THE MANAGEMENT OF SEAGRASSES IN SOUTHEAST ASIA

摘要

Seagrass beds have major benefits for communities living on or near the coast. In Southeast Asia they are not well mapped and little is known of them. It is not clear how much seagrass is lost nor how far the degradation will go. Globally, more than 30 yrs ago, scientists reported the need to stop the degradation of seagrasses. The benefits and biology of seagrasses and the causes of degradation have been known for many years. Integrated coastal management of the coral reef, seagrass beds and mangroves in the region must be in place to stop the degradation of these ecosystems. We have developed a structure and process for obtaining better management of seagrasses with consideration for associated ecosystems. The key to the structure of successful environmental management is the Problem Specific Manager whose task is to develop the strategy for the process of environmental management from inception to outcome. Structure needs to be reviewed to make the communication channels more efficient and process needs to incorporate all the stakeholders and ensure the strategic plan contains a policy feedback loop through the local communities. A brief description of the ways that seagrass beds are managed in Southeast Asian seas and an example of how the ideal structure and process for management are used, are given.