Artificial Reef Artificial Reef ProjectProject

Marine & Community ValuesMarine & Community Values

Background

• Increase in water-based tourism activity in Tyre vs. traditional users

• Conflict and competition for limited space and resources among various users and uses

• Degradation of resources; loss of economic opportunity; threat of violence!

• Initial unsuccessful effort by Department of Fisheries

TyMMATyre Marine Management Area:

A Pilot Artificial Reef project and Marine Protected Area

Tyre Artificial Reef Objective

To contribute to national and local development,

Particularly in the fisheries and tourism sectors,

Management of the Tyre coastal zone,

Establish sustainable use, co-operation among resource users, institutional collaboration, active and enlightened local participation, and equitable sharing of benefits and responsibilities among stakeholders.

Unique Consultative and Participatory Process

•Clean slate

•Multiple stakeholder meetings: governmental, non-governmental, community-based persons

•Representation/mobilisation of groups

•Various site visits

•Scientific studies and popular knowledge

•No time line

Financial Arrangements

•User fees: SCUBA diving, snorkeling and flora conservation (mooring)

•Installation of moorings

•Sale of souvenirs

•Coffee shop

•Donations

•Grants

What can Purple Reef Do?

• Scientific research on the natural resources of the area

• Regular monitoring of the reef’s life, water quality and other environmental factors and resources

• Public information and sensitization

• Provision of facilities for users of the TyMMA, e.g. moorings

• Coordination of economic activities related to the TyMMA and its resources

What will TyMMA Committee Do

• Promotion of technologies that are appropriate and linked with local environmental, social and cultural aspects of the TyMMA

• Surveillance and enforcement of rules and regulations

• Conflict resolution among the various user groups whenever necessary

• Maintenance of the principles of ongoing participation and public consultation

A Set of Goals

• Co-existence of users with minimal conflict

• Support the locals, improve the local economy, highlight the cultural heritage

• Increases in fish stocks, in marine reserves and fishing areas and reflection of these increases in fishermen’s catches

• Self-sustainability with regards to operating costs

• International recognition

• Community support

• Enhanced awareness and sensitization

Threats to be contained and controlled

• Sedimentation and Sewage

• Overuse of certain dive sites (localized congestion)

• Non-compliance with rules and regulations by fishers from communities adjacent to Tyre

• Lenient penalties

• Inadequate consultation regarding development activity or inadequate and/or untimely action when reports are made

• Late payment of user fees

New Developments/Challenges

Spread the Marine Management Area projects

Proposed new green ecological hotel development in the TyMMA, including marina

International Conservation Site

Sedimentation & wastewater, coupled with the compounding effects of storm events and Global warming

Zoning Arrangements

• Marine Reserves

• Fishing Priority Areas

• Mooring Areas

• Recreational Areas

• Multiple Use Areas

The setting up of ARs to attract fish in Mediterranean goes

back to around 3,000 years agoThe rocks used as anchors for the tuna fishery nets in the Mediterranean Sea were left on the seabed at the end of each fishing season, accumulated over time and made new rocky habitats populated by benthic fauna and fish which were exploited by local fishermen during the intervals between the fishing tuna seasons

In the middle of the 17th century artificial reefs were used in Japan under various shapes for fish attraction.

Modern concept of “Artificial Reef”

Europe 1900sUSA 1800s

OSPAR 1999Guidelines on Artificial Reefs inrelation to Living Marine Resources 1999

IMO-UNEP 2008London Convention andProtocol / UNEP guidelines forthe placement of ARs

UNEP-MAP 2005Guidelines for the Placement at Sea of Matterfor Purpose other than mereDisposal (Construction ofArtificial Reefs)

AR DEFINITIONAR is a submerged structure deliberately placed on the seabed tomimic some functions of a natural reef, such as protecting, regenerating, concentrating and/or enhancing populations of living marine resources

Materials, design, placement,administrative action,monitoring, scientificexperiments, management andliabilities

The term EXCLUDES artificialislands, cables, pipelines, platforms,mooring, and other structures forcoastal defense (e.g. breakwaters)

GUIDELINES PURPOSE

Assessing proposals for the placement of ARs on the basis of scientifically sound criteria and developing an appropriate regulatory framework

Implementing regulations on the AR construction

Preventing of pollution or degradation of the marine environment as a consequence of waste deployment

MEDITERRANEAN SEA ARTIFICIAL REEF NETWORK

Spain France Principality of Monaco Italy Albania Greece Turkey Cyprus Malta Tunisia

GREECE CASE STUDYConstruction of ARs started in 1999

MULTIANNUAL PROGRAM FOR FISHERY DEVELOPMENT

Protection and management of fisheries resources

MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE Construction, monitoring and funding

after 2004LOCAL FISHERY ASSOCIATIONS,

through Local Prefectures

before 2004MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE

Site identification

GREECE CASE STUDYAR CONSTRUCTION PROCEDURE

Feasibility study

Permissions by all authoritiescompetent in sea management

Additional studies

AR deployment

5-year monitoring program

Environmental featuresLocal Fish assemblageExistence of sensitive areas or areas under specific regimes Dependence of the area on fisheriesSocio-economic aspects of local fisheries

Archaeological AuthorityMinistry of Maritime AffairsMinistry of EnvironmentHydrographical National Authority

Ichthyologic studyOceanographic studyConstruction studyEnvironmental impact study

Oceanographic investigationsFish assemblage inside and outside the ARBenthic colonization of the structuresLanding monitoring program at the nearest fishingports

GREECE CASE STUDY

FOUR Existing ARs (2000-06)

Ministry of Agriculture

Surface: 8-10 km2

SIX New positions identified

Feasibility Study Local Prefectures

Surface: 10 km2

ARs in Mediterranean have been developed over 40 years with different

aims

• nature conservation and restoration

• fish stock enhancement

• fishery management and improvement

• aquaculture

• research

• recreation

• Research has strongly contributed to the AR success; better understanding of the many challenges offered by ARs for the conservation and sustainable use of the marine environment and its resources.

• Development of several guidelines aimed to assist in AR construction and avoid dumping in the European seas.

• Unambiguous definition of AR. Plus common protocols for the AR deployment and the assessment of their effectiveness and impacts.

• In spite of the recent developments, National and/or Regional programs for AR deployment are only in force in most of countries overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, while only few of these programs have been developed in the other European Regions (Portugal and Spain) up to now.

• Adoption of overall regional/national programs is strongly recommended in the view of overall plans based on a holistic approach to fisheries and nature conservation within the coastal zone.

• At the same time, research and cooperation among researchers should continue to fully understand how the ARs work and how they can be manipulated to get desired biological and socio-economic products.

• In fact, the key of acceptance of AR concept still depends on research and dissemination of knowledge among the managers of the marine environment and users.

Highlights

To Avoid• Toxic Materials

The use of toxic materials is a common mistake when building an artificial coral reef. This greatly pollutes the habitat and nullifies any benefit artificial reefs have to wildlife.

• Damage to NestsArtificial reefs often do not reach the weight requirement necessary to keep them in one place. They are known to float along the sea floor, damaging wildlife and often disturbing or destroying nests.

• Ocean DumpingMany times, artificial reefs will be chained to light buoys or not be sufficiently chained at all. In addition, some of these reefs are poorly constructed. Both of these factors greatly increase the amount of ocean dumping each year.

• Vessel CollisionThere are a number of artificial reefs being placed and mounted without any sort of marker on the surface of the water. This prevents boats and fishing vessels from avoiding them and they can do damage to the vessels and the surrounding real reefs.

• ExampleCleaned and sanitized military tanks have been used to construct artificial reefs. Some worry that toxicity due to firing heavy artillery could damage the environment, but those that are sanitized properly make suitable reefs

Thank you