Potential Conflicts Between Coastal Mpa Planning And Fisher Livelihoods:Implications To Alleviation Measures

In China,85%of marine protected areas(MPA)established in waters within 20km offshore that are the main habitat for marine mammals such as the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins(Sousa chinensis),and main fishing areas.The MPA is one of the most effective measures for marine biodiversity conservation,which functions as a tool to protect threatened species and enhance fishing activities management.In the context of MPA management,reinforcing the effectiveness of MPA management through the stakeholders participate in conservation actions is one important strategy.A typical case is that fishers could provide many assistances on MPA management,such as fishers could report illegal fishing to MPA staff.To understand the condition of management and stakeholder participation of MPA management,the management and fishers’baselines in conservation actions and MPA management were explored.In this study,indicators of MPA management were collected through the website of government and MPA.Questionnaire interviews were conducted in villages around the Hepu Dugong National Nature Reserve(HDNNR)and in Sanniang Bay Village to collect baselines including socio-economic background,the type of livelihoods and fishing areas of villagers.All responders were divided into two groups included fishers and non-fishers,and then,c~2 test(for counts)was used to examine differences of socio-economic background,household livelihood and conservation awareness-willingness between fishers and non-fishers.A general linear model(GLM)was used to examine the correlation between education attainment and household livelihood.A total of 11 MPAs of Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins were designated.One MPA reported the stakeholder participation in the MPA management.In villages around the HDNNR,fishers mainly rely on fishing to support their livelihood needs.For fishers,incomes of fishing accounted for 70%of annual incomes.A total of 45.5%of fishers reported few opportunities to participate in MPA management.A total 64.9%of fishers showed reluctance to exit fishing.Between conservation and livelihood needs,fishers pay more attention on their livelihood than conservation.In Sanniang Bay village,66.7%of fishers were reluctant to exit fishing,while 75.0%of fishers had no or did not know alternative livelihoods other than fishing.Education attainments of respondents are significantly associated with household livelihoods that a high school degree is minimal requirement for contracted employments.Within the survey region,overlap between the core habitat of Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins and major fishing area was at least 46.9%.Fishers in both HDNNR and Sanniang Bay Village saw illegal fishing before.In MPA planning and management,measures to alleviate or reduce the potential conservation conflicts could refer to the baselines of fishers,including fishers’social-economic background,conservation awareness-willingness,catch and areas of fishing,fishing income and economic losses.In the framework of MPA planning and management,the planning and management of MPAs can be done through the involvement of fishers,research groups,government and NGOs.In the condition of assist fishers to exit fishing and develop alternative livelihoods,decision maker needs to consider the fishers’age,education level and ability to engage in other jobs.