8
June 2006
Protect oceans now - save
fisheries and reduce poverty
LAHORE – World
Ocean’s Day is held annually
on June 8th in honour of our planet’s
most diverse and threatened ecosystem.
Created in 1992 at the Earth Summit
in Rio de Janeiro, it is hoped that
World Ocean’s Day will help
raise awareness of the threats to
ocean life. The world’s oceans
are under greater pressure than
ever before. More than three-quarters
of the world’s fish stocks
are fished to their maximum capacity,
recovering from collapse or over-fished.
Important habitats are being lost
and damaged. If present rates of
destruction continue, 60 per cent
of the world's coral reefs will
be destroyed within the next 30
years.
Less than one per
cent of the world’s oceans
are designated as protected - compared
to almost 13 per cent of our planet’s
land area. Of the small number of
Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) that
have been established, the vast
majority are poorly managed, with
many open to oil and gas exploration
and 90 per cent open to fishing.
Well-designed networks of MPAs are
vital for ensuring healthy, productive
marine environments that can support
well planned development. MPAs,
such as marine reserves and locally
managed marine areas, provide income
and nutrition for local communities,
direct and indirect revenue for
national economies, and safe havens
for fish and other marine life.
“In addition
to providing a basis for natural
resource management, Marine Protected
Areas are an essential sustainable
development tool that benefit people,
their cultures and their economies.”
said Dr Simon Cripps, Director of
WWF’s Global Marine Programme.
“MPAs can improve fish catches,
resulting in increased food security
and revenues.”
World leaders have recognised that
our oceans need urgent protection.
At the World Summit for Sustainable
Development in 2002, they agreed
to create ecologically representative
MPA networks by 2012.
“If governments
are serious about establishing well-managed
networks of MPAs, then there should
have been a massive increase in
the number of MPAs set-up since
2002,” added Dr Cripps. “Sadly,
this has not yet happened - it’s
time to get moving.”
This World Oceans Day, Fiji’s
has been presented with the Global
Ocean Conservation Award in recognition
of its leadership in marine conservation.
In 2005 the Fijian government, backed
by WWF, committed to establish a
network of MPAs covering 30 per
cent of its waters by 2020 - one
of the largest areas of protected
ocean in the world.
For further
information:
Amjad Aslam
WWF – Pakistan,
Ferozepur Road, Lahore.
Tel: +92 42 5862360, 5869429
Fax: 042 5862358
e-mail: aaslam@wwf.org.pk
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