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Cheryl Rita Kaur Centre for Coastal and Marine Environment 5th World Ecotourism Conference

Management: Behind marine ecotourism success stories With a specific focus on marine parks in Malaysia. Cheryl Rita Kaur Centre for Coastal and Marine Environment 5th World Ecotourism Conference "Marine and Coastal Ecotourism: Oceans of Uncertainties, Waves of Opportunities“

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Cheryl Rita Kaur Centre for Coastal and Marine Environment 5th World Ecotourism Conference

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  1. Management: Behind marine ecotourism success stories With a specific focus on marine parks in Malaysia Cheryl Rita Kaur Centre for Coastal and Marine Environment 5th World Ecotourism Conference "Marine and Coastal Ecotourism: Oceans of Uncertainties, Waves of Opportunities“ Session on Marine Protected Areas for Ecotourism Cebu, Philippines, 20-22 February 2014

  2. Background • MIMA is a policy research institute set up by the Malaysian Government to look into matters relating to Malaysia's interest at sea, and to serve as a national focal point for research in the maritime sector. • The Institute complements efforts of the various government agencies involved in the maritime sector by mobilising expertise to assist and support them in national maritime policy planning/ implementation. Presentation entails an introduction to the establishment of marine parks in Malaysia and their role in promoting ecotourism, challenges faced, and immediate priorities and actions to improve management.

  3. Understanding marine ecotourism • The term might mean differently to different people. At the heart of almost all definitions of marine ecotourism however, is the aim of appreciation and enjoyment of the natural marine environment along cultural features, and local communities empowerment. • Simply put, ecotourism is tourism that is based on enabling people to experience the natural environment in a manner that is consistent with the principles of sustainable development.

  4. Significance • Tourism contributes significantly to the economy and foreign exchange earnings: • 25 million tourists arrival in 2012, with total revenue of RM60 billion (average ~ 500,000 tourists annually to marine parks in Malaysia). An estimate of 4,006 km2 coral reef areas recorded in the Malaysian waters Source: Adapted from the Department of Marine Park Malaysia

  5. Marine parks in Malaysia • Broad definitions: Marine protected area, marine park, marine reserve, etc. • Defined as protected areas of the sea zoned two nautical miles from the shore at lowest low tide. • Largely no take areas. • Initially established for fisheries protection and management; with the understanding that the spatial closure would act as a refuge for fish communities, enhancing their densities and diversity – Spillover effect. • Maintains also the aesthetic qualities of reefs for tourism. • Supports tourism activities.

  6. Long development history…

  7. Marine parks in Malaysia Source: Department of Marine Park Malaysia

  8. Presently slightly more than 1% of marine protected areas.

  9. Institutional framework Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment MINISTRY OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT Department of Marine Park Malaysia MINISTRY OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT Sabah Parks / Sarawak Forestry Corporation National Advisory Council for Marine Park and Marine Reserves Marine Park and Marine Reserves Trust Fund Community Consultative Committee Policies and Legislations in place

  10. Assessment of management effectiveness • “The degree to which management actions achieve stated goals and objectives of a protected area”. • Components/ Indicators: Governance Biophysical Socio-economic Source: Pomeroy et al., 2004

  11. Application of the Management Effectiveness Assessment Tool (MEAT) • Introduced under Goal 3 of the CTI programme, and is based on the Philippines experience on MPAs. • Application of thresholds, scores, and management focus.

  12. MPA management activities divided into key categories which help in improving effectiveness, and includes: • Management plan • Management body • Legal instrument • Community participation • Financing • Information, education and communication • Enforcement • Monitoring • Site development

  13. Source: Results presented by Garces (2013)

  14. National/ Local efforts • Surveillance and enforcement (33% reduction in non-compliance in 2011) • Habitat enhancement • Education, awareness and capacity building • Alternative livelihood programmes InteractionForumwithlocal fishermeninTanjungLeman,Johor NationalMarineEducation Camp Source: Department of Marine Park Malaysia

  15. Challenges • TheReefs at Risk report found 85% of Malaysian reefs to be under medium to high level of threats from mostly human activities. • Some of the major threats faced in the management of the marine parks in Malaysia are: • Mass tourism (green washing) • Coastal development • Marine and land-based pollution • Over exploitation and destructive fishing practices • Climate change

  16. Application of the LAC framework for tourism management

  17. Tioman Island Marine Park • Popular tourists destination due to its pristine natural environment. • Its popularity brought about conventional development i.e., hotels and resorts, golf course, water sports facilities, airstrip, and marina development. • The prevalence of tourists, tourism development and tourism activities have resulted in amounting pressure to the marine environment.

  18. Tourists’ areas with development Tourists’ areas without development Outer islands without development but used by tourists

  19. Level of use based on the LAC framework Recreation zone with limited use level ?

  20. Recreation zone with greater use level ?

  21. Pointers • Combining scientific investigation with the social information towards sustainable tourism management – ecotourism activities. • Resource condition play a significant role in influencing visitors’ experience.

  22. Some options for management • Imposing seasonal or temporal limits on use. • Regulating group size to allow for more control and maximize enjoyment. • Zoning, e.g. closing area to visitors or reducing visits to ecologically important areas. • Increasing entrance fees (support conservation activities) • Introducing high-end tourism (quality vs. quantity) • Educating visitors and increasing guide training

  23. Conclusion • Sound policy making requires sound science. • Collaborative research is important as the information needed has to come from many disciplines, not just marine biology or ecology: • Serve as important tools in convincing policy-makers as to the need for more judicious development of marine park islands, and • Support day-to-day running of marine parks and contribute towards the development of management plans, zonation through application of suitable tools for marine parks management such as the limits of acceptable change. • Community participation/ engagement is crucial.

  24. Thank youSalamat ___________________________ cheryl_rk@mima.gov.my

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