118
A.J. Underwood . M.G. Chapman
The results of the ecological sampling were quite straight-forward (Chapman and
Underwood 1997b). There were no changes in abundances or size-structures of targeted species or lowshore or midshore assemblages in any of the three IPAs compared
to their control locations that would indicate the success of the regulations (Chapman
and Underwood 1997b). In fact, some changes in particular species suggested evidence
that collection of animals continued in IPAs. The surveys of human behaviour and attitudes in the single IPA and two control locations examined showed no changes of
attitude to intertidal conservation, knowledge of IPAs or the amount of organisms removed from shores in the three years after the IPAs were declared. This, despite the
fact that this coastal area had a widespread and funded programme of public education, run by the local community and strongly supported by local government
(Chapman 1996).
\Many reasons could account for the results obtained in this study (summarized in
Chapman and Underwood 1997b), but the most plausible explanation was that the lack
of policing of IPAs had not led to any change in behaviour by foragers and IPAs were
never actually protected. This is supported by numerous un quantified observations of
continued plunder on protected shores with no intervention by the regulatory agency.
This is, no doubt, due to a lack of resources, e.g. personnel to regularly inspect the
shores, rather than lack of will. Resources were not increased with the declaration of
the IPAs. In countries where similar regulations are strictly enforced, intertidal assemblages are protected (Duran et al. 1987; Lasiak 1993). The results also suggest that without appropriate resources for policing reserves, declaration of IPAs will not be an appropriate managerial strategy to protect and conserve intertidal organisms (see also
Underwood 1993b). Nevertheless, it has been decided to increase the numbers of IPAs
in New South Wales as one of the primary means of conserving intertidal species. Such
management is going to continue to be pointless if the results of previous failed attempts are simply ignored.
6.4
Marginalization of Scientific Contributions in Australia
Many aspects of current planning and policy for management of coastal environmental issues serve to marginalize the roles and contributions scientists can and should
make. Reasons for and responses to this are considered later. Here, some examples are
given to demonstrate the problems that result when appropriate scientific contributions are ignored or actively prevented from consideration in solutions to environmental problems.
6.4.1
Biological Diversity and its Conservation
Government agencies in Australia have made decisions to map coastal regions and their
diversity using broad sweeps of coast-line as the units (e.g. Thackway and Creswell
1995). State agencies have done the same with attempts to determine how marine reserves should work. Considerable effort goes into documenting distributions of species using large-scale methods, e.g. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) (e.g. Thackway and Creswell 1995).
A.J. Underwood . M.G. Chapman
The results of the ecological sampling were quite straight-forward (Chapman and
Underwood 1997b). There were no changes in abundances or size-structures of targeted species or lowshore or midshore assemblages in any of the three IPAs compared
to their control locations that would indicate the success of the regulations (Chapman
and Underwood 1997b). In fact, some changes in particular species suggested evidence
that collection of animals continued in IPAs. The surveys of human behaviour and attitudes in the single IPA and two control locations examined showed no changes of
attitude to intertidal conservation, knowledge of IPAs or the amount of organisms removed from shores in the three years after the IPAs were declared. This, despite the
fact that this coastal area had a widespread and funded programme of public education, run by the local community and strongly supported by local government
(Chapman 1996).
\Many reasons could account for the results obtained in this study (summarized in
Chapman and Underwood 1997b), but the most plausible explanation was that the lack
of policing of IPAs had not led to any change in behaviour by foragers and IPAs were
never actually protected. This is supported by numerous un quantified observations of
continued plunder on protected shores with no intervention by the regulatory agency.
This is, no doubt, due to a lack of resources, e.g. personnel to regularly inspect the
shores, rather than lack of will. Resources were not increased with the declaration of
the IPAs. In countries where similar regulations are strictly enforced, intertidal assemblages are protected (Duran et al. 1987; Lasiak 1993). The results also suggest that without appropriate resources for policing reserves, declaration of IPAs will not be an appropriate managerial strategy to protect and conserve intertidal organisms (see also
Underwood 1993b). Nevertheless, it has been decided to increase the numbers of IPAs
in New South Wales as one of the primary means of conserving intertidal species. Such
management is going to continue to be pointless if the results of previous failed attempts are simply ignored.
6.4
Marginalization of Scientific Contributions in Australia
Many aspects of current planning and policy for management of coastal environmental issues serve to marginalize the roles and contributions scientists can and should
make. Reasons for and responses to this are considered later. Here, some examples are
given to demonstrate the problems that result when appropriate scientific contributions are ignored or actively prevented from consideration in solutions to environmental problems.
6.4.1
Biological Diversity and its Conservation
Government agencies in Australia have made decisions to map coastal regions and their
diversity using broad sweeps of coast-line as the units (e.g. Thackway and Creswell
1995). State agencies have done the same with attempts to determine how marine reserves should work. Considerable effort goes into documenting distributions of species using large-scale methods, e.g. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) (e.g. Thackway and Creswell 1995).