Can private management compensate the ineffective marine reserves in China?

Published source details Huang H., Wen C.K.-., Li X., Tao Y., Lian J., Yang J. & Cherh K.-. (2017) Can private management compensate the ineffective marine reserves in China?. Ambio, 46, 73-87.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

	Action	Category
	Enforce protected area restrictions and regulations Action Link
	Establish private coral reef management Action Link
	Designate a Marine Protected Area and prohibit all types of fishing and collection Action Link

Enforce protected area restrictions and regulations

A replicated, site comparison study in 2014 at nine coral reef sites in Sanya Bay, Hainan, China (Huang et al. 2017) found that areas with greater enforcement of restrictions had similar coral cover to protected areas with low enforcement, but lower cover than unprotected areas with no enforcement. Coral cover was similar in protected areas with high enforcement (10%) and low enforcement (10%) and also similar to an unprotected area with high enforcement (8%). The highest cover was in an unprotected area with no enforcement (36%). In 2014, nine sites were selected that varied in management (privately managed or not) and protection status (protected vs unprotected). Privately managed areas were managed by three different companies for tourism (including diving, snorkelling and other water sports) and protected areas were established in 1990. At each site, three 50 m transects were surveyed at each of two depths (2–3 m and 6–8 m), with photographs taken 25 times along each transect using evenly spaced quadrats (50 × 50 cm). Levels of enforcement were determined through recording response time of management authorities following entry into the area and recording the number of fishing boats and fishers in the area. High enforcement areas were managed privately and had fewer fishing boats and fishers (average of 0, response time of enforcement 17–36 minutes) than low enforcement areas managed by local government (fishing boats: 1, fishers: 4, response time of enforcement >2 h).

(Summarised by: William Morgan)
Establish private coral reef management

A replicated, site comparison study in 2014 at nine coral reef sites in Sanya Bay, Hainan, China (Huang et al. 2017) found that privately managed areas had similar coral cover to protected areas managed by the government but lower cover than unprotected, unmanaged areas. Coral cover was similar in privately managed protected areas (10%), privately managed unprotected areas (8%), and government-managed protected areas (10%), but lower than in unprotected areas without private management (36%). In addition, fishing restrictions were well enforced in privately managed sites, but enforcement was lacking in protected areas without private management (see paper for details). In 2014, nine sites were selected that varied in management (privately managed or not) and protection status (protected vs unprotected). Privately managed areas were managed by three different companies for tourism (including diving, snorkelling, and other water sports) and protected areas were established in 1990. At each site, three 50 m transects were surveyed at each of two depths (2–3 m and 6–8 m), with photographs taken 25 times along each transect using evenly spaced quadrats (50 × 50 cm).

(Summarised by: William Morgan)
Designate a Marine Protected Area and prohibit all types of fishing and collection

A replicated, site comparison study in 2014 at nine coral reef sites in Sanya Bay, Hainan, China (Huang et al. 2017) found that protected areas that prohibited all types of fishing and collection did not have higher coral cover than areas that were not protected. Coral cover in protected areas (10%, both privately managed and non-privately managed areas) was similar to cover in unprotected, privately managed areas (8%), but was lower than cover in an unprotected, not privately managed area (36%). Coral growth was similar in protected and unprotected areas (no data reported). In 2014, nine sites were selected that varied in protection status (protected vs unprotected) and management (privately managed or not). Protected areas were established in 1990, and privately managed areas were managed by three different companies for tourism (including diving, snorkelling and other water sports). Fishing restrictions were well enforced in privately managed sites, but enforcement was lacking in protected areas without private management (see paper for details). At each site, three 50 m transects were surveyed in 2014 at each of two depths (2–3 m and 6–8 m), with photographs taken 25 times along each transect using evenly spaced quadrats (50 × 50 cm).

(Summarised by: William Morgan)