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Sense of Place

PROTECTING ICONIC SPECIES AND SPECIAL PLACES Across the globe people derive a sense of cultural identity and meaning from coastal and marine areas. For people living both near to and far from the ocean, knowing that particular species and places exist provides important cultural, spiritual, and personal value. This goal measures the condition of iconic species and the percentage of protected places within a country.

Global Goal Score

What is This?

Likely Future State

Goal By Country

19

%
How Does Your Country Compare?

*The estimate of a goals likely near-term future status is a function of four dimensions: Status, Trend, Pressure, and Resilience.

Sub-Goals
This goal contains two sub-goals. Sense of Place measures the condition of culturally iconic species and the percentage of protected places within a country.

Iconic Species
Why Are Iconic Species Important?

Why Are Iconic Species Important?

Iconic marine species are those whose unique importance is recognized through traditional activities, ethnic or religious practices, existence value, or locally acknowledged aesthetic value. Species harvested solely for economic or utilitarian purposes are not included, nor are habitat-forming species (mangroves, coral reefs, seagrass meadows, salt marshes), as they are assessed in association with other goals.

Greg Stone

Global Sub-Goal Score

What is This?

h
0 10

Likely Future State

26

*The estimate of a goals likely near-term future status is a function of four dimensions: Status, Trend, Pressure, and Resilience.

What Does This Score Mean?

The reference point for Iconic Species is that all relevant marine species are categorized as least concern. Least concern means that a species has been assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) or Global Marine Species Assessment (GMSA) and is not endangered, threatened, vulnerable or at risk of extinction. A high score indicates that few to none of the iconic species in a countrys EEZ have been categorized by the IUCN as endangered, threatened or vulnerable. A low score indicates that many are in those categories.

Current Score
The current score of 70 indicates that iconic marine species are not as well protected as possible. Substantial conservation efforts will be required in order to improve the status of many iconic species that call the ocean home. Some iconic species, such as baleen whales, have been successfully protected, and a number of small whales and dolphins, birds, fish, sea turtles and others have been protected in specific regions. Subsequent growth of these populations suggests that similar efforts could result in substantial improvements to this sub-goal score.

h
N/A 20 30 40 50 60

70

80

90

Download Infographic

How Is It Measured?
Present Status
Present Status is a goal's current value (based on the most recent available data) compared to a reference point.

EACH GOAL IS EVALUATED ON THE BASIS OF FOUR DIMENSIONS.

Trend
Trend is the average percent change in the present status for the most recent 5 years of data.

Pressures
Pressures are the sum of the ecological and social pressures that negatively affect scores for a goal.

Resilience
Resilience is the sum of the ecological factors and social initiatives (policies, laws, etc) that can positively affect scores for a goal by reducing or eliminating pressures.

Pressures
Chemical Pollution

Pressures are human-caused stressors that influence both ecological and social systems, negatively affecting the ability of a goal to deliver its benefits to people.

Nutrient Pollution

Trash Pollution

Habitat Destruction Hard Bottom Subtidal Sea Surface Temperature

Habitat Destruction Intertidal Ocean Acidification

Alien Species

Commercial Fishing High Bycatch Artisanal Fishing High Bycatch

Targeted Harvest

Social Pressure

Status
Iconic Species

Status refers to the current value of a goal relative to its goal-specific reference point. The reference point is the best condition for a goal that can reasonably be achieved; it is a target to aim for when taking actions to improve ocean health.

Iconic Species Distribution

Iconic Species Of Least Concern

Resilience
CBD Water

Resilience refers to the social, institutional, and ecological factors that positively affect the ability of a goal to deliver its benefits to people.

CBD Habitat

Marine Protected Areas EEZ Artisanal Fishing Access

Fisheries Management Effectiveness

Cites Signatories

Ecological Integrity

Quality Of Governance

References
IUCN 2011. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. . Downloaded on 17 April 2012. http://www.wwf.org.au/our_work/saving_the_natural_world/wildlife_and_habitats/australian_priority_species/marine_turtles/

Lasting Special Places

Why Are Lasting Special Places Important?
The Lasting Special Places sub-goal focuses on geographic locations that are valuable to people for aesthetic, spiritual, cultural, recreational, or existence reasons. Well-maintained and protected lasting special places provide culturally significant resources that can generate economic opportunities and help to sustain coastal communities. The scores for this sub-goal are calculated based upon two assumptions: that all countries have roughly the same percentage of their coastal areas that qualify as lasting special places, and that the countries with the most protected areas are the closest to achieving their country-specific target.

Dr. Steve Gaines

Global Sub-Goal Score

Likely Future State

10

What is This?

K
0 10 20

10

*The estimate of a goals likely near-term future status is a function of four dimensions: Status, Trend, Pressure, and Resilience.

What Does This Score Mean?

The reference point for Lasting Special Places is for a country protecting 30% of its coastal waters out to 3 nautical miles (nmi), as well as 30% of the strip of its shoreline extending from the high tide line to 1 km inland. A high score indicates that a country is protecting at least the maximum global value for protected coastal areas. A score of zero would indicate that Special Places are not at all protected.

Current Score
The current score of 41 indicates that countries are far from achieving the reference point. Much more must be done to protect locations that contribute to Sense of Place and marine-related cultural identity.

K
60

N/A

30

40

50

70

80

90

Download Infographic

How Is It Measured?
Present Status
Present Status is a goal's current value (based on the most recent available data) compared to a reference point.

EACH GOAL IS EVALUATED ON THE BASIS OF FOUR DIMENSIONS.

Trend
Trend is the average percent change in the present status for the most recent 5 years of data.

Pressures
Pressures are the sum of the ecological and social pressures that negatively affect scores for a goal.

Resilience
Resilience is the sum of the ecological factors and social initiatives (policies, laws, etc) that can positively affect scores for a goal by reducing or eliminating pressures.

Pressures
Chemical Pollution

Pressures are human-caused stressors that influence both ecological and social systems, negatively affecting the ability of a goal to deliver its benefits to people.

Nutrient Pollution

Trash Pollution

Habitat Destruction Hard Bottom Subtidal

Habitat Destruction Intertidal

Alien Species

Social Pressure

Status

Status

Status refers to the current value of a goal relative to its goal-specific reference point. The reference point is the best condition for a goal that can reasonably be achieved; it is a target to aim for when taking actions to improve ocean health.

Marine Protected Areas Coastal

Lasting Special Places Coastline Protected

Resilience
CBD Water

Resilience refers to the social, institutional, and ecological factors that positively affect the ability of a goal to deliver its benefits to people.

CBD Habitat

Quality Of Governance

References
Fifth IUCN World Parks Congress, Durban, South Africa. 2003. Recommendations Maritime Heritage Research, Education and Management Plan, Papahnaumokukea Marine National Monument Towards Networks of Marine Protected Areas. The MPA Plan of Action for IUCNs World Commission on Protected Areas United Nations World Database on Protected Areas

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PHOTO(S): Keith A. Ellenbogen

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