Limited resources? Let the habitat priority planner help!

In this time of scarce resources, coastal resource managers must find ways to prioritize conservation, land use, and restoration efforts. The Habitat Priority Planner (HPP) is a free geospatial tool created by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Coastal Services Center that has received wide praise for its ease of use and broad applicability to conservation strategic planning, restoration, climate change scenarios, and other natural resource management actions. Not a geographic information system (GIS) user? Don’t worry―this tool was designed to be used in a team setting. One intermediate-level GIS user can push the buttons to show quick results while a roomful of resource managers and stakeholders provide input criteria that determine the results. The Habitat Priority Planner is a toolbar for ESRI’s ArcGIS platform that is composed of three modules: Habitat Classification, Habitat Analysis, and Data Explorer. The tool calculates basic ecological statistics that are used to examine how habitats function within a landscape. The tool pre‐packages several common landscape metrics into a user‐friendly interface for intermediate GIS users. In addition, HPP allows the user to build queries interactively using a graphical interface for demonstrating criteria selections quickly in a visual manner that is useful in stakeholder interactions. Tool advocates and users include land trusts, conservation alliances, nonprofit organizations, and select National Estuarine Research Reserves and refuges of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Participants in this session will learn the basic requirements for HPP use and the multiple ways the HPP has been applied to geographies nationwide. (PDF contains 5 pages)

Non-governmental organizations and multi-sited marine conservation science: A case study

Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are now major players in the realm of environmental conservation. While many environmental NGOs started as national organizations focused around single-species protection, governmental advocacy, and preservation of wilderness, the largest now produce applied conservation science and work with national and international stakeholders to develop conservation solutions that work in tandem with local aspirations. Marine managed areas (MMAs) are increasingly being used as a tool to manage anthropogenic stressors on marine resources and protect marine biodiversity. However, the science of MMA is far from complete. Conservation International (CI) is concluding a 5 year, $12.5 million dollar Marine Management Area Science (MMAS) initiative. There are 45 scientific projects recently completed, with four main “nodes” of research and conservation work: Panama, Fiji, Brazil, and Belize. Research projects have included MMA ecological monitoring, socioeconomic monitoring, cultural roles monitoring, economic valuation studies, and others. MMAS has the goals of conducting marine management area research, building local capacity, and using the results of the research to promote marine conservation policy outcomes at project sites. How science is translated into policy action is a major area of interest for science and technology scholars (Cash and Clark 2001; Haas 2004; Jasanoff et al. 2002). For science to move policy there must be work across “boundaries” (Jasanoff 1987). Boundaries are defined as the “socially constructed and negotiated borders between science and policy, between disciplines, across nations, and across multiple levels” (Cash et al. 2001). Working across the science-policy boundary requires boundary organizations (Guston 1999) with accountability to both sides of the boundary, among other attributes. (Guston 1999; Clark et al. 2002). This paper provides a unique case study illustrating how there are clear advantages to collaborative science. Through the MMAS initiative, CI built accountability into both sides of the science-policy boundary primarily through having scientific projects fed through strong in-country partners and being folded into the work of ongoing conservation processes. This collaborative, boundary-spanning approach led to many advantages, including cost sharing, increased local responsiveness and input, better local capacity building, and laying a foundation for future conservation outcomes. As such, MMAS can provide strong lessons for other organizations planning to get involved in multi-site conservation science. (PDF contains 3 pages)

Impact of radio broadcast on fish production and conservation in Kainji Lake basin

The decline in fishermen catches of Lake kainji, which went down from 28,639.6t in 1970 to 6.048t in 1974 (Ita 1982) prompted the promulgation of fisheries edict banning beach seines and other obnoxious fishing gear by Kebbi and Niger State governments in 1997 as a measure to prevent depletion of fisheries resources in the lake. Radio as a medium of communication was adopted as the method to disseminate information in the fisheries edict to the fisherfolks in order to bring about positive changes. Radio Niger, Koro station, was involved in the broadcast. Fisherfolk listened to the broadcast 32 times a week. Frame survey data and radio impact assessment studies were used to assess the effect of the broadcast on the number of beach seines and other obnoxious fishing gears on the lake which were banned in the fisheries edicts. It was revealed that the number of beach decreased drastically from 582 in 1997 to 122 in 1999 and to only 17 in 2001

Conservation and sustainable utilization of Nigerian ornamental fishes

The paper assessed qualitatively the threat status of nigerian freshwater fishes that are presently being exported and those that have potential in aquarium trade using such criteria as rarity, size at maturity, mode of reproduction, human population density, habitat degradation, pollution and range of each species among others. For their conservation captive breeding of these fishes were proffered with information that can assist collectors, exporter and aquaculturists that wants to breed polypterids, Butterfly fish, Knife fish, Elephantfish, Pollymyrus isidori, Arnordichthys spilopterus, Nannaethiops unitaeniatus, Killifishes, Polycentropsis abbreviatta, Cichlids, Ctenpomas, Mastacembelids and Tetraodon lineatus

Impact assessment of Niger State fisheries legislation on fisheries conservation in Edozhigi local government area (L.G.A.) of Niger State

A preliminary survey was conducted among the fishermen in five selected villages in Edozhigi L.G.A. of Niger State. One hundred and fifty fishermen were randomly selected and interviewed to find out the impact of Niger State fisheries legislation on fisheries conservation resources in the area. The analysis of data collected using descriptive statistics indicated that undersized mesh of gill nets, beach seines and traps are being used unabated. Also, fenced barriers across the entrance of flood plain ponds and Ex-bow lakes from the main stream are in the area. The fisheries rules and regulations implementers are rarely seen or not seen at all in the area. The decreasing nature of fish catches was detected. It is observed that government policy on fish conversation is neglected due to inadequate or lack of funding for meaningful extension and implementation of the fisheries rules and regulations

An analysis of Nigerian freshwater fishes: those under threat and conservation options

The study assessed qualitatively the threat status of all nigerian freshwater fishes using such criteria as rarity, size at maturity, mode of reproduction, human population density, habitat degradation, pollution and range of each species among others. The biology of 48% (129n) of nigerian freshwater species is not well known. Of the 266 known freshwater fishes, 47 species represented 17% are critically endangered, 15 (5%) are endangered , 8(3%), are vulnerable while 23(8%) are near threatened. The paper suggests increased basic knowledge of threatened species and conservation policy along three lines public awareness, legislation and creation of national parks, aquaria and reserves as measures needed to ensure the conservation of the fishes

Small Indigenous Freshwater Fish Species: their Role in Poverty Alleviation, Food Security and Conservation of Biodiversity, 23-25 February 2010, Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute, Barrackpore, Kolkata, West Bengal. Workshop report

This is the report on the workshop on “Small Indigenous Freshwater Fish Species: Their Role in Poverty Alleviation, Food Security and Conservation of Biodiversity”, organized by the International Collective in Support of Fishworkers(ICSF) in collaboration with the Inland Fisheries Society of India (IFSI). The workshop was a forum for exchange of views on the role of small indigenous freshwater fish species (SIFFS) in enhancing rural food supply and livelihood security, and in conserving biodiversity. The workshop also discussed the socioeconomic and cultural contexts for the culture and capture of SIFFS, and how to enhance access—especially for women—to better incomes, livelihoods and nutritional security, through appropriate policy spaces. This report provides a fresh focus on SIFFS, usually regarded as ‘trash’ fish. It urges scientists, researchers and decisionmakers to develop policy and legislative measures to ensure the conservation and promotion of SIFFS, both in capture- and culture-fisheries systems. This report will be useful for fishworker organizations, researchers, policymakers, fish farmers, members of civil society and anyone interested in fisheries and livelihoods. (PDF contains 86 pages)

Time for a Sea Change: a Study of the Effectiveness of Biodiversity Conservation Measures and Marine Protected Areas Along Southern Thailand’s Andaman Sea Coastline

This study examines how Thailand’s biodiversity conservation measures affect fishing communities, especially in the marine protected areas (MPAs) on the Andaman Sea coastline. It documents the various efforts of the local fishing communities to protect the resources in the area. Also included are recommendations for government agencies, civil society and the international community. [PDF contains 94 pages]

The role of sites of special scientific interest (SSSIs) in the conservation of British rivers

This paper discusses the particular contribution of the SSSI (Sites of Special Scientific Interest) as a way of nature conservation for rivers. In 1989, the Nature Conservancy Council proposed a dual selection system for selection of rivers; either (1) "Whole river" SSSIs representing the main types of river, or rivers which show classic and representative transitions down their lengths, or (2) "Sectional" SSSIs which are shorter stretches of river with high nature conservation interest. The NCC has recently classified all SSSIs with a river interest into 4 categories: - river SSSIs, river valley SSSIs, river adds interest - where the river clearly adds biological interest to the site, and rivers of incidental interest. The overall length of river SSSIs amounts to almost 1000 km.

Pond action: Promoting the conservation of ponds in Britain

Pond Action is an independent freshwater conservation project which was started in 1987. It is based in the School of Biological and Molecular Sciences in Oxford Polytechnic and has five full-time staff with two senior advisors. The main aim of Pond Action's work has been to promote the conservation of ponds by creating a sound, scientific basis for pond conservation. An essential aspect of this work is the need to make the results of scientific work available and understandable to everybody concerned with pond conservation.

Symposium on Llangrose Lake: the ecology and conservation of a large nutrient-rich lake in South Wales

This paper summarises a meeting which discussed the ecology and conservation of Llangorse Lake in South Wales. The meeting was organised by the British Ecological Society (Aquatic Ecology Group), in association with the Countryside Council for Wales (CCW), Brecon Beacon National Park Authority (BBNPA) and Environment Agency Wales. It took place on 22 October 1998.

Upland hill farming for water, wildlife and food

The economic, environmental and social benefits of more sensitive land use practices that protect or restore the natural functions of river catchments have been widely discussed. Changing land use has implications for a wide range of other biological communities. Some studies have already been undertaken on the benefits of sensitive farming at the catchment scale in England and Wales. However, there is a gap in these studies at the local scale, and particularly for upland farms from which headwaters arise. This article documents a case study relating to a successful partnership in Cumbria, UK, set within the wider context of catchment management. Whilst the case study is not highly detailed, and some costs have been described in outline only to protect confidentiality and commercial sensitivity, it provides some generic lessons and may therefore be useful in informing more sustainable policy-making. High Hullockhowe Farm near Haweswater, which was used a the case study highlighting changes in farm practise, costs and benefits, water resources and biodiversity. The authors relate the case study to wider policy implications.