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WWF Fact sheet West African Marine Ecoregion (WAMER) Dakar Sénégal, +221) 869 37 00 [email protected] MARINE PROTECTED AREAS Let nature take a breath Location and situation The coastal zone represents a crucial element in the economic development of West African countries and is of a global importance for the balance of the whole marine environment. WAMER, the West African Marine Ecoregion, covers 3,500 km of coastal and marine habitats of 6 west African countries : Mauritania, Senegal, The Gambia, Guinea Bissau, Guinea and Cape Verde and it’s 22 millions inhabitants. The unique combination of powerful upwelling (strong off-shore winds and currents which drive surface waters away from the coast allowing deep nutrient rich waters to rise (upwell) to the surface), make the WAMER both tremendously productive and remarkably diverse. The demographic growth, poverty, institutional weakness and the increase of commercial fishing exerts a dramatic pressure on all marine resources. Facing the strong exploitation of marine and coastal resources, the role of the MPAs gains more importance everyday in restoring the ecosystem, protecting key habitats and contributing to regeneration of species. What is a Marine Protected Area ? A Marine Protected Area (MPA) is a zone where the habitat of species, like fish, birds, turtles, seals, and mangrove is especially managed to respect reproduction, nursery and growth of species while allowing sustainable uses. Marine protected areas are efficient management tools to manage the environment sustainably. They provide important safe havens where seed populations of fish can thrive and serve as insurance against overfishing. Female fish in MPAs grow larger than those in surrounding waters and so produce many times more eggs, and populations can migrate from MPAs to repopulate depleted areas, providing a longterm opportunity for fishermen to increase catches. MPA in the West African Marine Ecoregion The West African Marine Ecoregion program is helping to care for 4 existing Marine Protected Areas in the 6 countries forming the ecoregion. National Banc d’Argin Park (PNBA) in Mauritania is one such MPA. The park, created in 1976, covers 12,000 Km2 where the desert meets the sea. Millions of birds, fish and marine turtles, and a colony of 100 monk seals- the largest breeding colony left on the face of the earth, find a peaceful environment in which to live. The WAMER countries also host wonderful parks such as: National Park Iles de la Madeleine in Senegal, Tanji Park in Gambia, Joao Viera Park in Guinea Bissau. Why are MPAs needed ? Too much pressure is put on the marine resources in the West Africa Marine Ecoregion. The human impact on the sea has grown enormously in the last 50 years. MPAs have been created to conserve species and habitats, to maintain ecosystem functioning, to support fishery management and also to provide a baseline for research. If, for example, the National Banc d’Arguin Park, in Mauritania hadn’t been established, a key nursery grounds for sardinella fish would have been destroyed with severe consequences for both local and European fishers. The World Summit on Sustainable Development in 2002 set 2012 as a target date for nations of the world to put in place representative networks of marine protected areas. With just four MPAs covering six nations, West Africa must expand its network of MPAs, to protect the wealth of marine biodiversity in the region, and to ensure the long-term sustainability of the fisheries resources of the region. Concrete results for conservation benefits: Well respected, fully-protected marine reserves can lead to at least a doubling in the biomass of exploited fish species after three to five years protection. Furthermore, reserves create a mosaic of conditions, allowing different ecological communities to develop a healthier environment. They serve as a buffer zone from overfishing and can produce spillover effects that benefit the fisheries of the region over time. Horizon At least 4 new MPAs are to be created over the coming 2 years in the 6 WAMER countries. WWF and its West African Marine Ecoregional programme will continue to work for the creation of a regional network of marine protected areas (MPA) covering all habitats that are important for local and migratory species. To reach this goal, WWF will continue to work with other organizations to secure protection of the region's rich marine resources. Photo 1: National Park Banc d’Arguin in Mauritania, WWF / Lyne Larochelle Photo 2: National Park Banc d’Arguin in Mauritania, WWF / Bas Beentjes Photo 3 Senegal, WWF / Seamus Murphy ___________________________________________________ Published by the Communications Unit, WWF WARPO (WAMER West African Marine Ecoregion) Sacré-Coeur III, B. P. 22928, Dakar, Sénégal © WWF WAMER 2003 Tel.: +221 869 37 00 Fax: +221 869 37 02 [email protected]