An integral environmental risk assessment and management framework for enhancing the sustainability of marine protected areas Elvis G.B. Xu
1*,
Brian
1 Morton ,
Joseph H.W. Lee
2,
and Kenneth M.Y.
1 Leung
1The
Swire Institute of Marine Science and Division of Ecology & Biodiversity, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 2 Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong * Email:
[email protected]
1. Background Marine protected areas (MPAs) such as marine parks and marine reserves contain natural resources of immense value to mankind and the environment. However, many MPAs are situated in close proximity to urbanized areas and thus influenced by anthropogenic activities such as continuous discharges of pollutants (e.g., endocrine disrupting chemicals, EDCs) via surface runoff, precipitation, untreated and partially treated sewage, and illegal marine dumping (see left-hand figure). Therefore, marine organisms living in such MPAs are probably at risk, and urgently call for appropriate environmental assessment and management actions to ensure their sustainability. In this study, we have developed an integrated environmental risk assessment and management (IERAM) framework for enhancing the sustainability of MPAs. In this framework, the conventional environmental risk assessment methods are integrated with the DPSIR (Driver – Pressure – State - Impact - Response) conceptual approach.
2. Project Aims:
4. Results:
To develop screening mechanisms for various stressors to MPAs, identify stressors with unacceptable risks, and formulate and prioritize management options with consideration of both ecological and socioeconomic dimensions.
Driving forces
To illustrate the IERAM framework using the Cape d’Aguilar Marine Reserve of Hong Kong (Fig. 1), China as a case study.
Increasing population and gross domestic product (GDP) in Hong Kong
Number of fishing vessels and total engine power of fishing vessels in Hong Kong
The distribution of wind at the Marine Reserve. Red dot: The “risk windy” days occurs an average of 0.5% of the time.
Pressures
Fig. 1 Potential threats to the Hong Kong’s marine environment and the location of the Cape d’Aguilar Marine Reserve (in box)
Increasing total water consumption and its composition in Hong Kong
Production value of fishing and catch per unit effort by fishing vessels
Increasing oil spill incidents and refuse collected from vessels
State 3. Methodological approaches Figure 2 outlines “A multilevel assessment approach” within a framework that combines qualitative and quantitative approaches to the different steps of the assessment process. This preliminary approach was developed to obtain an overview of the risks involved and the prioritization of them for the further management of the Cape d’Aguilar Marine Reserve.
If RQ>1; High risk
Risk quotients (RQs) for sediment quality parameters. SS1 and ES1 stand for two monitoring stations closest to Marine Reserve.
Risk quotients (RQs) for water quality parameters. SS1 and EM3 stand for two monitoring stations closest to the Marine Reserve.
Impacts
Fig. 2 Assessment process
Identification of Potential Threats – Linking MPAs to broader coastal areas Environmental expenditure
Activities that threaten the sustainable uses of the marine environment and effectiveness of the Cape d’Aguilar Marine Reserve include (Fig. 1):
Occurrence of red tides
Improved seawater quality of beach
Responses
1) Contamination from land-based activities; 2) Illegal fishing either nearby or inside the; 3) Marine transportation and port; 4) Mariculture activities in coastal areas nearby the MPA; and 5) Coastal landfills of waste nearby the.
Dada collection and classification A multi-layer DPSIR framework to describe cause-effect relationships of different ecological, economic and social indicators. Multiple datasets, mostly from local authorities were screened and classified according to the 149 DPSIR variables. Based on the cause-effect relationships, databases were categorized into five sets within a DPSIR loop (Fig. 3). In this study, the issue of marine pollution in MPAs is of major concern, and is placed on the top layer of the multi-dimensional model (Fig. 4).
Existing and potential MPAs in Hong Kong.
Existing sewage treatment plants
Increasing number of scientific publications related to Cape d’Aguilar
5. Conclusions This paper proposes a conceptual IERAM framework for developing, integrating and analyzing a set of multi-disciplinary indicators for MPA management. A main advantage of this approach is the use of readily available governmental databases for evaluating MPA, thus providing timely information for MPA assessment and management.
In addition, the conventional environmental risk assessment methods (both qualitative and quantitative) have been integrated into this framework. Further work is needed to improve data collection and elaboration, and to achieve an appropriate evaluation of problems in local MPA management. The next step is to include more indicators as well as our own monitoring data associated with each element of the conceptual model, and its application to other MPAs and the entire MPA network.
Fig. 3 A multi-dimensional DPSIR model. D: driving forces. P: pressures. S: state of the environment. I: Impacts. R: Responses.
Fig. 4 Example of a DPSIR loop for marine pollution issues in the IERAM system.
Acknowledgements: This study is supported by the Swire Educational Trust and the University Grants Committee of the Hong Kong Special Administration Region, China through the Area of Excellence Scheme (Project No. AoE/P-04/2004). Elvis Xu would also like to thank John Swire & Sons Limited for supporting his PhD study via the James Henry Scott PhD Scholarship, and thank the University of Hong Kong for providing a conference grant.
