MARINE PROTECTED AREAS DASHBOARD

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1 MARINE PROTECTED AREAS DASHBOARD

2 Pacific Ocean 18 Pilot sites for marine protected areas dashboard Clipperton French Polynesia 12 9 Saint-Pierre and Miquelon 21 French West Indies 13 French Guiana Atlantic Ocean 2 Crozet islands Indian Ocean Saint-Paul and Amsterdam islands Kerguelen islands Paris Wallis and Futuna 22 New Caledonia Marine nature parks Iroise Mayotte Golfe du Lion Estuaires picards et mer d Opale National nature reserves Baie de Saint Brieuc Moëze-Oléron Estuaire de la Seine Sept-Iles Îles de la Petite Terre La Réunion Cerbère-Banyuls Saint-Martin Cartagena special protected area 13 Agoa Natura 2000 sites Posidonies du cap d Agde Archipel des Glénans Specially protected area of mediterranean importance 16 Côte bleue Corsican nature reserve 17 Bouches de Bonifacio Management plan of the maritime area (French Polynesia) 18 Moorea Austral Ocean National parks Port-Cros Calanques Guadeloupe Waters under French jurisdiction Nature reserves & area of sustainable management of the resources 22 Grand Nouméa 2 > MARINE PROTECTED AREAS DASHBOARD

3 Foreword As soon as they are established, marine protected areas have the responsibility for effectively protecting the marine environment. As a result of their legal status, some marine protected areas may have broader goals, extending beyond nature conservation, such as sustainably developing professional or leisure activities, or preserving cultural heritage or a maritime identity. Alone, a marine protected area (MPA) has a local, and limited, range of action. Marine environment conservation must be addressed on several scales local, regional and national hence the importance of creating a coherent, representative and effective network of MPAs. Maritime nations have a major responsibility in these matters. Being the world s second-largest maritime nation after the USA, with seas spanning 11 million km² mainly in the nation s overseas territories, France is conducting a pro-active policy to establish MPA in its waters. It thus seeks to meet the international commitments made under the Convention on biological diversity, aiming to create a coherent, representative and effective MPA network across 20% of French waters by The development of this network draws on the strong political impetus given by the French Ministry for Ecology, Sustainable Development and Energy and relies on one of its national public entities, the French Marine Protected Areas Agency (Agence des aires marines protégées). The need to assess public policies, including nature conservation policies, is a priority for the French government. The policy for the creation and management of marine protected areas requires significant human and financial resources. How can we assess whether an MPA network effectively protects a nation s marine environment? On a local scale, how can we assess whether a marine protected area achieves the goals set when it was established? How should we report the results? How should the management measures be adapted in consequence? To answer these questions, the French MPA Agency is mandated by the Ministry for Ecology with developing the marine protected areas dashboard. This political, technical and scientific project aims to evaluate the individual effectiveness of each marine protected area and to contribute to national assessment of France s network. In this context, it must provide tools that the various French MPAs can share, i.e. methodologies, harmonised monitoring systems and indicators, IT tools and communication and training material. The project began in 2007 with several mainland and overseas pilot marine protected areas (marine nature parks, national nature reserves, national parks, Natura 2000 sites, etc.) which volunteered to take part in and contribute to this emerging study that involves MPA managers, Government services and scientific organisations. We must therefore report to the population on the results of the actions undertaken and assess the extent to which long-term goals have been achieved. MARINE PROTECTED AREAS DASHBOARD > 3

4 Assessment: a core component of management The French Marine Protected Areas Agency was established in 2006, particularly to define and implement an ambitious strategy to create and manage France s marine protected areas. Developing a national assessment process, the MPA dashboard, is an integral part of this strategy. The first step consists in developing dashboards in each French MPA. The Agency must be able to assess the effectiveness of MPAs that it manages directly, such as marine nature parks or Natura 2000 sites, and provide technical support for the assessment of MPAs managed by other entities. A new culture Assessment is still insufficient in the management of French MPAs and until now, focused mainly on efforts, resources implemented or action undertaken. Management plans included long-term goals that were too global and difficult to assess. The rollout of dashboards brings a new culture: reporting on the results achieved compared to the goals set for the MPA. This approach thus integrates assessment right from the start, i.e. from the drafting of the management plan, the document that structures the MPA s long-term policy. The management plan must include monitoring systems, results indicators and means for assessing the effectiveness of measures taken. Assessment thus becomes a core component in the drafting and interpretation of the MPA s management plan. To support this change, secure acceptance of the assessment process and develop technical cooperation within the French MPA network, the work carried out and the partnership with the pilot MPAs are essential. A governance challenge for MPAs Whether public or private, MPA funding is a strategic issue at every level, be it global, national or local. Managers are accountable for MPA effectiveness to their authorities and financial backers but also to users who are reluctant to accept new requirements or restrictions without knowing «whether it s worthwhile». This also influences the establishment of an MPA which will be justified on the basis of the positive results and benefits delivered by existing MPAs. The dashboard of a marine protected area guarantees transparent MPA management. By clarifying the targets to be achieved and the results obtained, it allows short- and medium-term management priorities to be defined. It also fits into national and European initiatives undertaken to assess marine environment ecological status. Note that some confusion still remains between management plan (a long-term projection of the expected results of the MPA, over approximately fifteen years) and action plan which sets out the management measures taken in the short-term, often over one year. The 7 key steps of a dashboard The dashboard of a marine protected area is built via a sequence of 7 interdependent steps: 1. Defining and quantifying the MPA s long-term goals (responsibility, expected results and targets to be reached in 15 years time); 2. Defining indicators to achieve the expected results identified in step 1; 3. Analysis and summary of the monitoring systems implemented in the MPA and those to be developed to calculate the indicators identified in step 2; 4. Analysis and summary of the databases and reference standards used by the manager to secure the data of the monitoring systems identified in step 3; 5. Implementing, upgrading or securing the IT tools used to analyse and process data to facilitate indicator calculation; 6. Review and audit of the dashboard developed by the manager following the five steps above (analysis of inconsistencies, gaps, needs, costs, etc.); 7. Developing communication interfaces to report on the dashboard results to decision-makers, users, the general public (pictures, pictograms); 4 > MARINE PROTECTED AREAS DASHBOARD

5 A national, continuous programme The French Marine Protected Areas Agency coordinates a continuous action programme to help MPA managers steadily develop their dashboard. Ongoing coordination work is done with managers to capitalize on feedback and help create a common assessment culture within the French network. Managers are given individual methodology support. Partnerships are formed with scientific organisations to set up inter-site indicators and/or monitoring systems, by pooling the requirements identified at regional level. Special attention is paid to human and social sciences which are often overlooked. Operational indicators are detailed and made available to managers in a national catalogue. Interoperable databases are being secured or set up to manage the data required for the dashboards, along with IT tools to calculate indicators. Emphasis is also placed on developing shared educational communication material for the general public and governing bodies. Focus on Iroise Marine Nature Park The following pages present the dashboard of the Iroise Marine Nature Park (Parc naturel marin d Iroise) established in 2007 in the West of France and covering a marine area of 3,500 km². The Park pursues goals relating to marine environment knowledge and conservation, as well as sustainable development of maritime activities. Its dashboard thus covers results indicators in all of the Park s areas of responsibility: natural heritage, fishing and other harvesting activities, water quality, water sports and tourism, education and cultural heritage. The dashboard is a vital tool for monitoring and steering the Park s management. The indicators are completed according to precise specifications using detailed protocols and calculations. Data is fed into interoperable databases and made available to the general public. Entering information in the dashboard accounts for a significant portion of the annual budget (10%) and achievement of all the long-term goals (15 years) must be assessed. Every year since 2012, the Park has published version of its technical dashboard for the general public. The originality lies in its deliberately simplified and educational form. The indicators are presented as pictures showing elements of the Park s maritime identity and seascapes. Each indicator is represented by a pictogram and the status is indicated by a colour. This educational focus reflects an ambition to communicate the results to as broad a public as possible, starting with users and inhabitants of the Park s coastal towns. This simplified version is nonetheless underpinned by a substantiated scientific basis. In this document, we have decided to present the results of the park s dashboard for 2013, illustrating two of the input topics: natural heritage and fishing. MARINE PROTECTED AREAS DASHBOARD > 5

6 Natural heritage The aim of the Iroise Marine Nature Park is to protect its outstanding natural heritage, by ensuring good conservation of protected, rare or endangered species and their habitats. Achievement of this aim is measured each year using 17 indicators designed to assess the conservation status of habitats and species found in the Iroise Marine Nature Park and for which it has responsibility as part of its management. Almost all of the natural heritage indicators were measured in The results obtained are shown below for two of its major habitats, the fields of boulders and maerl beds, and three key species, the grey seal, the common ringed plover and the Eurasian oystercatcher (two species of breeding seabird). Fields of boulders: the respectful behaviour The fields of boulders are monitored during the spring and autumn tides, when on-shore fishing activities are the most intense. Recreational fishermen disturb and endanger this habitat s conservation status when they overturn the boulders and do not put them back to their initial position. The indicator of the habitat s conservation status is based on visual evidence of boulder overturning measured at two sites where visitor numbers are different. In 2013, the indicator showed a good conservation status at the busiest site, despite the high number of fishermen visiting it. If this trend is confirmed over the medium term, this will demonstrate the effectiveness of the measures proposed by the Park s management board: regulation of recreational on-shore fishing on the insular deposits, regular awareness and surveillance actions carried out by field workers. The field of boulders at the less visited site is in very good condition as it is naturally protected by the fact that it is difficult to reach. Maerl beds: slowly regenerating Maerl beds form a highly sensitive key habitat which was greatly impacted by harvesting until 2010, when maerl extraction in the Iroise Sea was stopped. In 2013, the indicator was still red, pointing to the habitat s poor conservation status. It will take several years to grow back and reach a satisfactory condition. Breeding seabirds: protection and awareness measures The indicator relative to the conservation of breeding seabirds in the Park is based in part on the number of breeding couples found on the upper foreshore and is calculated on the basis of two species, the common ringed plover and the Eurasian oystercatcher. As the status of this indicator has been relatively poor for several years, action is taken every year to protect the colonies and raise awareness in order to put an end to the disturbance of seabirds breeding in the Park. This dashboard indicator also contributes to assessing the conservation status of these populations on a bio-geographical scale. Grey seal: a trend to be confirmed The grey seal indicator is calculated on the average number of individuals present on the resting areas in the Molène archipelago, an important site for this species during its moulting period. The indicator has gone from «good» to «bad», but negative conclusions should not necessarily be drawn. Numbers did indeed drop slightly between 2011 and But as this species is mobile, a series of data over the long term is needed to confirm the trend observed. In 2014, the resumption and update of the photo-identification catalogue will provide more precise data, particularly about the population dynamics. 6 > MARINE PROTECTED AREAS DASHBOARD

7 Other breeding birds Iroise Marine Nature Park dashboard Breeding seabirds Fields of boulders Birds at sea Birds associated with the foreshore Intertidal macro algae Eroding loose coastline Subtidal seagrass beds Bottlenose dolphin Small cetaceans Maerl beds Intertidal sand Subtidal soft bottom Grey seal Subtidal macro algae Indicator status unspecified very good good middle bad very bad improvement stability decrease MARINE PROTECTED AREAS DASHBOARD > 7

8 Fishing One of the other major goals of the Iroise Marine Nature Park is the sustainable management of fishing and fishery resources and the sustainable development of economic activities. The Park thus supports professional near-shore fishing and maritime activities on the islands. In the Iroise Marine Nature Park, fishing, whether professional or recreational, is a major activity; it plays a central role in the area s economy, and is both socially and culturally significant. Approximately 280 vessels fish on a full or part-time basis in the Park, mostly small boats of less than 12 metres. These small fishing vessels are highly multi-functional and can fish using nets, pots and hooks. A global approach Striking the right balance between marine environment conservation, professional harvesting of marine resources, and respect for know-how and long-standing traditions is no easy task. monitoring stocks of wide-ranging species spending only a part of their life cycle in the Iroise Sea. There are thus plans to initiate further studies with scientists to define new indicators. Therefore, in its management plan, the Park has included ecological goals (sustainable harvesting of resources), as well as economic goals (maintaining a balanced socio-economic fabric) and social goals (ensuring good user cohabitation). These goals have given rise to 21 indicators, such as fishing pressure, nursery and stock monitoring, as well as fishing profession attractiveness, social cohesion, profitability or professional and recreational user cohabitation. Improved monitoring and analysis methods The development of fishing indicators is still in progress as it is a complex scientific process involving many factors. One of the difficulties lies in determining the reference list of vessels operating in the Park. However, in 2013, the number of completed indicators increased, and data was recorded for 13 of the 21 indicators identified. Among the indicators not completed, some of those initially suggested have proved to be ill-suited, particularly for Other indicators not completed in 2013, such as the status of stocks of species associated with the Iroise should, however, be completed shortly, particularly for stocks of sedentary species such as tellina, abalone or laminaria. Data about these species has been collected and the calculation methods are currently being finalized. Promoting species fished in the Park Observation of sales of four fish species that are of economic importance for the Iroise and are fished by vessels highly dependent on the Park, has revealed an average sale price that is higher than or equal to the price paid in fish markets on the Atlantic and Channel-North Sea coasts. Selling prices within the Park s perimeter appear to have been relatively stable over the past four years. To support fishermen in the Park, a project to promote species fished in the Iroise Marine Nature Park is under study. 8 > MARINE PROTECTED AREAS DASHBOARD

9 Social cohesion Aquaculture Protected area Iroise Marine Nature Park dashboard Attractiveness Fishing area Nurseries Recognition Adaptability Less restrictive area Profitability Algae Employment Investment Optimal selling price Fishing pressure/uses Concentration Cohabitation Wide-ranging stocks Stocks inféodés Indicator status unspecified very good good middle bad very bad improvement stability decrease MARINE PROTECTED AREAS DASHBOARD > 9

10 Indicators evolution Natural heritage eroding loose coastline Fishing optimal sale The Iroise Marine Nature Park has monitored variations in these indicators since 2010, the year it introduced the first dashboard. The indicator results become truly meaningful over a period of several years, after which trends can be identified, causes and influential factors can be analysed and an action strategy developed for management purposes. Only this continuous vision makes it possible to assess how effective an action strategy is over the long-term. intertidal sand subtidal soft bottom intertidal macro alguae subtidal macro algae subtidal seagrass beds maerl beds investment profitability cohabitation concentration adaptability aquaculture The Park s dashboard fits into a 15-year management plan, 15 years being a significant length of time as regards the environment and climate, and on a social and economic level. This period of time is sufficient to assess the effects of the management measures proposed by the management board, the Park s governing body. fields of boulders breadings seabirds birds at sea attractiveness employment social cohesion The evolution of results of the two themes developed in this document natural heritage and fishing are shown opposite. The Marine Park also has indicators in the following areas: water quality, water sports and tourism, marine environment awareness, cultural heritage and governance. birds associated with the foreshore other breeding birds grey seal bottlenose dolphin recognition least restrictive area fishing area protected area Indicator status small cetaceans unspecified very good good middle bad very bad 10 > MARINE PROTECTED AREAS DASHBOARD

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12 Initial feedback One of the major challenges we faced when developing the MPA assessment system was to federate the network of managers, the governing bodies and financial backers around the assessment process, still too often regarded as synonymous with sanctions or reappraisal. We had to raise awareness and develop a shared assessment culture: i.e. create network dynamics. This network dynamics needed instigating on cross-cutting topics; and efforts and resources had to be pooled. Some encouraging first results The first feedback from pilot sites and their networks which have started to develop dashboards is encouraging. The integration of the dashboard approach into the management plan refocuses this framework document on the MPA s responsibilities and achievement of its long-term goals. The dashboard also defines responsibilities more clearly as managers alone cannot have control over all the factors of influence in the MPA. Far from being a value judgement of the manager s work, the assessment focuses on the overall results of the marine protected area s management, with regard to all public policies, whether they concern the sea or land. It is therefore also an instrument for consulting and communicating with marine area stakeholders about the responsibilities, issues and priority action to be taken. By refocusing on responsibilities, the manager is prompted to question, inter alia, the benefits and cost of the monitoring systems in place. Priority monitoring systems and the resources to be sustained can thus be identified. This does not mean that longterm monitoring should be stopped, as it can be beneficial on a different scale; however, other means of funding it can be sought. The dashboard also facilitates the assessment work that is vital when the management plans expire. Work can thus be done ahead of this reporting phase, which is often regarded as overwhelming since it has not been prepared in advance. Assessment may also be seen wrongly, as pointless as it bears no relation to the areas s every day management. The dashboard reduces the manager s everyday workload by facilitating updates and production of annual activity reports. A long-term initiative requiring support This new assessment system integrated into the MPA s management plan will take time to be adopted by managers who must thus be given support and training. The Marine Protected Areas Agency works to this effect with the networks (Réserves Naturelles de France, Parcs nationaux de France, Natura 2000) and their pilot sites which are greatly involved in the initiative and its acceptance. The French Agency has built a collective strategy to support managers and create group dynamics around the assessment of MPA effectiveness. The initiative and the dashboards must now be rolled out to all French MPAs while respecting their local specificities and their management methods. Due to the many differences there are between the fifteen categories of French marine protected area and the resources allocated, rollout of the dashboards must be adapted accordingly. The implementation of dashboards in French MPAs is a dynamic process involving ongoing reflection and follow-up. Example of an indicator developed by the Agency and Ifremer for MPAs in the Mediterranean: Index-Cor. It assesses the conservation status of coralligenous sea beds. 12 > MARINE PROTECTED AREAS DASHBOARD

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15 Credits: Layout & illustrations: Dynamo +; adaptation: Claude Bourdon / Agence des aires marines protégées Photos: Thomas Abiven / Conservatoire du littoral: p.4; Yves Gladu : p.6, p.8; Yves Gladu / Agence des aires marines protégées: p.11; Laurent Germain / Agence des aires marines protégées: p.8; Laurent Mignaux / MEDDE-MLETR: p.5; Mathieu Foulquié: p.12; Rodolphe Marics / Les champs photographiques: p.13. Contact: Anne-Sophie Barnay, chargée de mission Tableau de bord, anne-sophie.barnay@aires-marines.fr The Marine protected areas dashboard is developed in partnership with: INITIATIVE FRANÇA ISE POUR LES RÉCIFS CORALLIENS MARINE PROTECTED AREAS DASHBOARD > 15

16 october 2014 Agence des aires marines protégées 16 quai de la douane CS Brest CEDEX 2 FRANCE Tél. :