Marine protection and multi-use
Background
Marine science has clearly shown that the future of humanity is closely linked to the utilisation of the oceans. In addition to climate change, the greatly accelerated utilisation of the coastal and shelf seas, as well as the high seas, and the associated "race for space" is currently of particular concern. NGOs as well as some governments and scientific groups are urgently calling for additional measures to protect the oceans and seas. One of the most frequently used instruments is the designation of marine protected areas (MPAs).
Effective MPAs not only protect biodiversity, provide marine refugia for economically valuable species and enhance food webs, but they also provide standards for the kind of healthy ecosystems that the Sustainable Development Goals seek to achieve.
However, due to the increasing utilisation interests in the coastal and shelf seas, MPAs will probably not be sufficient to achieve a Good environmental status and to ensure the sustainable functioning of marine ecosystems. Multi-use concepts for selected areas offer a suitable alternative for bundling different uses spatially and thus reducing the pressure on MPAs. The focus here is currently on the large areas that have been designated for the generation of renewable energy using offshore wind power.
Both the establishment and management of effective MPAs, as well as the development of successful multi-use concepts, especially with multiple users, require dedicated science from a variety of disciplines to provide crucial data, knowledge and new methods. This science should continuously strive for a higher level of informed debate within the relevant decision-making processes. The KDM Marine Protected Areas Strategy Group is proposed as a forum for discussion and prioritisation of science to support effective MPAs and multi-use approaches. The SG will be inclusive and involve marine biologists, environmental scientists, coastal engineers, microbiologists, monitoring experts and social scientists, etc. Experts from NGOs and governmental agencies will also be invited as needed to strive for a transdisciplinary approach where possible and appropriate. The group will focus on MPAs and multi-use concepts within and outside the German EEZ.
The group aims to:
- identify current scientific issues,
- deliver strategic science advice,
- identify experts on scientific issues in various disciplines related to MPA and multi-use issues in marine management, and
- help drive a science-based dialogue at national, European and global levels concerning the future multi-use ocean agenda.
