Introduction
Marine protected Areas are closed parts of the ocean, set aside and protected so as to preserve different species of fish. These areas are increasingly being used as a tool to conserve and manage fish populations in many areas of the world. Marine systems, even though they face an existential threat in the form of such stressors as habitat degradation and overfishing, are very valuable, and this warrants their protection ( Caselle, 2014 ).
The main justification for the creation of MPAs (Marine Protected areas) is that when fish is reserved, it grows larger, which leads to an increase in larval supply, necessary for maintaining a good amount of fish within marine waters. There is a lot of ongoing research on how best Marine protected areas can be used as a long-term tool to conserve fish. The fish population in a given MPA may either increase or decline. Several factors such as climate change and human activities have had great impact on the performance and survival of different fish species and populations even within MPAs.
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Human activities such as the destruction of habitats, increased pollution, and contribution to global warming have resulted to the decline of fish populations in Marine Areas, thus the need for the protection of fish diversity. The implementation of MPAs within a network is solidly dependent on the biodiversity goals of the scientific advisory board and the stockholders. Principle considerations such as goals of a MPAs network, human restrictions to the site and to what degree the restrictions apply are critical before any establishment of MPAs begins.
The success of any Marine Protected Area is determined by the level of enforcement, degree of protection, the age and size of the fish populations, and also by its proximity to the areas having a good number of fish. The level of threat to MPAs can also determine its success. The threat may be from within the MPA or from outside and how the management board mitigates them is central to whether or not any damage is incurred as a result of the same. The community around the MPAs should also accept the project for it to be effective. The tool of assessment on the effectiveness of MPAs by the community is whether it boosts fish numbers ( Kirlin, 2013 ). The benefits that MPAs should provide to the fisheries include the improvement of fish production, the protection of habitat, and allowing spillover and the recovery of fishing grounds after a catastrophe. California marine waters were facing an alarming rate of overfishing prompting the need for the creation of reserves. This article discusses the significance of MPAs in California, and how they have successively affected the fish population in the marine waters within the same area.
Body
The state of California has established over 100 Marine protected areas, covering about 16% of the state’s marine waters under massive input from stakeholders and scientists as a response to the concerns of overfishing, perpetrated by recreational and commercial fishers at around the same area. In the past, there has been a battle between recreational and commercial fishers over the management of fish in the marine waters around the state. This battle did even worsen when the state formed federal and state policies, giving MPAs mandate to maintain and control Californian fisheries. The network of MPAs in California was also designed to achieve the socioeconomic goals set by the stockholders ( Paddack & Estes, 2000 ).
The MPAs in the state have been very effective in the region. There is substantial weight of evidence to prove their success in as far as increases in fish populations is concerned. About 109 commercial fishermen were interviewed in 2005, meaning full data on commercial fishing was derived. The fishermen were asked to locate their fishing grounds on electronic nautical maps, with the help of a geographical information systems and some experts. The fishermen were asked to explain the relative importance of these fishing grounds in terms of size and number of fish caught, the species and the ease of catching them. Given the information, a comparison was done between the reserves and the habitat outside and adjacent to them. The research showed that the reserves contained more abundant and larger fish species as compared to the areas outside them. Pt. Lobos and Hopkins reserves have a higher population of fish with greater size than adjacent areas, right outside them ( Paddack & Estes, 2000 ).
Although there is no distinct marked difference between the outside and inside of Big Creek Ecological Reserve, the differences are expected to be seen in a few more years. The differences have not as of yet been observed because the reserve protects rockfishes which have slow growth and maturity periods. The fact that there are low fishing activities on that region of the coast could also explain the differences. Many rockfish species off the coast of California from the continental slope to near shore reefs were previously, in the 1970s, under-utilized. In the 1990s the species had been declared overexploited. Upon the creation of MPAs, the reproductive capability of black-and-yellow rockfish in two little reserves in Monterey Bay was greater compared to nearby areas, which had continued to support fishing activity. This improved reproductive potential was as a result of the larger rockfish inside the reserve which were protected from being fished.
The increase in population of fish has been contributed to by several factors. Scientists have discovered that bigger, older fertile female fish produce more and better eggs than the younger ones. Every MPA, therefore strives to create a conducive environment, one in which the fingerlings can preferably grow to maturity. The State has a good stock management system which ensures protection of fish through all life cycle stages. The system also protects critical nursery, spawning and feeding grounds which are necessary for the survival of fish. The protection of depleted stocks together with their habitat during the recovery process is something the network takes serious to ensure there is no decline in the numbers of fish ( Kirlin, 2013 ).
The management of these MPAs has strategically located sites for the settlement and growth of juveniles, which spill over when mature to adjacent waters. The protection of spawning grounds reduces mortality. More offspring are produced because more adults are able to reproduce. Scientists also suggest that there is more likelihood for offspring of older fish to survive, compared to the offspring of smaller fish ( Paddack & Estes, 2000 ).
The existing MPAs in California control the fishing done by both commercial and recreational fishers. They usually protect the endangered species that are targets for most fishers. MPA management teams have deployed rules and regulation which are meant to be abided by. The protection of fisheries ensures an abundance of sizeable fish populations within them.
MPAs in the region aid in the exportation of larvae and spillover of adults to other fishing areas around. There has not been any reliable method to estimate the amount of larval production and emigration of fish outside the MPAs. Although there are some few models that have been developed that explain how the MPAs in contribute to these activities.
The MPAs also restrict oil and gas mining activities within the region. This aims at curbing the problem of water pollution, as this usually negatively affects fish populations in terms of their growth and mortality. In some MPAs, restrictions are even placed on ship transit, as this may cause disturbances, stressing out to the fish. This has been significant in maintaining the population within and outside the reserve.
Even though the MPAs in California have made an effort towards ensuring abundance of different fish species, they face a challenge of climatic changes which is at times is beyond their ability to curb. Factors such as change of temperature and current have caused a decline in the population of fish in the region ( Jentoft, van Son, & Bjørkan, 2007 ).
The State recently revised their existing MPAs and expanded their network to one of the largest in the United States. This will ensure more large areas of the marine are conserved resulting to increase in the population of the fish if it’s accompanied by a good management system.
Conclusion
Although the MPAs in California have shown a tremendous success there is need for an extensive and intensive research on the best ways to protect the biodiversity and population of fish in its marine belt. This is because the system still faces some problems. One of the main problems is that there exist small MPAs that are managed and controlled in isolation. To manage these reserves in the future there need to be spatial relationships between them so that they can form a large integrated centralized management system. Scientific guidelines need to be taken seriously for the MPAs especially in major decision making situations in order to be more successful in future.
There is also need to establish an effective management system which strictly enforces the California’s Marine Life Protection Act of 1999. The goals of the Act were developed by stockholders together with Marine biological scientists. They aim at protecting biodiversity, improving recreational and educational opportunities and preserving the areas natural heritage. It’s the hope of many that the Act will continue to serve as a guideline to the activities of the community as well as the officials in charge of the MPAs ( Paddack & Estes, 2000 ). The management should continue to combat fishing pressure, pollution and climate changes for the future of the fish in existence inside the MPAs. These will all ensure a steady growth in the population of fish as well as its ecosystem diversity.
References
Caselle, J. E. (2014). Marine protected area networks in California, USA. Marine Managed Areas and Fisheries , 69 , 205.
Jentoft, S., van Son, T. C., & Bjørkan, M. (2007). Marine protected areas: a governance system analysis. Human Ecology , 35 (5), 611-622.
Kirlin, J., Caldwell, M., Gleason, M., Weber, M., Ugoretz, J., Fox, E., & Miller-Henson, M. (2013). California's Marine Life Protection Act Initiative: supporting implementation of legislation establishing a statewide network of marine protected areas. Ocean & coastal management , 74 , 3-13.
Paddack, M. J., & Estes, J. A. (2000). Kelp forest fish populations in marine reserves and adjacent exploited areas of central California. Ecological Applications , 10 (3), 855-870.
