Page 41 - Research & Innovation Report 2020
P. 41

SCIENCE



































            The data reveals that the identification and protection of multiple   Compliance is a major issue that has to be improved: “Our project
            AESs at ocean scale through the mechanism of multinational   is linked to the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic
            Marine Protected Area (MPA) expansion is urgently needed to   Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) which is responsible for the
            mitigate the pressure of large-scale resource exploitation on   management of the water south of 60 degrees,” Pistorius explains.
            Southern Ocean ecosystems.
                                                              “CCAMLR is in a strong position to recommend MPAs for
            “We started using this approach, of using tracking data to identify   multinational management which would help to enforce
            important habitat for conservation purposes, in 2015, when one of   compliance. The information we have gathered has sent clear
            my postdoctoral students at Mandela University, Ryan Reisinger,   guidelines to CCAMLR about the need for these MPAs to ensure
            who is a co-lead author in the Nature paper, focused on tracking   the long-term sustainability of marine resources, and to prevent
            data from the Prince Edward Islands that make up South Africa’s   overfishing.  Another  major  challenge  we  are  facing  here  is  that
            sub-Antarctic territory,” Prof Pistorius explains. “We collated all   climate change is having a huge impact on Southern Ocean
            the historical tracking data by various South African researchers   ecosystems. With changing climatic conditions, we are also seeing
            for these islands and through modelling we identified important   changes in the distribution of important habitats and these shifts
            habitats to feed into the South African government’s MPA   ideally need to be catered for in marine spatial planning initiatives.
            expansion strategy.
                                                              “What is encouraging is that the results of our study have attracted
            “This was then followed up with the global initiative involving   massive media coverage globally. There is also strong involvement
            multiple nations, where we used tracking data from seabirds and   among the authors of the paper within the Scientific Committee
            mammals across the entire circumpolar Southern Ocean – across   on Antarctic Research, which reports to CCAMLR which – in turn
            the Indian, Pacific and Atlantic Oceans – in other words, all the   – is well positioned to execute conservation-based management
            water south of 40 degrees. Reisinger led the analysis of all this   recommendations.”
            tracking data.”

            Hydro-acoustic ship-based surveys can be used to study the
            distribution of fish and squid biomass, but because of the massive
            expanse  of  the  Southern  Ocean  this  becomes  logistically  and
            financially prohibitive. Using marine predators as indicators of these
            biologically rich areas is now well recognised as a feasible alternative
            with such information guiding marine spatial planning initiatives.

            The findings from this large international collaboration that were
            published in Nature are intended to inform spatial management
            across the  entire Southern Ocean,  to recommend  where MPAs
            should be expanded or new MPAs created in areas of national
            jurisdiction as well as in the high seas where there is no national
            jurisdiction. The goal is to maximise biodiversity conservation in
            areas of ecological importance.                   Prof Pierre Pistorius


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