The Dugong, Seagrass and Coastal Communities Initiative | Indian and Pacific Ocean
United Nations Environmental Program/Convention on Migratory Species - Abu Dhabi
The dugong, an herbivorous large marine mammal often known as the sea cow, is on its way to disappearing from most of its range. Without substantial and effective conservation interventions, dugongs will undoubtedly become extinct across much of its range. Dugongs are hunted for food and accidently drowned in fishing gears throughout the Indian Ocean and tropical Pacific. Dugongs depend on coastal seagrass meadows for food and habitat. These seagrass ecosystems provide important habitat and breeding grounds for many marine species, including fishery species that millions of people around the globe depend on daily for their livelihoods. Those same seagrass beds provide a suite of environmental services to humanity, including coastal protection from climate change and significant carbon sequestration. At least one-third of the world’s seagrass habitat has already been lost, and the remaining habitat is currently disappearing at a rate of approximately 7 percent per year.
The United Nations Environment Programme initiated a global conservation agreement in response to the alarming decline of dugongs and seagrass habitats in 2007. The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the Conservation and Management of Dugongs and their Habitats throughout their Range, under the auspices of the Convention on Migratory Species of Wild Animals, is viewed by all Signatory States as a crucial mechanism to preserve this species. With support from the Government of United Arab Emirates through the Environment Agency–Abu Dhabi, a Secretariat was created to support dugong range nations.
In collaboration with partners and advisors, the Secretariat has developed an innovative toolbox for dugong and seagrass conservation: solutions to coastal environmental challenges that can be crafted and implemented on a site-specific basis. This innovative approach integrates two key services: opportunities for sustainable economic development and financial incentives for coastal biodiversity conservation.
Advanced Conservation Strategies is a critical partner in the trans-boundary initiative. Along with serving as a Technical Advisor to the Secretariat, ACS is providing fundraising support, and is the lead architect on the development and implementation of a pilot project in the Western Province of Papua New Guinea.
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