A fast‐moving target: achieving marine conservation goals under shifting climate and policies

Abstract

In the Anthropocene, marine ecosystems are rapidly shifting to new ecological states. Achieving effective conservation of marine biodiversity has become a fast‐moving target because of both global climate change and continuous shifts in marine policies. How prepared are we to deal with this crisis? We examined EU Member States Programs of Measures designed for the implementation of EU marine environmental policies, as well as recent European Marine Spatial Plans, and discovered that climate change is rarely considered operationally. Further, our analysis revealed that monitoring programs in marine protected areas are often insufficient to clearly distinguish between impacts of local and global stressors. Finally, we suggest that while the novel global Blue Growth approach may jeopardize previous marine conservation efforts, it can also provide new conservation opportunities. Adaptive management is the way forward (e.g., preserving ecosystem functions in climate change hotspots, and identifying and targeting climate refugia areas for protection) using Marine Spatial Planning as a framework for action, especially given the push for Blue Growth.

Twelve Recommendations for Advancing Marine Conservation in European and Contiguous Seas

“…Decision-making for the management of marine socioecological systems is complex, as it must accommodate multiple, often conflicting, objectives/interests. For example, under the Blue Growth initiative the development of economic activities, such as marine tourism and aquaculture, are promoted, which may compromise conservation efforts (Rilov et al, 2020). Disentangling this complex situation requires strategic decision-making that is ideally informed by adequate planning.…”

“…MSP should follow an ecosystem-based approach in allocating maritime uses at sea (Ansong et al, 2017), including priority areas for environmental protection and restoration actions. The way countries will operationalize the ecosystem-based approach in their national MSP initiatives will potentially bring both threats and opportunities to marine conservation and human well-being (Fraschetti et al, 2018;Rilov et al, 2020). Whilst MSP efforts should consider all activities operating in marine space, giving priority to the future allocation of maritime uses that promote blue growth but do not affect ocean health when properly regulated (e.g., diving tourism, ocean energy, and marine biotechnology) will be a win-win strategy.…”

“…continue to jeopardize conservation efforts within protected sites Mazaris et al, 2019), and less than 40% of marine sites have management plans, with many Natura 2000 sites considered just 'paper parks' with no actual conservation measures in place (Beal et al, 2017;Claudet et al, 2020). Climate change mitigation is rarely addressed by EU marine environmental policies (e.g., in member states Programs of Measures under the MSFD) or national marine spatial plans, and the monitoring of marine protected areas (MPAs) commonly does not depict and clearly distinguish between impacts of local and global stressors (Rilov et al, 2020). Often, European and neighboring countries lack a shared vision, exhibiting remarkable heterogeneity in applying regional or European conservation policies, thus limiting transboundary collaboration and large-scale coherent ecological networks (Fraschetti et al, 2018).…”

“…Participants offered their knowledge and experience on a national level through a large number of targeted case studies assessing how states have interpreted and utilized different legislative mechanisms over the governance of marine resources or maritime space, evaluating the implementation of conservation tools in Europe and beyond, their effectiveness and regional differences, and testing the operationalization of a risk-based cumulative effects assessment framework (Fraschetti et al, 2018;Mackelworth et al, 2019;Stelzenmüller et al, 2020). EU Member States Programs of Measures designed for the implementation of EU marine environmental policies and recent European Marine Spatial Plans were critically examined (Rilov et al, 2020). Participating experts offered datasets, whose compilation and analysis provided new insights on the status of the marine environment in European regions (e.g., .…”

Past and Future Grand Challenges in Marine Ecosystem Ecology

“…The assessment of success rates for management under these often synergistic pressures (Audzijonyte et al, 2016); and (N6) Supporting marine conservation actions and their efficiency under global change and shifting policies. Climate change and a developing policy landscape (e.g., Blue Growth, UN SDGs) present great challenges for marine conservation, requiring changes in human attitudes, and adaptive and creative approaches, such as adaptive conservation planning (including Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) design) that account for climate hotspots and refugia (Queirós et al, 2016), assisted evolution, and shifting focus from protecting species to protecting ecological functions (Rilov et al, 2020).…”