INDICATORS... their application for marine protected area management Jon Day Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority World Heritage Workshop Paris, Jan 2007

INDICATORS Definition - A measure (quantitative or qualitative) of how close we are to achieving what we set out to achieve (ie our objective) ContextPlanningInputProcessOutputOutcomes Many examples of effectiveness indicators eg. IOC (2006); WWF Ecological indicators Social–economic indicators Governance performance indicators

Indicators in Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Often asked: “Is the GBR healthy?” or “How do you know?” So, what can indicators do? Summarise environmental trends & integrate environmental information for management. Provide environmental information to resource managers, users, community and/or the decision-makers.

How does GBRMPA use indicators? GBRMPA has statutory responsibility for managing the GBR Marine Park. We report on its status through Annual Reports to Parliament - statutory State of the Reef Report (ongoing, web-based) WH Periodic Reports (6 yearly) Recent review of GBRMP Act recommended statutory obligation to report periodically on the health/ state of the GBR Marine Park. Outlook report (5 yearly) – soon to be statutory

Key Performance Indicators Clear links to Authority’s Goal & Portfolio Budget Statement Goal: To provide for protection, wise use and enjoyment of the GBR in perpetuity through care and development of the GBR Marine Park.

Monitoring specific management initiatives IssueManagement Initiative Natural Science monitoring Social & Economic Sciences monitoring Biodiversity Zoning Plan LTMP - mid & outer-shelf reefs (AIMS) Inshore reefs (JCU) Shoal areas (AIMS) Spill-over (JCU) CapReef (community monitoring) National recreational & indigenous fishing survey Environmental management charge data Productivity commission Water Quality Reef Water Quality Protection Plan Marine water quality monitoring River mouth Biota Chlorophyll Inshore reefs Local Gov data Regional social & economic profiling Productivity Commission

IssueManagemen t Initiative Natural Science monitoring Social & Economic Sciences monitoring Climate change Climate Change action plan Vulnerability assessments Bleach watch Eye on the Reef GBR fine scale coral bleaching surveys SST monitoring SOI monitoring AIMS LTMP Productivity Commission Regional social and economic profiling Fishing pressure Fisheries management plans Zoning QDPI&F data CRC Reef LTMP Zoning monitoring Local Gov data Regional social & economic profiling National recreational & indigenous fishing survey Productivity Commission Monitoring specific management initiatives

IssueManagemen t Initiative Natural Science monitoring Social & Economic Sciences monitoring Threatened species Protection areas Protected species Dugong aerial surveys Turtle nesting surveys Productivity commission National recreational & indigenous fishing survey Environmental management charge data Tourism Permitting COTS control program COTS monitoring Eye on the Reef National & international visitor surveys Productivity commission Environmental management charge data Monitoring specific management initiatives

Monitoring & adaptive management Monitoring Indicator Management decision Monitoring of dugong populations in the Marine Park Concern re. apparent decline following 3 surveys (1986,, 1992, 1994) INDICATOR – No. dugong Management Actions eg DPAs Dugong recognised as a special value of the GBRWHA with world- wide declining populations

Monitoring in the GBR Huge variety of monitoring Huge variety of monitoring long-term (site specific & regional scales); long-term (site specific & regional scales); reactive/ impact assessment (generally site-specific); reactive/ impact assessment (generally site-specific); compliance (issue-specific) compliance (issue-specific) Some 50+ monitoring projects currently underway (biophysical, biological, social) Some 50+ monitoring projects currently underway (biophysical, biological, social) Formal monitoring programs Formal monitoring programs Day-to-day management monitoring Day-to-day management monitoring Volunteer monitoring eg. Volunteer monitoring eg. Seagrass Watch Seagrass Watch ‘Eye on the Reef ‘ ‘Eye on the Reef ‘ CAP Reef CAP Reef Other external monitoring programs Other external monitoring programs

What does an indicator need to be? Representative?: is it representative of the GBR as a whole or an issue? Responsive?: will it change according to change in the health of the GBR? Scientific merit?: can it be measured accurately and relatively simply? Meaningful?: espec to managers & community. Threshold?: is there a level at which concern will be raised in time to take action? Ecologically, socially & economically relevant

Indicators – lessons learnt Clear policy objectives tend to generate good indicators (ie the objective ‘steers’ the indicator) Not practical to develop indicators for every objective Strong links between policy and indicator provide a sound basis for monitoring, evaluation and communication. Think about complementing indicators or measurable aspects for area outside MPA (ie. to assess the broader context and understand whether management actions inside MPA are working). Challenge is to develop performance indicators that are robust to the many sources of uncertainty inherent in managing natural systems – specific, measurable, consistent, sensitive to changes being measured, cost effective

Indicators – lessons learnt (cont) Problems of targets, particularly if using simplistic formulae: spatial targets (what happens in the remaining areas?) Many monitoring programs ‘do the thing right’ (ie precise local measurements) rather than ‘doing the right thing’! Need to monitor wisely …. at ecologically- and socially-relevant temporal and spatial scales Hugely complex system Multi-link processes; which part(s) are pressures acting on? Be aware of cumulative impacts.

Indicators - lessons learned “Shifting baselines” “Each generation accepts the species composition and stock sizes that they first observe as a natural baseline from which to evaluate changes. This ignores the fact that this baseline may already represent a disturbed state. The resource then continues to decline, but the next generation resets their baseline to this newly depressed state. The result is a gradual accommodation of the creeping disappearance of resource species, and inappropriate reference points... or for identifying targets …..” Pauly 1995

Dugong in the GBR Aerial surveys since mid 1980’s: Recent increase represents small fluctuation in a population that is far fewer than existed in the 1960s South of Cooktown, GBR dugong population “…is a fraction of what it was decades ago”

Indicators – lessons learnt (cont) Indicators must reflect changes at spatial and temporal scales of relevance to management and what needs to be measured Need differing indicators for site level and system level Think of your audience when developing indicator ‘Traffic light’ approach for simple depiction Ecological goals, socio-economic and governance goals are not mutually exclusive; but they do need different evaluation criteria/indicators.

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