2010-01-23
Marine Biodiversity
- Scientists know that the triangle surrounded by the Philippines, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea is the world’s most richest sea in marine bio-diversity.
- The current project maintains research fields in Fiji, Samoa, Vanuatu, Hawaii, New Zealand, and Okinawa, and they are located in this region in the Pacific.
- The course is composed of four parts: (1) Marine Biodiversity which look at the geographic distribution of marine species and a glance at the underwater world; (2) Marine resources, both inshore and offshore, (3) Fisheries production in Pacific Island countries, and (4) Fisheries-environment issue. Thus, it provides a bridge between fish identification and details studies on the one hand and sustainable fisheries on the other.
Posted in Marine Biodiversity, Marine Ecosystem, Outline | Comments Closed
Acknowledgement
Underwater photos and field research for this portion are by Keio University Uno Lab. for a research project “Development of e-Learning Modules integrating Field Research”, Keio University Educational and Academic Information Database Development, Special Grant-in-Aid from the Private University Current Expenditure Subsidies, 2004-2007.
“The Indo-Pacific region is universally acknowledged as the world’s richest province for marine biodiversity. It harbours more marine creatures than any other region on the globe. The centre or “heart” of Indo-Pacific biodiversity is sometimes referred to as the “coral triangle”, the region comprised mainly of Indonesia, Philippines, and New Guinea. The marine biodiversity Source: Gerard R. Allen and Roger Steene, Indo-Pacific Coral Reef Field Guide, Tropical Reef Research, 2002
Posted in 1.Marine Biodiversity, Marine Biodiversity, Marine Ecosystem | Comments Closed
Acknowledgement
This portion is attributable to Leon Zann,
Inshore
INSHORE HABITATS:
- rivers, estuaries, mangroves, lagoons, coral reefs
- Support edible and medicinal algae, plants
- Invertebrates (molluscs, crustaceans, sea urchins, beche-de-mer etc)
- Fish 1000 species, baitfish, lagoons, corals.
Source: Leon Zann,Sustainable Fisheries in South
Pacific: Issues and Future Directions 2005.
Offshore
OFFSHORE HABITATS:seafloor (very deep) and ocean body
- Pelagic surface, fish (tunas, billfish etc)
- Pelagic species amongst the worlds greatest fisheries.
- Tunas most important US$2 billion pa
- Highly migratory species, travel to areas of high productivity.
- Strong influence of ENSO.
Posted in 2. Marine Resources, Marine Biodiversity, Marine Ecosystem | Comments Closed
INSHORE REEF FISHERIES:
- urban and many rural areas declining catches
- Some species collapsed (giant clams extinct in some islands; Maori wrasse fish threatened)
- Reasons: overfishing, decline in water quality, pollution, loss of juvenile habitats etc
OFFSHORE FISHERIES:
- Generally sustained, skipjack tuna largest, under-fished; yellowfin generally sustained (decline in large sizes)
Posted in 2. Marine Resources, Marine Biodiversity, Marine Ecosystem, Status of PIC Fisheries | Comments Closed
(1) Traditional/subsistence fisheries
- Seafood essential for survival of Pacific Islanders
- Seafood protein staple (90% protein)
- Pacific Islanders maritime people, fishing/maritime cultures
- Many species exploited, many fishing techniques, great traditional knowledge
- Traditionally tribal, with land and sea estates (Fiji: ‘Vanua’)
- Still important in many PICs, in outer islands, rural areas (eg 40% indigenous Fijians, 85% rural I-Kiribati)
- Food security essential
(2) Recreational fisheries
- Important in developed countries, urban communities, tourism
- Focus is ‘enjoyment’ (angling, sportsfishing)
- Cultural connection in PICs
- Many techniques, gears
- High cost, low returns (focus on biggest species)
- Economically very important (e.g. $2-3 billion pa in Australia)
(3) Artisanal, small scale commercial fisheries
- Commercial, small-scale, owner-operated
- Local control
- Small boats, low cost, ice boxes (eg skiffs+outboards)
- Inshore focus, reef and lagoonal species etc
- Gears: gillnets, baited lines
- Supply urban demand
- Diverse catch (many species)
- Small quantities but many fishers, boats
- Often fish in traditional waters, compete with subsistence fishers
(4) Industrial, large scale commercial fisheries
- Commercial, large-scale, high cost, company operated
- Foreign controlled
- Large vessels, professional crew, high costs, high operational costs
- Offshore focus, tunas and billfish
- Gears: mass capture techniques (nets, trawls etc), freezers, ship-based processing
- Export focus, high volume, high value
- Fewer vessels, very efficient, high mobility
- Fish in PIC Exclusive Economic Zones
Posted in 2. Marine Resources, Marine Biodiversity, Marine Ecosystem, Types of Fisheries | Comments Closed
Limits of Biodiversity-based Approach
- Environment issues in relation to fisheries in the Pacific Islands region are usually analyzed using a biodiversity-based – by singling out a few species or groups of species and looking at the impact of fisheries upon them. We prefer to look at the interaction from a different angle, taking a policy-based approach.
- Some of the points identified as issues/problems include:
- Need for better understanding between fisheries and environment administrations:
Most Pacific Islands countries did not have discrete fisheries department until 1950s or 1960s; Environment administrations are even newer.
- Uncertainty of actual ecological status of target and non-target fishery-affected population.
- Lack of consideration of impacts on fisheries from land-based impacts.
- Taking social issues into account in applying the ecosystem approach to fisheries in maritime communities: not about the jurisdiction for no-take Marine Protected Area, but about improving the management of areas where fishing is intended to remain a source of food and income.
Source: Tim Adams,Fisheries-Environment Issue in the Pacific 2006
Posted in 4.Fisheries-Environment Issuee, Marine Biodiversity, Marine Ecosystem | Comments Closed
- Asian Development Bank, Pacific Region Environmental Strategy 2005-2009, 2004.
- Gerald R. Allen and Roger Steene, Indo-Pacific Coral Reef Field Guide, Tropical Fish Research, 2002.
- Gerald Allen, et al., Reef Fish Identification, Tropical Pacific. ???
- Leon Zann, “Sustainable Fisheries in South Pacific; Issues and Future Directions”, Asia Pacific Initiative Joint Lecture Series, 2005.
- David Gulko and Karen Eckert, Sea Turtles: An Ecological Guide, Mutual Publishing, 2003.
- Casey & Astrid Witte Mahaney, Diving & Snorkeling Hawaii, Lonely Planet Publications, 2000.
- Hidemitsu Etsu, Okinawa Fishes in Island Dialect (Shimakotobade Wakaru Okinawa Sakana Zukan), Okinawa Marin Shuppan, 2002.
- Tim Adams, “Fisheries-Environment Issues in the Pacific”, Paper submitted to workshop and symposium on Collaboration for sustainable Development of the Pacific Islands: Towards Effective e-Learning systems on Environment, Okinawa, 2006.
- Studio Umi, Poison and Bombs, Asia’s Oceans (1), with DVD, 2004
Posted in Marine Biodiversity, Marine Ecosystem, References | Comments Closed
