CalOceans News

Fisheries benefits convert marine reserve skeptics

Supporters of smart ocean conservation have long known that marine reserves and protected areas deliver a multitude of benefits – ecologically and economically. Yet opponents of the Marine Life Protection Act continue to portray the issue as Us versus Them, where those in the fishing industry stand to either win or lose based on the level of protections put into place. We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: simply not true.

Case in point: the marine reserves around overfished coral reefs in Kenya, where Dr. Tim McClanahan, a marine biologist at the Wildlife Conservation Society, has been tracking the increasing number of fish local fishermen are catching along the border of the reserve. Contrary to expectations, the incomes of the nearby fishermen doubled within a year of the introduction of these reserves.  Previously vocal opponents of marine reserves, the fishermen have become vocal supporters of additional reserves.

You can read and hear about it here.

We’ve seen similar success at other reserves around the world, including close to home at the Channel Islands. We at CalOceans love to hear – and share – these success stories, which encourage us to continue in our efforts to secure California’s long-term health through the MLPA.

• Tags:
• marine reserves
• Marine Protected Areas
• fisheries benefits
• fishing profits
• mpa
• smr