WORLD ATLAS OF CORAL REEFS
Figure 2.1: The development of a global network of coral reef protected areas s nee 1930
The cumulative total
1 000[-600
(U
number of coral reef
"3)
protected areas plotted
900- — o
o
-
o
over the cumulative area
8001 Total area
^fl
-500
o
Z
protected. These area
statistics are the total
600^1
1 No.
^^^^K
-400
area of these sites, only a
small proportion of which
is actually coral reef. The
declaration of tvt/o sites,
500- -
^^-300
in Australia in 1997
(Great Barrier Reef)
400- _
and Havt/ai'i in 2000
300- -
.
/
-200
(Northvi/estern Hawaiian
Islands) greatly affected
the total area of
200- -
jA
-100
protected coral reefs.
100- -
,^^^1
NB Data are only included
where the total area and
date of designation are
known. There are about
100 additional sites not
19
1
1
1
1
1
30
35
40
45
50
55
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
-
60
65
70
75
80
85
90
95
2000
Year
included in this figure.
further logistical or financial support for specific activities.
It
also provides recognition and prestige, often raising
the profile of important sites and habitats in particular
countries, but also serving to draw international interest.
Worldwide protection
Until the lydUs there was only a very small number of
protected coral reefs, but from about this time onwards
there has been a dramatic increase in numbers, as illustrated in Figure 2.1. At the close of 2000 there were over
660 marine protected areas which included coral reefs.
These range m size from tiny marine reserves to two of the
world's largest protected areas. The total area of these sites
is more than 900 000 square kilometers, but three quarters
of this area lies in only two sites, the Great Barrier Reef
Marine Park and the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Coral
Reef Ecosystem Reserve. Unfortunately, these area figures cannot be equated with the reef area statistics
presented in the previous chapter as the great majority
of these sites include large areas of non-coral. Without
boundary details for many sites in any global database, it
is not yet possible to accurately calculate the proportion of
the world's coral reefs which are protected. However, this
total is likely to be quite high if Australia and the USA are
included, but significantly lower otherwise.
Looking at a map of the global distribution of these
sites (Map 2.5) it is clear that, while there are protected
areas in all regions, a number of regions stand out as
having relatively few. This would include much of the
Middle East, with the exception of the northern Red Sea,
but also the Pacific islands. In the latter, the urgency of
establishing more protected areas is lower because of the
existence of traditional management systems, as well as
the overall lack of intense human pressures on many of
these reefs.
A partial solution
These statistics and maps show that there is now a
considerable network of protected areas containing coral
reefs, and the number of sites within this network is
growing fast. Coral reefs thus appear to be well protected
in comparison with other ecosystems, although there are
problems with such an assessment. First and foremost,
many of these parks are ineffective. In countless cases
worldwide, perhaps even the majority of sites, these protected areas are weakly enforced or completely ignored.
Many others are weak in legal terms. These include a
number of sites which are essentially terrestrial parks, but
with a marine component. While their boundary includes
marine areas, the legislation contains few or no provisions
for protection of marine resources, and fishing and other
activities continue unabated.
While direct comparisons between terrestrial protected areas and their marine counterparts are easily made,
there are important differences. Most important is that
many terrestrial sites are effectively fenced off from their
surroundings, and are to some degree self-sustaining. By
contrast the fluid environment of the coral reef cannot be
ring- fenced. Most coral reefs are part of a large and tightly
Figure 2.1: The development of a global network of coral reef protected areas s nee 1930
The cumulative total
1 000[-600
(U
number of coral reef
"3)
protected areas plotted
900- — o
o
-
o
over the cumulative area
8001 Total area
^fl
-500
o
Z
protected. These area
statistics are the total
600^1
1 No.
^^^^K
-400
area of these sites, only a
small proportion of which
is actually coral reef. The
declaration of tvt/o sites,
500- -
^^-300
in Australia in 1997
(Great Barrier Reef)
400- _
and Havt/ai'i in 2000
300- -
.
/
-200
(Northvi/estern Hawaiian
Islands) greatly affected
the total area of
200- -
jA
-100
protected coral reefs.
100- -
,^^^1
NB Data are only included
where the total area and
date of designation are
known. There are about
100 additional sites not
19
1
1
1
1
1
30
35
40
45
50
55
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
-
60
65
70
75
80
85
90
95
2000
Year
included in this figure.
further logistical or financial support for specific activities.
It
also provides recognition and prestige, often raising
the profile of important sites and habitats in particular
countries, but also serving to draw international interest.
Worldwide protection
Until the lydUs there was only a very small number of
protected coral reefs, but from about this time onwards
there has been a dramatic increase in numbers, as illustrated in Figure 2.1. At the close of 2000 there were over
660 marine protected areas which included coral reefs.
These range m size from tiny marine reserves to two of the
world's largest protected areas. The total area of these sites
is more than 900 000 square kilometers, but three quarters
of this area lies in only two sites, the Great Barrier Reef
Marine Park and the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Coral
Reef Ecosystem Reserve. Unfortunately, these area figures cannot be equated with the reef area statistics
presented in the previous chapter as the great majority
of these sites include large areas of non-coral. Without
boundary details for many sites in any global database, it
is not yet possible to accurately calculate the proportion of
the world's coral reefs which are protected. However, this
total is likely to be quite high if Australia and the USA are
included, but significantly lower otherwise.
Looking at a map of the global distribution of these
sites (Map 2.5) it is clear that, while there are protected
areas in all regions, a number of regions stand out as
having relatively few. This would include much of the
Middle East, with the exception of the northern Red Sea,
but also the Pacific islands. In the latter, the urgency of
establishing more protected areas is lower because of the
existence of traditional management systems, as well as
the overall lack of intense human pressures on many of
these reefs.
A partial solution
These statistics and maps show that there is now a
considerable network of protected areas containing coral
reefs, and the number of sites within this network is
growing fast. Coral reefs thus appear to be well protected
in comparison with other ecosystems, although there are
problems with such an assessment. First and foremost,
many of these parks are ineffective. In countless cases
worldwide, perhaps even the majority of sites, these protected areas are weakly enforced or completely ignored.
Many others are weak in legal terms. These include a
number of sites which are essentially terrestrial parks, but
with a marine component. While their boundary includes
marine areas, the legislation contains few or no provisions
for protection of marine resources, and fishing and other
activities continue unabated.
While direct comparisons between terrestrial protected areas and their marine counterparts are easily made,
there are important differences. Most important is that
many terrestrial sites are effectively fenced off from their
surroundings, and are to some degree self-sustaining. By
contrast the fluid environment of the coral reef cannot be
ring- fenced. Most coral reefs are part of a large and tightly