The conservation of nature is complex endeavour. My research and work is centred around general issues, which can be theoretically applied anywhere in the world. The difficulty comes when one tries to use these principals on the ground, in the local context. For example, 'no-take' marine protected areas (MPAs) are great, but how does applying this principal on the ground in Mozambique look and how are the challenges there different to the challenges in Sumatra, or anywhere else for that matter? In this blog I'll introduce you to some of the amazing places where I gathered my data, and try to give you an idea of the huge variety in place and context, while all united in a common goal of ensuring a future for coral reefs.
Watamu Marine National Park (WMNP), Kenya
Watamu was once a sleepy Swahili fishing village, halfway along Kenya's Indian Ocean coastline. Since the 1960s the town has grown with the arrival of tourism, to visit its pristine white beaches and wildlife treasures both on land and under the waves. Early on in this process, Kenya Wildlife Services (KWS), the government body concerned with conservation and national parks, recognised the importance of the reefs around Watamu and the potential for marine tourism. An area of 10km squared was gazetted as a completely protected, no extraction MPA in 1968, making it one of the oldest national parks in the world. Since its inception nearly 50 years ago, the park has provided refuge to hundreds of species, including endangered species, such as the Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas) and the Giant Grouper (Epinephelus lanceolatus). It has also been source of income for the local population through tourism revenue and the numerous opportunities this creates. The balance between conserving nature and creating revenue is never an easy, but in Watamu there are numerous charities, community groups, and businesses, such as A Rocha Kenya who I worked with for 3 years, all committed to promoting and using WMNP sustainably and for the benefit of the local people.
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| Cliffs and lagoons near Watamu village harbour |
Vamizi Island, Quirimbas Archipelago, Mozambique
The Quirimbas archipelgo in the far north of Mozambique, is made up of 32 islands, surrounded by some of the healthiest and most biodiverse coral reefs in Africa. Northern Mozambique has had turbulent recent history suffering 15 years of civil war and continuing low level violence to this day. Under such conditions, conservation efforts take low priority as people's focus is shifted to the humanitarian crises and day to day survival. Since 2005 Vamizi Island has been managed as an eco-resort focussing on high-end, low-impact tourism and since 2010 the World Wildlife Fund for nature (WWF) has been carrying out research and conservation in the area based from Vamizi. These conservation efforts are crucial considering the various pressures the reefs of Vamizi are likely to face in the 21st century, and in particular the huge oil extraction potential that is just starting to be realised in this area. Good data are now available for this area thanks to the efforts of Vamizi Lodge and WWF, and this is being used to advocate and create dialogue with the oil companies working in the area.
Kuramathi Island, Rasdhoo Atoll, Maldives
The Maldives evoke visions of paradise in many people's minds, and as a result these tiny coral islands in the middle of the Indian Ocean receive over 1 million visitors a year, dwarfing the resident population of just 300,000 people. These islands are all small, low lying and remote, formed at the edges of atoll structures, which are built entirely by coral reefs. Catering for all those Western tourists, with their fresh water consumption, food preferences and waste production, on such fragile islands is a major challenge. Hence in the Maldives, the benefits and risks of tourism to the environment need to be carefully balanced. Kuramathi Island, in Rasdhoo atoll, is relatively large island for the Maldives being nearly 2km long and is entirely developed as a resort for approximately 800 guests at any one time. The resort understands the importance of their coral reefs, not only for their guests to enjoy spectacular marine life that the Maldives are so famous for, but also for building the island, which would erode into the sea if it were not for coral growth. The island has an environmental centre, encourages responsible water sports and diving behaviour and works with researchers (including me!) to monitor the health of their reefs.
Pulau Enggano, Sumatra, Indonesia
Located 100km offshore from the mainland of Sumatra, Pulau Enggano is a remote, but relatively large island swathed in rainforest, with a tiny population of just 1500 people. Unlike the other places I have mentioned, it is not a location which receives any tourists, except the odd determined surfer, driven there to surf the perfect barrel waves which crash on the islands continuous fringing reef. People live simply, growing vegetables and fishing what ever they need from the reef. The coral is in good condition, and fish stocks are not being overtly depleted. However, change is coming fast to this region, which will not leave Enggano untouched. Already buyers on the mainland send people out to Enggano to collect rare natural resources, such as saltwater crocodile skins for making bags and boots and sea cucumbers for the Chinese market. Very little is known about the island or its coral reefs, and based on discussions with various people in the area, suggests that I was the first Western researcher to collect data about its reefs. A social enterprise called Innovare have taken interest in this area, exploring the possibility of beginning aquaculture of exportable products, to bring development to this island in a sustainable manner.
All of these places will use the data I collected during my visits for different purposes, whether that is sustainable tourism in Kuramathi or protecting the national park in Watamu. I have mentioned only 4 locations, all with very different contexts, which I hope gives you an idea of the diversity of situations and solutions in coral reef conservation.
The blog 'Aquatic Primate' is run by marine biologist, Benjamin Cowburn and is currently moonlighting as a platform for stories and media relating to the crowd funding campaign, 'Future for Coral'. Please consider supporting and following this campaign through the following media:
Platform: http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/futureforcoral/?
Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Future-for-Coral/647465975364032
Twitter: @Futureforcoral
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| Incredibly diverse coral community at Vamizi Island |
Kuramathi Island, Rasdhoo Atoll, Maldives
The Maldives evoke visions of paradise in many people's minds, and as a result these tiny coral islands in the middle of the Indian Ocean receive over 1 million visitors a year, dwarfing the resident population of just 300,000 people. These islands are all small, low lying and remote, formed at the edges of atoll structures, which are built entirely by coral reefs. Catering for all those Western tourists, with their fresh water consumption, food preferences and waste production, on such fragile islands is a major challenge. Hence in the Maldives, the benefits and risks of tourism to the environment need to be carefully balanced. Kuramathi Island, in Rasdhoo atoll, is relatively large island for the Maldives being nearly 2km long and is entirely developed as a resort for approximately 800 guests at any one time. The resort understands the importance of their coral reefs, not only for their guests to enjoy spectacular marine life that the Maldives are so famous for, but also for building the island, which would erode into the sea if it were not for coral growth. The island has an environmental centre, encourages responsible water sports and diving behaviour and works with researchers (including me!) to monitor the health of their reefs.
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| Typical Maldivian islands, small, low-lying and remote |
Pulau Enggano, Sumatra, Indonesia
Located 100km offshore from the mainland of Sumatra, Pulau Enggano is a remote, but relatively large island swathed in rainforest, with a tiny population of just 1500 people. Unlike the other places I have mentioned, it is not a location which receives any tourists, except the odd determined surfer, driven there to surf the perfect barrel waves which crash on the islands continuous fringing reef. People live simply, growing vegetables and fishing what ever they need from the reef. The coral is in good condition, and fish stocks are not being overtly depleted. However, change is coming fast to this region, which will not leave Enggano untouched. Already buyers on the mainland send people out to Enggano to collect rare natural resources, such as saltwater crocodile skins for making bags and boots and sea cucumbers for the Chinese market. Very little is known about the island or its coral reefs, and based on discussions with various people in the area, suggests that I was the first Western researcher to collect data about its reefs. A social enterprise called Innovare have taken interest in this area, exploring the possibility of beginning aquaculture of exportable products, to bring development to this island in a sustainable manner.
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| My host grandma in Enggano cooking rabbitfish on an open stove |
The blog 'Aquatic Primate' is run by marine biologist, Benjamin Cowburn and is currently moonlighting as a platform for stories and media relating to the crowd funding campaign, 'Future for Coral'. Please consider supporting and following this campaign through the following media:
Platform: http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/futureforcoral/?
Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Future-for-Coral/647465975364032
Twitter: @Futureforcoral
