Coastal poverty and MPA management in mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar

Poverty and resource degradation are persistent features of the lives of a large proportion of the coastal people of Tanzania and Zanzibar. A useful question to raise in preparing poverty reduction and resource management strategies is therefore “how does marine protected area management impact the lives of the poor and reduce poverty?” This paper summarizes selected results of a study on poverty alleviation and marine protected areas (MPAs) in Tanzania and Zanzibar. The data are based on 749 household surveys and 72 focus group meetings in 24 coastal villages conducted in May, June 2003. Unveiling the linkages between poverty and coastal conservation found that poverty is a reality for villagers in the study sites and that it sometimes drives people to break management rules—hence poverty makes it more difficult to reach conservation goals. We conclude that the effectiveness and success of the MPA programs in achieving both conservation and development goals varies, but communities’ perceptions of impacts and progress are most positive in those programs that have had the longest and greatest investment of time and resources.     

Canada's Atlantic Coastal Action Program: A community-based approach to collective governance

The Atlantic Coastal Action Program (ACAP) is a community-based coastal management initiative that has been underway on Canada's east coast for the past 6 years. Coalitions of local stakeholders have been assisted by government in taking a lead role for the planning and management activities in 13 coastal ecosystems throughout Atlantic Canada. The program was initiated and originally facilitated by the federal government (Environment Canada) but has come to be led and owned at the local level. The objective is to have all those affecting and/or affected by local decisions involved in this process. In ACAP, the traditional role of government is shared with the local roundtables that are established in each coastal ecosystem. Instead of government departments being the lead agencies that set policy and priorities, the communities assume this function and the government agencies become partners in responding to their identified needs. ACAP is a practical demonstration of the joint management, or collective governance approach to Integrated Coastal Management and offers lessons to governments and coastal communities looking to establish lasting partnership approaches that have the potential to achieve the sustainable development of coastal ecosystems.     

Coastal management in the Solent: An introduction

This paper introduces the Solent as a dynamic estuarine complex located on the central south coast of England. The physical and socio-cultural geographies of the Solent are described and the difficulties of managing the multiple uses of the area are discussed. The Solent Forum, a partnership of Solent stakeholders, is then presented as the facilitator of an integrated approach to coastal management in the Solent. The Solent Forum Coastal Management Conference, held in Portsmouth in 2004, is introduced as the source of the papers in this special issue. The Conference highlighted the link between the science and management aspects of the Solent in light of a suite of emergent pressures, including in physical terms development pressure and sea level change, and in legal terms the UK Marine Bill, Water Framework Directive and English ICZM Strategy. The article ends with an overview of the papers in the special issue.     

Lessons learnt from a collaborative management programme in coastal Tanzania

The Tanga Coastal Zone Conservation and Development Programme, initiated in 1994, was among the first such projects to make livelihoods improvement a key objective, and to use a community-based approach. It developed an approach to coastal management planning that is broadly satisfactory to both communities and the government. Six fisheries management areas and two mangrove management areas were established. Institutional arrangements for the collaborative approach were strengthened and community leaders and local government officers were trained in a range of relevant skills. A coastal environmental education programme for primary schools involved several thousand schoolchildren, and a gender programme built the confidence of women. Implementation of the management measures was noticeably harder than planning, particularly elimination of destructive fishing methods. Fishers and coastal communities now however have a much greater involvement in, and understanding of, coastal management and consequently a greater sense of ownership.     

Coastal and marine resource use conflicts and sustainable development in Tanzania

A survey of coastal and marine resource use conflicts in Tanzania was carried out to highlight them, investigate their origin and finally, suggest ways of minimizing them. Although Tanzania is putting emphasis on environmental issues, including coastal zone management, integrated coastal area management has not yet been integrated into the government management structure/approach. Many conflicts are the result of sectoral approach to coastal and marine resources management, and improper or poor implementation of government policies. Additionally, the local coastal community, who are the foremost stakeholder, were most often not involved in the planning, decision and implementation of many projects and policies even those that affect them directly. Ignorance about the linkages of coastal and marine ecosystems and resources is also an important factor. I suggest that integrated coastal area management which is the foundation for sustainable development, as far as coastal and marine resources are concerned, should be integrated into the government administrative structure. A lead agency with full authority on all activities on the coastal area, including issuance of permits for environmental sensitive businesses/activities, should be nominated or established. This will reduce conflicts by bringing about national coordination of coastal area management.     

Coastal zone management in Egypt

This paper introduces the institutions, rules and regulations, which have been established by the relevant Egyptian laws for addressing various coastal and sea management issue. The existing legislation shows clearly the sectoral character of the present system, suffering from insufficient communication and cooperation among different state agencies on the one hand, and among central government and municipalities on the other. There is a significant interest in Egypt for improving the coastal zone management (CZM) practices and for integration of the management from many state agencies.     

Coastal management in the Solent: The stakeholder perspective

This paper presents the findings of a survey of stakeholder views concerning the management of the Solent and the role of the Solent Forum. Views were obtained through a questionnaire survey of participants at the Solent Forum Coastal Management Conference 2004. The results of the survey were used to inform the Solent Forum's work plan and priority work areas. It was found that coastal defence is the key concern of stakeholders, that complex legislation is the main barrier to effective management of the Solent, that most drivers of change relate to national and European policy, and that sea level rise is the key future management challenge for the Solent. In this context, the evidence suggested that the Solent Forum should retain a role that facilitates co-ordinated management and brokers stakeholder involvement in coastal decision-making. It was concluded that given the complexities of the position facing the Solent Forum, any decisions on its future approach should be a reflection of the needs of all stakeholders working in partnership.     

Coastal biodiversity management in Japanese satoumi

Evidence accumulates that better management of coastal biodiversity outside of protected areas will be necessary to halt current trends of depletion. Japanese satoumis are human-influenced coastal seas that are both productive and rich in biodiversity. Satoumi has gained interest within and outside Japan as a field-tested approach to conciliate sustainable ecosystem use and conservation of biodiversity. This paper provides a review of new reports on field implementation of satoumi in Japan. An analysis identifying key institutional features that foster satoumi is provided as well. A great variety of active conservation measures that do not rely on the exclusion of human influence to manage biodiversity are being assessed. Some are centuries-old, such as river basin forestry, some more recent such as seagrass transplants or artificial tidal flats. Crucial to their success are the involvement of local communities and the voluntary contribution of significant labour by ecosystem users, mostly fishers. These contributions from fishers’ communities are an internalisation of the costs of conservation by the economic activity that benefits from it. Rather than a cultural specificity, the latter appears to rest essentially on collective ownership of territorial use-rights, strong local collective structures that enforce the community's interest, and the availability of active conservation measures as options to contribute to biodiversity management through manual work in the ecosystem. It is argued that as the effectiveness of these approaches becomes demonstrated, they should be adequately accounted for in international agreements and targets for biodiversity conservation.     

Scientific research in the Tamaulipas Coastal Zone,Mexico:: implications for its coastal management

The perspectives of an efficient coastal management organization for the Tamaulipas Coastal Zone in Mexico are analyzed. With seven coastal municipalities, Tamaulipas has nevertheless 430 km of littoral and the largest estuarine area in the country (231,200 ha). The main activities there are: cattle breeding, fisheries and local manufacturing and urban development is actively increasing, concentrating in the Tampico-Ciudad Madero “Metropolis.” All of this affects significantly the many important natural ecosystems present. Following a comprehensive literature search and field visits to the area, it was made clear that the State's coastal zone is largely unknown scientifically. The organization of the Country Administration for its management of natural resources is overviewed and the criteria for the selection of the nine areas considered prioritary for ecological protection or conservation are explained. The main challenges facing the area with respect to an efficient coastal management are: (1) to close the gap in its scientific knowledge and make available all existing and future information to interested parties, (2) to modify the Administration organization to make the application of legal tools more efficient (3) to encourage open discussion, exchange of ideas and interactive forums among the different sectors (scientific, administrative, public and private organizations).     

A process framework for coastal zone management in Tanzania

A process framework is described to address socio-economic issues related to coastal zone management, specifically as it applies to the mitigation of impacts due to the establishment of marine protected areas (MPAs). Analysis of the existing social environment in Tanzania, including social capital, vulnerable groups and livelihood components, was undertaken to allow for the identification of critical issues and challenges. The developed process framework is a guidance document for decision-makers to incorporate the interests and needs of affected stakeholders. This safeguard commits to a consultative process with clear channels of communication, established grievance procedures, and monitoring and evaluation activities for affected communities.     

Power from the people: a documentation of non-governmental organizations' experience in community-based coastal resource management in the Philippines

Community-based coastal resource management projects facilitated by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the Philippines have explored approaches to decrease poverty-driven over-exploitation of coastal resources. There has been little reporting and analysis of such activities until recently. Nine case studies have recently been published and this paper presents a brief summary of these, along with an analysis of the trends and themes identified. Though diverse and covering the Philippines from Mindanao to Luzon, the case studies highlight the value of community commitment and participation in decisions regarding, and in the implementation of, resource management in ways that consider not only the bio-physical aspects of resource management but the social, economic and legal implications. Experience in working with local government has been both successful and limited. Successful projects raise hopes for further progress through education and organization of communities to improve livelihoods and protect coastal resources.     

Coastal sciences and management: the need for networking in higher education

Successful coastal management requires appropriate competencies. Higher education is under pressure to motivate and produce graduates with the relevant scientific background. In order to make these graduates more employable, employers’ participation to education is required. Because of the interdisciplinary nature of the subject area and the need for well-skilled professionals, networking is vital for building links between industry, managers, policy-makers and academia. New curricula need to be developed and adapted to a constantly evolving subject and learning environment. The virtual classroom is now a reality. The use of electronic communication should allow the involvement of all stakeholders, including Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs). NGOs will take a more and more important rôle in the dissemination of scientific information and its application to coastal management. Generalisations are based on a case study: University College Scarborough, England.     

Coastal data and information management for integrated coastal management: The role of IODE

Coastal zones are characterized by large concentrations of population, unique and vital ecosystems, and many industrial and other economic activities on land and at sea. The many and diverse activities result in different types of conflicts of use and access to resources in coastal areas. This calls for integrated management of coastal zones. However, successful integrated coastal management must be supported by reliable data and information that will lead to informed decision-making and planning. The International Oceanographic Data and Information Exchange (IODE) network which is a project of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO is playing a key role in capacity building for ocean and coastal data and information management in Africa. Currently, about 25 data and information centers have been established in coastal African countries through these efforts. These data and information centers should support effective management of coastal zones.     

Coastal environmental assessment and management by ecological simulation in Yeoja Bay, Korea

An eco-hydrodynamic model was used to estimate the carrying capacity of pollutant loads and response of water quality to environmental change in Yeoja Bay, Korea. An energy-system model also was used to simulate the fluctuation in nutrients and organic matter in the bordering wetland. Most water quality factors showed a pulsed pattern, and the concentrations of nutrients and organic matter of seawater increased when input loads of nutrients increased due to freshwater discharge. The well-developed tidal zones and wetlands in the northern area of the bay were highly sensitive to input loads. Residence times of water, chemical oxygen demand (COD), and dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) within the bay were estimated to be about 16 days, 43.2 days, and 50.2 days, respectively. Water quality reacted more sensitively to the effects of nitrogen and phosphorus input than to COD. A plan to reduce the present levels of COD and dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIP) by 20–30% and DIN by at least 50% in pollutant loads is needed for satisfying the target water quality criteria. The natural removal rate of nutrients in wetlands by reeds was assessed to be approximately 10%.     

Coastal zone management focusing on coastal tourism in a transitional period of China

Coastal zone management in China has undergone a developmental leap since 1978, a turning point in the country's economic and institutional reform. In examining China's reform in coastal management, this paper assesses the evolution of marine activities including coastal tourism. It also looks into the present issues of coastal resource uses and how administrative agencies responded to those coastal resource issues especially as the country moves from a planned economy to a market economy, and from centralized governance to decentralized governance. This paper also proposes a management approach for coastal tourism management in the future of China.     

A functional and integrated approach of methods for the management of protected marine areas in the Mexican Coastal Zone

The management of the Marine Protected Areas in the Coastal Zone (MPACZ) is an endeavor that requires a comprehensive approach. Given the complexity of these areas, their management calls for the integration of methodologies directed to achieve their conservation. We examine several of the methodologies that have been proposed for the MPACZ management and propose a comprehensive and tactical methodology for the development of strategic management procedures. The resulting method encompasses several concepts; the presence of planning and regulation zones, the analysis of the MPACZ using different scales (macro, meso, and local), and the inclusion of the people involved in the uses and regulation.     

A small core fishery:: a new approach to fisheries management

A new approach to fisheries management is suggested. Recognizing the great uncertainty and variability that affects the supply of fish, combined with the immobility of capital and labor in the industry, a small core fishery should be maintained with the capacity to catch only the quantity of fish that it would be safe to catch as the stock approaches the lower limits of its natural cycle. When fish are abundant, the excess would be auctioned to risk takers who have neither a permanent commitment to, nor multi-year fishing rights in, the fishery.