South Africa is currently proclaiming a Marine Protected Area (MPA) in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of its sub-Antarctic Prince Edward Islands. The objectives of the MPA are to: 1) contribute to a national and global representative system of MPAs 2) serve as a scientific reference point to inform future management 3) contribute to the recovery of the Patagonian toothfish (Dissostichus eleginoides) 4) reduce the bird bycatch of the toothfish fishery, particularly of albatrosses and petrels. This study employs systematic conservation planning methods to delineate a MPAwithin the EEZ that will conserve biodiversity patterns and processes within sensible management boundaries, while minimizing conflict with the legal toothfish fishery.
C-Plan software was used to delineate a MPA with three management zones: four IUCN Category Ia reserves (13% of EEZ); two Conservation Zones (21% of EEZ); and three Category IV reserves (remainder of EEZ).
The MPA design proceeded in three steps using C-Plan. In Step 1 they identified four zones as equivalent to Strict Nature Reserves. Each of these was representative of one of the four broad-scale habitats, and many of the targets in the targets table as possible. Boundary lines were straight, and connected points on exact degrees and minutes (i.e. no seconds). Areas of more recent legal fishing activity were avoided where possible (i.e. where choices existed between planning units that contributed equally to targets). This led to four outlines for reserves. In Step 2, they connected the four reserves from Step 1with straight lines, to incorporate the three movement axes defined by the highest values of the bird and elephant seal habitat utilization data. Again, they attempted to avoid areas of more recent fishing activity where choices existed. Because the Category Ia reserves were placed in areas that also maximized targets for frontal zone average positions, the axes also incorporated the areas of variability of the frontal positions. Areas within these axes were defined as Conservation Zones and were not given an IUCN category because their exact management status is still under consideration. Together with the Category Ia reserves, the Conservation Zones met all the flexible process targets. At this point, the only targets that were not met by Steps 1 and 2 were those for fish, benthic habitats, and seamounts. In Step 3, they assigned all planning units that had > 90% of their areas within the proposed Step 1 and 2 reserves to the "reserved" status within C-Plan. They then calculated the contribution of all remaining planning units to meeting outstanding targets. The planning units identified by Step 3, along with the proposed Category Ia reserves and Conservation Zones, met all the benthic habitat targets.
The aim was to meet the four objectives by designing a MPA for the Prince Edward Islands EEZ that will: 1) conserve representative areas of biodiversity patterns (species and ecosystems) while simultaneously conserving biodiversity processes (e.g. foraging grounds, nutrient cycles) 2) avoid conflict with the fishing industry where possible 3) have sensible marine management boundaries. The study followed a systematic conservation planning approach that collated all available information on biodiversity patterns and processes. Despite the previous extensive scientific research, continuous spatial information that covers the entire EEZ is limited, and a number of different organizations and institutions maintain existing datasets. In addition to providing a central location within the appropriate Government agency for all existing data, our study also forms a spatial planning framework for future developments of MPAdesign.
The aim was to meet the four objectives by designing a MPA for the Prince Edward Islands EEZ that will: 1) conserve representative areas of biodiversity patterns (species and ecosystems) while simultaneously conserving biodiversity processes (e.g. foraging grounds, nutrient cycles) 2) avoid conflict with the fishing industry where possible 3) have sensible marine management boundaries. The study followed a systematic conservation planning approach that collated all available information on biodiversity patterns and processes. Despite the previous extensive scientific research, continuous spatial information that covers the entire EEZ is limited, and a number of different organizations and institutions maintain existing datasets. In addition to providing a central location within the appropriate Government agency for all existing data, our study also forms a spatial planning framework for future developments of MPAdesign.
Study recommends: 1. The establishment of four IUCN Category Ia reserves to meet biodiversity targets, and for the recovery of the Patagonian toothfish fishery. 2. These four Category Ia reserves be connected via the Conservation Zones indicated, in order to meet process targets (foraging grounds of top predators and oceanic frontal zones), and the long-term recovery of the toothfish fishery. 3. The rest of the EEZ be managed as an IUCN Category IV reserve, in accordance with CCAMLR proposals. 4. In order to detect climate changes that may impact the boundaries of the proposed MPA, sea surface temperatures and shifts in the position of the major frontal systems to the north and south of the islands be monitored. 5. In order to detect biotic responses to climate change, pelagic phyto- and zooplankton, and fish communities, and foraging patterns of birds and seals be monitored.
The MPA boundaries proposed here may need to be changed in the future to accommodate shifting processes, and these changes may also be driven by new data becoming available. To be effective, the 50 A.T. LOMBARD et al. MPA needs to be nested within an effective broader (and non-spatial) management framework for the Islands EEZ and the broader region. Marine ecosystems of the Prince Edward Islands are partially reliant on ecosystem processes that occur outside the EEZ, either within the Crozet Islands EEZ or on the High Seas (but within the CCAMLR area of jurisdiction).
Lombard et al. Conserving pattern and process in the Southern Ocean: designing a Marine Protected Area for the Prince Edward Islands. Antarctic Science 19 (1), 39:54. 2007.
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