Restoring Marine Ecosystems
Restoring marine ecosystems through better management and financing.
In partnership with the University of Waikato and the University of Auckland, Tidal Research leads the Sustainable Seas project aimed at understanding a blue economy can foster restoration and recovery of marine ecosystems. This project was part of the ‘Bringing it all together’ synthesis project of Sustainable Seas that focused on synthesizing the knowledge gained throughout the Challenge to provide guidance for how to better manage for healthy marine ecosystems.
To help foster a restorative blue economy, a series of short- and long-term recommendations were developed by a team/group of Challenge researchers. The project involved the development of a guidance document and policy brief to support decision makers in addressing cumulative effects (see link below).
Background
Marine ecosystems provide a variety of ecosystem services that people rely on (e.g., water filtration, coastal protection). However, the health of marine ecosystems, and their ability to provide these services, is currently declining. Marine management needs to shift to focus on stressor management, restorative activities and ecosystem recovery.
A healthy marine ecosystem can support a thriving, sustainable blue economy – and vice versa. Despite the reliance of blue economy on healthy ecosystems, current restoration efforts are small-scale and led by iwi/hapu, community groups, government agencies or researchers. For restorative actions to translate into ecosystem recovery at scale, restoration requires social, cultural and economic investment, and to be driven by ecological ‘knowledge and opportunity’. Further, a greater understanding is needed on how new economies can be developed to support and/or maintain restoration efforts in marine environments.
Outputs
Guidance document and policy brief:
Bulmer R. H., Pilditch C. A., Flowers G. J. L. (2024). Restoring marine ecosystems through better management and financing. Sustainable Seas National Science Challenge.