391
11 Management of Spawning Aggregations
capacities and needs, such as blanket promotion of MPAs in places where other
measures might be more effective or appropriate. Poor data sharing among NGOs
and between NGOs and government can also be a problem. The Belize aggregation
working group mentioned above addressed this particular problem by having a
password-protected database for sharing information. Capacity-building and education are important roles the NGOs can play to make management possible and
more acceptable.
Positive examples of NGO involvement in spawning aggregation issues teach
important lessons. The Tortugas Ecological Reserve, within the US Florida Keys
National Marine Sanctuary, is a successful management initiative based on a collaborative approach, good compliance, substantial outreach, and scientifi c information
(Cowie-Haskell and Delaney 2003 ) . A coalition of national, state and local NGOs
helped catalyze a government planning process to improve management of the Dry
Tortugas during the late 1990s. This process culminated in the designation and implementation of two areas representing the Tortugas Ecological Reserve (Cowie-Haskell
and Delaney 2003 ) . NGOs played a signifi cant role in the focus on snapper spawning
aggregation protection, particularly at the Riley’s Hump promontory (Tortugas South).
By 2000, the reserve was supported by commercial fi shers, in part due to NGO outreach. The support of respected, high-production fi shers for a reserve to protect multispecies, multi-season aggregations provided credibility for agency and NGO efforts,
as well as providing new fi sh spawning aggregation information (Lindeman et al.
2000 ) . The Nassau grouper working group in Belize has made considerable progress
towards managing this species through collaborations with a wide range of individuals and organizations, high motivation and long-term commitment.
The fi rst international NGO entirely dedicated to fi sh spawning aggregation
management and research is the Society for the Conservation of Reef Fish
Aggregations (SCRFA), formed in 2000. One key initiative undertaken was the
development of a global web-based database on known information about aggregations (Sadovy de Mitcheson et al. 2008 ) . Other initiatives include research and
training especially designed for studying and managing aggregation and outreach
using widely disseminated materials in multiple languages and formats ( www.
SCRFA.org ).
It is only recently that global recognition of the need for aggregation protection,
both locally and globally, and the importance of managing human use of spawning
aggregations has been formally recognized through various statements. In 2004, the
Third IUCN World Conservation Congress recommended to “ Take action to protect
reef fi sh spawning aggregations ”, ( http://cmsdata.iucn.org/downloads/wcc_res_
rec_eng.pdf ), and in 2006, the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI) made a
statement on “ Coral reef fi sh spawning aggregations ” ( http://www.icriforum.org/
icri-documents/statements/icri-statement-coral-reef-fi sh-spawning-aggregations ).
Having such statements provides greater leverage for both government and NGOs
to progress conservation initiatives for spawning aggregations. These international
statements have given greater recognition to the importance of evaluating spawning
aggregations as an essential part of fi sheries and MPA management.
11 Management of Spawning Aggregations
capacities and needs, such as blanket promotion of MPAs in places where other
measures might be more effective or appropriate. Poor data sharing among NGOs
and between NGOs and government can also be a problem. The Belize aggregation
working group mentioned above addressed this particular problem by having a
password-protected database for sharing information. Capacity-building and education are important roles the NGOs can play to make management possible and
more acceptable.
Positive examples of NGO involvement in spawning aggregation issues teach
important lessons. The Tortugas Ecological Reserve, within the US Florida Keys
National Marine Sanctuary, is a successful management initiative based on a collaborative approach, good compliance, substantial outreach, and scientifi c information
(Cowie-Haskell and Delaney 2003 ) . A coalition of national, state and local NGOs
helped catalyze a government planning process to improve management of the Dry
Tortugas during the late 1990s. This process culminated in the designation and implementation of two areas representing the Tortugas Ecological Reserve (Cowie-Haskell
and Delaney 2003 ) . NGOs played a signifi cant role in the focus on snapper spawning
aggregation protection, particularly at the Riley’s Hump promontory (Tortugas South).
By 2000, the reserve was supported by commercial fi shers, in part due to NGO outreach. The support of respected, high-production fi shers for a reserve to protect multispecies, multi-season aggregations provided credibility for agency and NGO efforts,
as well as providing new fi sh spawning aggregation information (Lindeman et al.
2000 ) . The Nassau grouper working group in Belize has made considerable progress
towards managing this species through collaborations with a wide range of individuals and organizations, high motivation and long-term commitment.
The fi rst international NGO entirely dedicated to fi sh spawning aggregation
management and research is the Society for the Conservation of Reef Fish
Aggregations (SCRFA), formed in 2000. One key initiative undertaken was the
development of a global web-based database on known information about aggregations (Sadovy de Mitcheson et al. 2008 ) . Other initiatives include research and
training especially designed for studying and managing aggregation and outreach
using widely disseminated materials in multiple languages and formats ( www.
SCRFA.org ).
It is only recently that global recognition of the need for aggregation protection,
both locally and globally, and the importance of managing human use of spawning
aggregations has been formally recognized through various statements. In 2004, the
Third IUCN World Conservation Congress recommended to “ Take action to protect
reef fi sh spawning aggregations ”, ( http://cmsdata.iucn.org/downloads/wcc_res_
rec_eng.pdf ), and in 2006, the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI) made a
statement on “ Coral reef fi sh spawning aggregations ” ( http://www.icriforum.org/
icri-documents/statements/icri-statement-coral-reef-fi sh-spawning-aggregations ).
Having such statements provides greater leverage for both government and NGOs
to progress conservation initiatives for spawning aggregations. These international
statements have given greater recognition to the importance of evaluating spawning
aggregations as an essential part of fi sheries and MPA management.