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Liggett D, Frame B, Convey P, Hughes KA. How the COVID-19 pandemic signaled the demise of Antarctic exceptionalism. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadk4424. [PMID: 38427734 PMCID: PMC10906921 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adk4424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024]
Abstract
This paper explores how the COVID-19 pandemic affected science and tourism activities and their governance in the Antarctic and Southern Ocean. The pandemic reduced the ability of Antarctic Treaty Parties to make decisions on policy issues and placed a considerable burden on researchers. Tourism was effectively suspended during the 2020-2021 Antarctic season and heavily reduced in 2021-2022 but rebounded to record levels in 2022-2023. The pandemic stimulated reflection on practices to facilitate dialog, especially through online events. Opportunities arose to integrate innovations developed during the pandemic more permanently into Antarctic practices, in relation to open science, reducing operational greenhouse gas footprints and barriers of access to Antarctic research and facilitating data sharing. However, as well as the long-term impacts arising directly from the pandemic, an assemblage of major geopolitical drivers are also in play and, combined, these signal a considerable weakening of Antarctic exceptionalism in the early Anthropocene.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Bob Frame
- University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Peter Convey
- British Antarctic Survey, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa
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Takyi R, El Mahrad B, Addo C, Essandoh J, ElHadary M, Adade R, Buadi EJ, Botwe BO, Nunoo FKE. Assessment of coastal and marine ecosystems in West Africa: The case of Ghana. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2023; 197:115735. [PMID: 37924736 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/06/2023]
Abstract
Coastal and marine ecosystems, as integral component of social, ecological, and economic systems, are critical in providing essential ecosystem services that underpin human activities, including fishing and mining. Effective management of these ecosystems is paramount to safeguarding their vital contributions. This study adopts a socio-ecological framework, "Drivers (D) of human activities (A), associated Pressures (P), State change in coastal and marine environments, Impact (I) on human welfare (W) and Response (R) as measures (M) of management, (DAPSI(W)R(M))," to analyse the complexities of coastal and marine ecosystems in the Ghanaian context. The study identifies various drivers of anthropogenic activities, such as fishing, oil and gas production, and waste disposal. These anthropogenic activities create significant pressures, including selective extraction of living and non-living resources, as well as habitat degradation through substratum loss and pollution. Consequently, these pressures have led to changes in fish biomass and habitat quality, among other ecological shifts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard Takyi
- Blue Resources Research and Policy Institute, Box L534 Mallam, Greater Accra, Ghana; Department of Marine and Fisheries Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana.
| | - Badr El Mahrad
- Murray Foundation, Brabners LLP, Horton House, Exchange Street, Liverpool L2 3YL, UK; Laboratory of Geoscience, Water and Environment, (LG2E-CERNE2D), Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, Mohammed V University of Rabat, Rabat 10000, Morocco; CIMA, FCT-Gambelas Campus, University of Algarve, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
| | - Cynthia Addo
- Fisheries Committee for the West-Central Gulf of Guinea, Tema, Ghana
| | - John Essandoh
- Department of Conservation Biology and Entomology, University of Cape Coast, Ghana
| | - Mohamed ElHadary
- CIMA, FCT-Gambelas Campus, University of Algarve, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal; Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Bologna, 48123 Ravenna, Italy; Department of Environmental Engineering, University of Science and Technology, Zewail City of Science and Technology, Giza 12578, Egypt
| | - Richard Adade
- Centre for Coastal Management-African Centre of Excellence in Coastal Resilience, University of Cape Coast, Ghana
| | | | - Benjamin Osei Botwe
- Department of Marine and Fisheries Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
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Collins C, Kerry C, de Vos A, Karnad D, Nuno A, Letessier TB. Changes in illegal fishing dynamics in a large-scale MPA during COVID-19. Curr Biol 2023; 33:R851-R852. [PMID: 37607477 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.05.076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Revised: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023]
Abstract
Global socio-ecological shocks, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, can threaten progress in protecting vulnerable marine environments by altering behaviour of resource users1. When government priorities shift from environmental protection towards safeguarding human populations, control of illegal activity in protected areas can alter. Resulting increases in illegal fishing in large-scale marine protected areas (MPAs) are of particular concern as they contain a large proportion of marine protected area globally2. Here, we report on average 19 times as many suspected illegal fishing vessels per month in 2022 (n = 19) compared with 2010 to 2020 (n = 1) in an Indian Ocean MPA. Although illegal fishing has been a pervasive problem, the current spike in Indian vessels targeting a broad trophic diversity of reef-associated species is of particular concern and we suggest such changes in illegal activity in MPAs globally may persist over long timescales unless management is broad and adaptive to individual context. When considering potential solutions, widespread adoption of technology, such as remote surveillance of vessels, can mitigate illegal activities but remains unfeasible for many MPAs globally due to financial and political barriers. Instead, we suggest broader approaches, including a renewed focus on regional approaches to combating illegal fishing, formal bilateral agreements between competent authorities in relevant countries and an increase in community-based work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire Collins
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London NW1 4RY, UK; Centre for Ecology and Conservation, Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 9FE, UK.
| | - Chris Kerry
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London NW1 4RY, UK; Centre for Ecology and Conservation, Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 9FE, UK
| | | | - Divya Karnad
- Department of Environmental Studies, Ashoka University, Sonipat, Haryana 131029, India; Foundation for Ecological Research, Advocacy and Learning, Morattandi, Tamil Nadu 605101, India
| | - Ana Nuno
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 9FE, UK; Interdisciplinary Centre of Social Sciences (CICS.NOVA), School of Social Sciences and Humanities (NOVA FCSH), NOVA University Lisbon, Avenida de Berna, 26-C, 1069-061 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Tom B Letessier
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London NW1 4RY, UK; University of Western Australia, School of Biological Sciences, Perth, WA 6009, Australia
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