IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/marpol/v51y2015icp1-12.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

A network approach to migratory whale conservation: Are MPAs the way forward or do all roads lead to the IMO?

Author

Listed:
  • Geijer, Christina K.A.
  • Jones, Peter J.S.

Abstract

The objective of this paper was to analyse the challenges and prospects of regional MPA networks as an effective tool for the protection of wide-ranging cetaceans, focusing on the potential of the Specially Protected Areas of Mediterranean Importance (SPAMI) network initiative to contribute to the conservation of the Mediterranean fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus). One of the main threats to this vulnerable population is mortalities through ship strikes. It is argued that a SPAMI network does not have the potential to effectively reduce the threat of ship strikes on a firm legal, scientific and political basis, particularly given uncertainty over fin whale seasonal movements. Instead, an alternative sectoral approach to landscape-scale protection is discussed. Building on examples from North America, it is proposed that a wider spatial scale threat-based approach should be adopted, and that a regional network of restrictions of shipping activities through the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) will more effectively reduce the risk of ship–whale strikes. This is also more consistent with the ecosystem approach, since the emphasis is on ecological scales that cross administrative boundaries, even though it is within a single sector. It is concluded that mechanisms exist to address the challenges of implementing such an approach, and that sectoral measures through the IMO represent an important way forward for improving the conservation prospects for Mediterranean fin whales.

Suggested Citation

  • Geijer, Christina K.A. & Jones, Peter J.S., 2015. "A network approach to migratory whale conservation: Are MPAs the way forward or do all roads lead to the IMO?," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 1-12.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:marpol:v:51:y:2015:i:c:p:1-12
    DOI: 10.1016/j.marpol.2014.06.002
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308597X14001663
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.marpol.2014.06.002?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Mullen, Kaitlyn A. & Peterson, Michael L. & Todd, Sean K., 2013. "Has designating and protecting critical habitat had an impact on endangered North Atlantic right whale ship strike mortality?," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 293-304.
    2. Portman, Michelle E. & Notarbartolo-di-Sciara, Giuseppe & Agardy, Tundi & Katsanevakis, Stelios & Possingham, Hugh P. & Di-Carlo, Giuseppe, 2013. "He who hesitates is lost: Why conservation in the Mediterranean Sea is necessary and possible now," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 270-279.
    3. Knudsen, Olav F. & Hassler, Björn, 2011. "IMO legislation and its implementation: Accident risk, vessel deficiencies and national administrative practices," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(2), pages 201-207, March.
    4. O'Leary, B.C. & Brown, R.L. & Johnson, D.E. & von Nordheim, H. & Ardron, J. & Packeiser, T. & Roberts, C.M., 2012. "The first network of marine protected areas (MPAs) in the high seas: The process, the challenges and where next," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(3), pages 598-605.
    5. Silber, Gregory K. & Vanderlaan, Angelia S.M. & Tejedor Arceredillo, Ana & Johnson, Lindy & Taggart, Christopher T. & Brown, Moira W. & Bettridge, Shannon & Sagarminaga, Ricardo, 2012. "The role of the International Maritime Organization in reducing vessel threat to whales: Process, options, action and effectiveness," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(6), pages 1221-1233.
    6. Guerreiro, José & Chircop, Aldo & Grilo, Catarina & Viras, Ana & Ribeiro, Raquel & van der Elst, Rudy, 2010. "Establishing a transboundary network of marine protected areas: Diplomatic and management options for the east African context," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 34(5), pages 896-910, September.
    7. Jones, P.J.S. & Carpenter, A., 2009. "Crossing the divide: The challenges of designing an ecologically coherent and representative network of MPAs for the UK," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 33(5), pages 737-743, September.
    8. Reeves, Randall & Rosa, Cheryl & George, J.Craig & Sheffield, Gay & Moore, Michael, 2012. "Implications of Arctic industrial growth and strategies to mitigate future vessel and fishing gear impacts on bowhead whales," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(2), pages 454-462.
    9. Hinch, Patricia R. & De Santo, Elizabeth M., 2011. "Factors to consider in evaluating the management and conservation effectiveness of a whale sanctuary to protect and conserve the North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis)," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(2), pages 163-180, March.
    10. De Santo, Elizabeth M. & Jones, Peter J.S., 2007. "Offshore marine conservation policies in the North East Atlantic: Emerging tensions and opportunities," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 31(3), pages 336-347, May.
    11. Matz-Lück, Nele & Fuchs, Johannes, 2014. "The impact of OSPAR on protected area management beyond national jurisdiction: Effective regional cooperation or a network of paper parks?," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 155-166.
    12. Daniel Matisoff, 2010. "Are international environmental agreements enforceable? implications for institutional design," International Environmental Agreements: Politics, Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 10(3), pages 165-186, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Allen, Ainsley S., 2014. "The development of ships׳ routeing measures in the Bering Strait: Lessons learned from the North Atlantic right whale to protect local whale populations," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 50(PA), pages 215-226.
    2. Mullen, Kaitlyn A. & Peterson, Michael L. & Todd, Sean K., 2013. "Has designating and protecting critical habitat had an impact on endangered North Atlantic right whale ship strike mortality?," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 293-304.
    3. Stevens, T.F. & Sheehan, E.V. & Gall, S.C. & Fowell, S.C. & Attrill, M.J., 2014. "Monitoring benthic biodiversity restoration in Lyme Bay marine protected area: Design, sampling and analysis," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 310-317.
    4. Laurent Fedi & Olivier Faury & Laurent Etienne & Ali Cheaitou & Patrick Rigot-Muller, 2024. "Application of the IMO taxonomy on casualty investigation: Analysis of 20 years of marine accidents along the North-East Passage," Post-Print hal-04483233, HAL.
    5. Crow White & Christopher Costello, 2014. "Close the High Seas to Fishing?," PLOS Biology, Public Library of Science, vol. 12(3), pages 1-5, March.
    6. Anne-Elise Nieblas & Kyla Drushka & Gabriel Reygondeau & Vincent Rossi & Hervé Demarcq & Laurent Dubroca & Sylvain Bonhommeau, 2014. "Defining Mediterranean and Black Sea Biogeochemical Subprovinces and Synthetic Ocean Indicators Using Mesoscale Oceanographic Features," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 9(10), pages 1-13, October.
    7. Campbell, Maria S. & Stehfest, Kilian M. & Votier, Stephen C. & Hall-Spencer, Jason M., 2014. "Mapping fisheries for marine spatial planning: Gear-specific vessel monitoring system (VMS), marine conservation and offshore renewable energy," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 293-300.
    8. Rochette, Julien & Unger, Sebastian & Herr, Dorothée & Johnson, David & Nakamura, Takehiro & Packeiser, Tim & Proelss, Alexander & Visbeck, Martin & Wright, Andrew & Cebrian, Daniel, 2014. "The regional approach to the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 109-117.
    9. Lieberknecht, Louise M. & Jones, Peter JS Dr, 2016. "From stormy seas to the doldrums: The challenges of navigating towards an ecologically coherent MPA network through England’s Marine Conservation Zone process," MarXiv duaxq, Center for Open Science.
    10. Knowles, John E. & Doyle, Emma & Schill, Steven R. & Roth, Lynnette M. & Milam, Amy & Raber, George T., 2015. "Establishing a marine conservation baseline for the insular Caribbean," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 84-97.
    11. Fan, Lixian & Luo, Meifeng & Yin, Jinbo, 2014. "Flag choice and Port State Control inspections—Empirical evidence using a simultaneous model," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(C), pages 350-357.
    12. Freestone, David & Johnson, David & Ardron, Jeff & Morrison, Kate Killerlain & Unger, Sebastian, 2014. "Can existing institutions protect biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction? Experiences from two on-going processes," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 167-175.
    13. Aakvik, Arild & Tjøtta, Sigve, 2011. "Do collective actions clear common air? The effect of international environmental protocols on sulphur emissions," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 27(2), pages 343-351, June.
    14. Lima, Daniela Oliveira de & Crouzeilles, Renato & Vieira, Marcus Vinícius, 2020. "Integrating strict protection and sustainable use areas to preserve the Brazilian Pampa biome through conservation planning," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 99(C).
    15. Katsanevakis, Stelios & Levin, Noam & Coll, Marta & Giakoumi, Sylvaine & Shkedi, Daniel & Mackelworth, Peter & Levy, Ran & Velegrakis, Adonis & Koutsoubas, Drosos & Caric, Hrvoje & Brokovich, Eran & Ö, 2015. "Marine conservation challenges in an era of economic crisis and geopolitical instability: The case of the Mediterranean Sea," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 31-39.
    16. Chaewoon Oh, 2022. "Evaluation of the UNFCCC Technology Mechanism’s contribution to an international climate policy framework," International Environmental Agreements: Politics, Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 22(3), pages 527-542, September.
    17. Van Dover, C.L. & Aronson, J. & Pendleton, L. & Smith, S. & Arnaud-Haond, S. & Moreno-Mateos, D. & Barbier, E. & Billett, D. & Bowers, K. & Danovaro, R. & Edwards, A. & Kellert, S. & Morato, T. & Poll, 2014. "Ecological restoration in the deep sea: Desiderata," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 98-106.
    18. Cherng-Yuan Lin, 2013. "Effects of Biodiesel Blend on Marine Fuel Characteristics for Marine Vessels," Energies, MDPI, vol. 6(9), pages 1-11, September.
    19. Son-Tung Le & Trung-Hieu Nguyen, 2023. "The Development of Green Ports in Emerging Nations: A Case Study of Vietnam," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(18), pages 1-23, September.
    20. Jelena Nikcevic, 2018. "Montenegro on the Path to Paris MoU Accession: Towards Achieving a Sustainable Shipping Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(6), pages 1-14, June.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:marpol:v:51:y:2015:i:c:p:1-12. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/marpol .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.