species

Asian Carp  nQVaM nQVaM nQVaM

Managing a Big river is Complex and Controversial

We Can Protect Freshwater Ecosystems by Protecting Watersheds  Land and water are always connected  We must protect lake from excess inputs of nutrients and pollutants  Nation Wild and Scenic Rivers Act Wild Rivers- relatively inaccessible Wild Rivers- relatively inaccessible Scenic Rivers- great scenic value Scenic Rivers- great scenic value  Building reservoirs and farm ponds  Protecting and Creating spawning sites

What should be our priority from sustaining biodiversity and ecosystem services?  It will require: Mapping terrestrial and aquatic biodiversity Mapping terrestrial and aquatic biodiversity Maximizing protection of undeveloped terrestrial and aquatic areas Maximizing protection of undeveloped terrestrial and aquatic areas Carrying out ecological restoration projects worldwide Carrying out ecological restoration projects worldwide