Parc marin de Mohéli
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Parc marin de Mohéli
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 Corals in Ouallah |
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| location | Mohéli ; Comoros | |
| surface | 404 km² | |
| WDPA ID | 313046 | |
| Geographical location | 12 ° 24 ' S , 43 ° 43' E | |
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| Setup date | 2001 | |
The Parc marin de Mohéli is a marine reserve in the island state of the Comoros , on the south coast of the island of Mohéli near the municipality of Nioumachoua on the Mozambique Strait . It is one of two marine reserves in the Comoros archipelago . A particular focus is on the protection of sea turtles , which use numerous nesting sites in the area of the park.
This initiative was one of the finalists for the prize of the Equator Initiative (Initiative Équateur / equator initiative) of the United Nations of 2002.
biodiversity
The islands of Nyumashiwa are an Eldorado of biodiversity. A lush flora thrives on the islands and researchers have listed more than 500 species of plants , 21 species of birds, 9 species of reptiles , and the rare dugongs . Many of them are endemic , such as the Comorian bat (Roussette de Livingstone).
The beaches are important breeding grounds for the green sea turtle . In 2002 an estimated 4,000–5,000 females came ashore. In addition, the living coelacanth (Coelacanthe) Latimeria in the waters of a Living Fossil applies.
On the islet of Mchaco , in the east of the park, a large colony of seabirds nest: several thousand noddis , sooty terns (Onychoprion (Sterna) fuscata), red-footed boobies and masked boobies .
administration
While the park is under state supervision, day-to-day management and supervision are provided by local organizations. In some areas fishing is completely prohibited, while in other areas only certain species are exempted, the turtles are completely protected. Violations of the regulations will be dealt with directly by a village committee and the case will only be referred to a national court if local solutions cannot be found. The residents of the region act as “ecoguards” (environmental guards), who are responsible for raising awareness and monitoring. UNDP (United Nations Development Program), UNEP (United Nations Environment Program) and IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) provide financial and technical assistance for the training of the Environmental Guards. The government aims to create a network of protected areas that the various villages jointly manage. In 2002, the park's management committee consisted of 16 people, including 10 representatives of the village communities. The park is managed by a team led by a curator.
history
The constantly growing human presence means that traditional cultivation methods are no longer sufficient to feed the population. Agriculture, fishing, hunting and forestry contribute 40% to the gross domestic product. Chronic poverty and lack of scientific training lead the population to deforestation and cultivation practices that cause regression and worsening of soil erosion, and to overfishing. This leads the population into a cycle of increasing poverty. In addition, there are global problems such as El Niño and sea level rise . At the end of the 1980s, the authorities of the Comoros also realized that the state can only be preserved if biological diversity is protected. This requires control of demographic growth, the development of a more community-friendly and resource-efficient agriculture and the adoption of strict rules for the protection of marine animals. At the request of the government, it was decided to put the natural heritage under protection and set up a marine park.
A large number of partners worked to set up the park for six years. In 1993, the government began implementing a national environmental policy and recognized the need to involve all stakeholders, especially local residents and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). This resulted in a collaboration between private persons, organizations and the authorities. This was a novelty in the Comoros. In 1995, consultations enabled ten villages in the south of Mohéli to campaign for the designation of their marine park. Organizing meetings between the various local stakeholders, including fishermen, young guides and women, helped develop local environmental awareness and the way the marine park should be managed. This formed the basis of a proposal used in 2001 by the IUCN, UNDP, and the United Nations Environment Program Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the Comorian government for the formal process of creating a nature reserve.
In April 2001, 404 km² south of Mohéli were designated as Parc Marin. The Comoros' first protected area was created. It includes beaches, rocky islets, islands, coral reefs and mangroves .
successes
Since 1998 the coral stocks have recovered. 65% of the reefs are healthy (that means an increase of 35%). Turtles are found on 45 beaches (an increase of 25 beaches), starfish and crustaceans are no longer collected and are in abundance. The poverty of the population could also be significantly reduced, if only by increasing the amount of fish caught from 160 kg per month to more than 300 kg. The 250 fishermen who live in the area of the park have thus doubled their catch. In addition, the women were able to earn an additional income by selling souvenirs to ecotourists and conflicts among fishermen from different villages were settled. Motor boats could be purchased, but they are no longer used for fishing, but are used to monitor the protected area and for tourist activities. Tourist numbers have also increased. In 1998 there were only 75, in 2001 already 140 and 2010 almost 200. 30 jobs were created in this way. However, a stronger development of tourism could damage the park again.
literature
- Elise F. Granek, Mark A. Brown: Co-management approach to marine conservation in Mohéli, Comoros Islands: Implementation and management of marine protected areas. In: Conservation biology , 2005, vol. 19,6: 1724-1732.
- Coraline Klein: Le Parc marin de Mohéli, première aire marine protégée des Comores? In: Le Courrier de la nature , 2007, vol. 236: 36-40.
Web links
- Site officiel
- Shore Thing - Comoros. television Trust for environnement.
Individual evidence
- ↑ EQUATOR PRIZE 2002 - FINALISTS.