International Marine Protected Areas Congress (IMPAC)

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9-Feb-2023: International Marine Protected Areas Congress (IMPAC) was held in Canada

5th International Marine Protected Areas Congress was held in Canada with the theme "Marine Protected Areas: A Global Call to Action." It aimed to address the Funding Gap of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs).

Highlights of the Meet

  • Sustainable and Resilient MPA networks
  • 70% of MPAs are underfunded
  • Well-managed and sufficiently funded MPA can restore good health to vulnerable ecosystems
  • Achieving sustainable and resilient MPA networks depends on an overall commitment to protection, leadership, engagement from stakeholders, institutions, governments, and organizations, Indigenous peoples, coastal communities, and individuals in an inclusive and equitable manner to advance ocean protection
  • IMPAC5 provides a forum for sharing knowledge, successes, and best practices in an open and respectful environment for the exchanging of ideas among a diversity of views

Significance of MPAs

  • Can generate sustainable revenues for their own management
  • Revenue can be generated from statutory and non-statutory MPA fees for tourism programs, blue carbon credits generated from mangrove conservation and avoided deforestation as well as seaweed farming and sustainable coastal fisheries

Marine Protected Areas

  • Designated areas of the ocean set aside for the protection and conservation of marine ecosystems and their biodiversity
  • Certain activities are limited or entirely prohibited to meet specific conservation, habitat protection, ecosystem monitoring or fisheries management objectives
  • MPAs do not necessarily exclude fishing, research or other human activities; in fact, many MPAs are multi-purpose areas.

Need for Establishing MPAs:

Biodiversity conservation

  • Preserves marine species and habitats
  • Maintains delicate balance of ecosystems
  • Supports food and oxygen production

Sustainable fisheries

  • Regulates fishing activities
  • Prevents overfishing
  • Ensures healthy fish populations

Climate change mitigation

  • Serves as carbon sinks
  • Absorbs and stores carbon dioxide
  • Mitigates impacts on marine ecosystems

Research and education

  • Provides opportunities for scientific research
  • Increases understanding of marine environment
  • Promotes ocean literacy

Economic benefits

  • Attracts tourists
  • Provides opportunities for sustainable tourism and recreation
  • Supports local fishing communities

Treaties, conventions, and agreements:

Agreement on the Conservation of Cetaceans of the Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea and Contiguous Atlantic Area

  • Establishes network of specially protected areas for cetaceans
  • Prohibits deliberate killing of cetaceans in national waters

Bern Convention

  • Formulated under European Community Council in 1979 and in force since 1982.
  • Covers European states

CITES

  • Formulated under UNEP  in 1973, Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) has been in force since 1975 and has worldwide application.
  • Regulates international trade of species listed on three appendices

EU Habitats Directive

  • Formulated by European Community Council in 1992.
  • Applies to all EU states, including the Azores and Madeira (part of Portugal) and the Canary Islands.

CCAMLR

  • Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources(CCAMLR) is a multilateral response to concerns about unregulated krill catches in Southern Ocean. Unregulated krill catches are detrimental for Antarctic marine ecosystems particularly for seabirds, seals, whales and fish that depend on krill for food.

Marine Protected Areas in India:

  • MPAs cover less than 4.01% of total area of all Protected Areas of India
  • There are 33 national parks and wildlife sanctuaries designated under Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972
  • But only 31 MPAs in total, because,
    • Marine National Park and Marine Sanctuary in the Gulf of Kutch form one unit and
    • Bhitarkanika National Park and Bhitarkanika Sanctuary are an integral part of one MPA.

IMPAC:

  • International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and a chosen host country collaborate on congresses.
  • Brings together scientists, policy makers, practitioners, and stakeholders from around the world.
  • Discusses latest scientific knowledge, best practices, and challenges in MPA management.
  • Goal is to advance conservation and sustainable use of world's marine biodiversity.
  • Supports implementation of United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity's goals for marine conservation and management.

International Marine Protected Areas Congress (IMPAC) in the past:

  • The first IMPAC was held in 2005 in Geelong, Australia. Theme: "Linking Science to Management and Community."
  • The second IMPAC was held in 2009 in Washington D.C., USA. Theme - "Climate Change and the Oceans."
  • The third IMPAC was held in 2013 in Marseille, France. Theme - "Marine Protected Areas: What Works Best and How Do We Know?"
  • The fourth IMPAC was held in 2017 in La Serena – Coquimbo, Chile. Theme - "Marine Protected Areas: Bringing the People and the Ocean Together."