Manta rays face several big challenges that threaten their survival. Bycatch, pollution, climate change, hunting, and unregulated ocean recreation lead to serious and often fatal injuries. In addition, manta rays have a slow reproduction rate, which makes it hard for their populations to bounce back.
→ Read more about the dangers manta rays face here
However, there is hope!
Expanding and enforcing marine protected areas (MPAs) can make a big difference. MPAs preserve marine life and help ensure that manta rays continue to thrive and swim freely for future generations.
What Are Marine Protected Areas?
Marine protected areas are sections of the ocean where human activity is regulated to protect the natural and cultural resources within that area. Like national parks on land, these aquatic reserves are designed to conserve marine life and its habitat, ensuring ecosystems thrive and remain intact.
MPAs are crucial for preserving biodiversity, supporting sustainable fisheries, and protecting endangered species like manta rays.
These areas have rules to help protect marine life. They can set boundaries on where different activities, like fishing, are allowed or not allowed. There could also be rules on the size and number of fish that can be caught, as well as bans on certain types of fishing equipment that could harm the environment.
Some parts of the area might be closed during specific times to keep species safe, or for longer periods to give them a chance to recover. A good example is Hanauma Bay State Park (a popular snorkeling spot on Oahu, Hawaii) which remains closed on Mondays and Tuesdays to allow the reef and ecosystem to rest, free of human interference.
Marine Protected Areas often require permits or licenses to manage how many people can visit or use the area.
All these measures work together to ensure the health and sustainability of the marine environment.
Benefits of MPAs
Thriving marine life: more and bigger fish
When an area in the ocean is protected, it leads to an increase in the total weight, number, size, and variety of sea creatures. MPAs also help to make the ecosystem more resilient to climate change and natural disasters.
Spillover benefits the fishing industry
Marine life from MPAs can spread to nearby areas through ocean currents. This “spillover” helps fish populations in surrounding regions and benefits local fishing companies, as fish are more plentiful near MPA borders. MPAs are crucial for making fisheries more sustainable.
Opportunities for education, recreation, and tourism
Marine Protected Areas can be costly to set up and manage, but they often generate more revenue through eco-tourism and educational activities. For example, Hanauma Bay generates about $35 million per year from tourism, much more than it would from fishing.
These activities allow people to experience marine ecosystems up close and teach them about ocean conservation.
Easier to manage and oversee
Conservation officers find it easier to monitor and enforce rules in a defined MPA than across a wide area, which makes protecting marine life more effective.
How Marine Protected Areas are Created
National, State, or local governments are responsible for establishing MPAs.
An MPA is always a part of a broader plan to manage and conserve the ocean’s resources (or at least, it should be).
Creating a Marine Protected Area is a complex process that involves multiple steps to ensure that the area is effectively managed and protected.
While each authority will have its own process for setting up an MPA, the process usually includes:
- Setting clear objectives – such as preserving biodiversity, safeguarding habitats, and promoting sustainable fisheries.
- Gathering input from local communities, companies, Indigenous groups, and other stakeholders.
- Scientific research and data collection on the area’s biodiversity, habitats, species, and ecological processes.
- Defining boundaries and zoning with varying levels of protection: no-take zones, buffer zones, or areas where sustainable use is permitted.
- Securing funding from various sources: government, donors, NGOs, or private partnerships. Resources are allocated for ongoing monitoring, research, enforcement, and community engagement.
- Legislation and regulation to officially designate the area as an MPA, including a management plan outlining governance, enforcement, and monitoring strategies.
Once the MPA is established, a management body is designated to oversee it. This often includes government agencies, NGOs, or local communities, which will need to patrol the area and enforce penalties for violations.
Each step involves collaboration between scientists, government agencies, local communities, NGOs, and other stakeholders to ensure that the MPA effectively protects marine resources and supports sustainable use.
Marine Protected Areas in Hawaii
In Hawaii, the state has special areas called Marine Life Conservation Districts (a form of MPA), which are looked after by the State of Hawaii’s Division of Aquatic Resources – the state agency tasked with the protection and preservation of natural and cultural resources.
Hawaii has eleven Marine Life Conservation Districts (MLCDs), including Hanauma Bay and Waikiki on Oahu, as well as the Old Kona Airport area and Kealakekua Bay on the Big Island, to name a few.
→ Find an interactive map of all of Hawaii’s MLCDs here
Expanding Marine Protected Areas: A Path Forward
Understanding why marine protected areas (MPAs) are important is only the beginning.
To truly make a difference, it’s up to everyone—environmental advocates, policymakers, and the public—to push for more MPAs. Expanding these safe zones helps protect manta rays and other marine life and ensures that future generations can enjoy Hawaii’s amazing underwater world.
If you’d like to help protect our oceans, here are seven ocean conservation charities I love and support.
If you’re unable to contribute financially, you can make a difference by spreading the word about the importance of MPAs to your friends and family. Your support is vital for preserving the future of marine life in Hawaii and beyond.
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