<
https://newsroom.wcs.org/News-Releases/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/17095/A-New-Marine-Protected-Area-to-Protect-Biodiversity-and-Coral-Habitat-Around-Saint-Martins-Island-in-Bangladesh.aspx>
"The Government of Bangladesh has declared a new marine protected area (MPA)
spanning 1,743 square kilometers (672 square miles) around Saint Martin’s
Island, a region which represents 1.5 percent of Bangladesh’s exclusive
economic zone. The productive waters around this tropical island teem with
biodiversity and provide key habitat for Bangladesh’s only coral reef, as well
as upwards of 230 finfish species. The new MPA will also protect globally
threatened wildlife such as Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins, whale sharks,
white-spotted whiprays, long-tailed butterfly rays, and olive ridley, green,
and loggerhead turtles.
Also known as ‘Coconut Island’, Saint Martin’s Island is a popular tourist
destination and home to around 7,000 residents who depend on seasonal tourism
and fishing. Despite considerable efforts to mitigate the negative impacts of
the area’s booming tourism industry, overexploitation of corals and fisheries,
along with uncontrolled waste and light pollution, have taken a heavy toll on
marine biodiversity around the island.
Honorable Deputy Minister Habibun Nahar of the Ministry of Environment, Forests
and Climate Change said: “The St. Martin’s Island MPA, together with the
existing Swatch-of-No-Ground MPA and two other marine reserves declared by the
Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, brings Bangladesh one step closer towards
achieving our national goal and international obligation under the Convention
on Biodiversity and United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to protect 10
percent of our marine waters.”
Proposed regulations in the new MPA include establishing zones with different
rules to regulate fishing and vessel traffic. Said Md. Amir Hossain Chowdhury,
Chief Conservator of Forests: “To enforce and monitor compliance with MPA
regulations, the Forest Department will prepare an integrated management plan
where all stakeholders, including local fishermen, will be involved. We are
also planning to conduct joint patrols with the Department of Fisheries, Coast
Guard, Navy and local fishing communities to conserve the rich biodiversity of
this MPA."
“Protecting the waters around Saint Martin’s Island is critical to sustain
fisheries and conserve globally threatened marine wildlife. It also provides an
ideal opportunity to restore Bangladesh’s only coral habitat,” said Dr. Md.
Zahangir Alom, Country Representative of Wildlife Conservation Society
Bangladesh (WCS)."
Via Glyn Moody.
Share and enjoy,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
