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Resource
Management Issues:
Ecosystem
Conservation and Biodiversity Protection
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Overview
of the issue
The nutrient rich waters of the Sanctuarys ecosystem sustain the
greatest biodiversity of the temperate regions of the world, including
33 species of marine mammals, 94 species of seabirds, and 345 species
of fish. In addition to the large array of individual species, ecosystems
include habitat structure, species assemblages, ecological and physical
processes, as well as humans and their use patterns. Ecosystem conservation
and protection of biodiversity requires consideration of the complex array
of habitats, species, and interconnected processes and their relationship
to human activities.
How
is the Sanctuary involved?
The goals and objectives of the National
Marine Sanctuary Act (NMSA) direct each of the sanctuaries to take
an ecosystem approach to managing these fluid marine environments that
have great temporal and spatial complexity, diversity and dimension. Through
Sanctuary partnerships, resource agencies, the scientific community, and
the public work together for an integrated ecosystem approach to the management
of sanctuaries.
While upholding
the Sanctuarys primary goal of resource protection, the Sanctuary
allows for multiple uses that are compatible with resource protection.
An ecosystem conservation perspective is maintained in Sanctuary approaches
to addressing the broad range of specific resource protection issues outlined
in this section. The Sanctuarys research team is also developing
a long-term assessment of the regions ecosystem called the Sanctuary
Integrated Monitoring Program (SIMoN) to establish baselines and trends,
and assist managers in distinguishing between natural and human-caused
resource impacts.
In
addition, beginning in 2001 the Sanctuary began working collaboratively
with a subcommittee of the Community Alliance for Sustainable Fisheries
to evaluate the potential benefits and drawbacks of using marine reserves
to facilitate ecosystem conservation and sustainable fisheries. This subcommittee,
which includes fishermen, scientists, and environmental organizations,
is attempting to develop solutions which can protect Sanctuary resources
while sustaining the regions critical fishing industry. The subcommittee
is attempting to provide recommendations on the issue to the California
Department of Fish and Game, the Pacific Fisheries Management Council
and the Sanctuary program.
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