2.a. Biological resources within oceans can be used in sustainable or unsustainable ways

Question 1

What is driving the increased and intensive use of biological resources such as fish

Answer 1

Advances in technology

Question 2

How do ocean resources offer potential for humans and what significant issue does it pose

Answer 2

• food

- however issue- management of oceans

Question 3

What is the growing global population leading to

Answer 3

Increased demand for resources of all types

Question 4

What is the natural capital

Answer 4

Goods/services that are not manufactured but have a value to humans e.g. fish

Question 5

What is the natural income

Answer 5

Annual yield from natural resources e.g. timber

Question 6

What is the ecosystem service

Answer 6

A community of living organisms and their relationships with each other and the environment

Question 7

What are provisioning services

Answer 7

Direct products of ecosystems e.g. food

Question 8

What are regulating services

Answer 8

Benefits from natural regulation of e.g. CO2

Question 9

What are cultural services

Answer 9

Non material benefits obtained from natural systems

Question 10

What are supporting services

Answer 10

Ecosystem processes which support other services e.g. nutrient recycling

Question 11

Case study: Kill- a new marine resource- key facts about krill

Answer 11

• they are the engine of the Antarctic ecosystem
• live up to 5 years
• they are primary consumers and feed on plankton
• they inhabit the upperparts of the water column, near the surface
• they are abundant- their biomass estimated are greater than the human race

Question 12

Case study: Kill- a new marine resource- commercial harvesting of krill

Answer 12

• began in the 1970s
• signficant industry
• processed for human consumption (paste, oil), for animal feeds or used as bait
• 5 countries currently harvest krill. Norway accounts for over half of the annual catch
• China and Republic of Korea each take about 18%
• 1970/80s - concern of a boom and bust pattern (large scale exploitation followed by collapse in krill stocks. Was seen before in hunting of fur seals)

Question 13

Case study: Kill- a new marine resource- CCAMLR

Answer 13

• set up in 1982
• 25 member states made up of ACs and EDCs
• aim is to monitor and regulate commerical interests in krill
• adopts a holistic approach
• trying to establish catch limits but commerical industry makes this an issue

Question 14

Case study: Kill- a new marine resource- decline of krill stocks

Answer 14

• evidence that krill stocks have dropped since the 1970s
• decline as much as 80%
• decline linked to warming seas
• krill feed on algae on the under side of sea ice and this is an important nursery for young krill

Question 15

Case study: Kill- a new marine resource- concerns over quaantitiy of krill removed from ecosystem

Answer 15

• CCAMLR now sets a total allowable catch to maintaining enough krill for a healthy breeding population and enough for predators
• current TAC threshold is set at 620,000 tonnes per year
• this is below the catch limit for the whole of the area around Antarctica of 5.6 million tonnes
• concern that if TAC increased, krill harvesting would need to be spread out across the whole region
• krill trawlers operate in sheltered locations of dense concentrations of krill

Question 16

Case study: Kill- a new marine resource- stakeholders in CCAMLR

Answer 16

• dominated by ACs
• China’s significant role in the krill industry is a reflection of its developing maritine power but also the need to feed its large populations
• conservation is balanced with fishing so existing ecological relationships with the Antarctic ecosystem are maintained
• challenges e.g. illegal fishing likely to grow in future
• international management is contested