Fish Spawning Aggregations: A Reef Resilience Toolkit Module

Effective Management

Effective management is the most important principle in the Reef Resilience model. Effective management refers to the daily activities that are required of managers, as well as larger community-based efforts, to address such problems as local pollution, poorly planned coastal development, and destructive fishing practices. All of these activities continue to be a priority in the context of resilience-based management. In the face of global climate change, it is critical for managers to work with stakeholders, to reduce and eliminate major threats to coral reef communities that occur locally.

Effective Management Fundamentals

Community outreach and communication between stakeholders and managers is critical to achieving management goals and objectives. Photo © S. Wear/TNC

Communication: Communication is often both the reason for success and the reason for failure of management strategies. Focusing on the two-way communication of information between stakeholders and managers is critical to achieving management goals and objectives. Making sure the community is fully aware of the rationale for management activities, as well as the intended outcome, will help gain support for current and future actions. For more information on communication, refer to Communicating Resilience in the Coral Reef module and Communicating FSAs in this module of the toolkit.

Measuring Up: In order to manage effectively, a manager must stay informed about changes, as well as progress in the managed area. Understanding the impact certain threats have, or the response a particular management action creates, helps managers make necessary adjustments, as well as justify management activities based on these trends. There are a variety of resources to help managers evaluate the management of their sites, depending on the kind of information and resources available.

Monitoring and measuring the effectiveness of management activities supports adaptive management approaches. Photo © S. Summerhays

Adaptive Management: Once managers have collected information about progress and trends within a protected area, decisions must be made about current and future strategies. Adjustments in management (e.g., regulations, zoning, or in protected area boundaries) are facilitated by having institutional flexibility incorporated into the management framework. Ensuring that both community and legislative bodies are prepared for changes in the management approach enables the process of change to occur more efficiently. Further discussion of Adaptive Management can be found in this toolkit module.

Precautionary Approach: It is advisable to employ a precautionary approach whenever information is lacking. The precautionary principle is defined as follows: When an activity raises threats of harm to human health or the environment, precautionary measures should be taken, even if some cause and effect relationships are not fully established scientifically (Wingspread Statement’s Definition, 1998). The precautionary principle suggests that caution be taken in decision-making, but that it does not lead to paralysis until perfect information is available. Designing MPA networks using local knowledge and customary management practices (when possible) are important elements of a precautionary design, and can be accessed in situations when limited “formal” data have been acquired. Further discussion of the Precautionary Approach can be found in the FSA Management section of this module.