Marine and Coastal Protected Areas (MCPAs) require support from a host of managers, wardens, rangers, community members, policy makers and others to ensure their successful operation and management. These MCPA managers are tasked with having to deal with a multitude of different situations, issues and problems on a daily basis, often in remote locations, without easy reference to sources of information or help. The issues encountered may range from purchasing a boat, managing staff, annual planning, monitoring fish populations in the MCPA, building an information centre, consulting local villagers, to writing a proposal to secure funding. This is not an easy job and requires a diverse array of skills. Recognising this, partners involved in the IUCN/NORAD Western Indian Ocean Marine Biodiversity Conservation Project published a Toolkit in 2004 to support MCPA managers in their efforts. The Toolkit was developed with a focus on the Western Indian Ocean (WIO), and received wide support and acclaim. While prepared originally for the WIO, the guidance and resources contained within the Toolkit are relevant to other tropical regions and to MCPA managers and natural resource trustees across the globe.

Consultation in South Asia through the UNEP/EU South Asia MCPA Project recognised that MCPA managers in the region face similar challenges in locating and accessing current and consolidated practical information on MCPA management. Therefore, it was agreed among partners that the WIO Toolkit could be built on to address this, by revising and updating its content and ensuring wide dissemination and training.

Managing Marine and Coastal Protected Areas: A Toolkit for South Asia (South Asia Toolkit) has been prepared over the course of one year. Experts from across the region have provided invaluable support to this initiative by contributing critical information, edits, and new case studies to update the original 78 theme sheets of the WIO Toolkit, and highlight South Asia success stories and specific regional and local management challenges. A further three sheets have also been added on key issues such as livelihoods enhancement and resilience. Compilation, review and editing have been led by the IUCN Ecosystems and Livelihoods Group (ELG), IUCN Global Marine Programme (GMP) and the International Coral Reef Action Network (ICRAN) on behalf of UNEP. In all, more than 50 international and regional experts have been involved in the process.

A regional training workshop for MCPA managers in South Asia was conducted in Maldives, 4-7 June 2008, to introduce the draft South Asia Toolkit, develop the skills of participants through interactive management training scenarios, and provide an opportunity for the intended target audience to review content, structure and usefulness of the South Asia Toolkit. Feedback received was used for further improvement of this resource. Finally, the South Asia Toolkit was peer reviewed by a panel of regional and international experts, to ensure regional relevance and accuracy of the information.

The South Asia Toolkit has been designed to support MCPA managers in this region by providing them with a hands-on guide to a diverse array of topics, ranging from Environmental Impact Assessment, Financial Planning, Conflict Resolution, Mangrove Restoration, to Mariculture.
The South Asia Toolkit addresses management issues relevant to all types of MCPAs, from community based, locally managed areas, nationally gazetted parks, to areas designated under international conventions and agreements, and provides information on the key issues encountered by MCPA managers, with a focus on the situation in the South Asian region.

The geographical scope of the South Asia Toolkit comprises Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Pakistan and Sri Lanka; the five maritime nations of the region. It incorporates evaluation feedback from both WIO and South Asia user experiences, and represents a significant review of global information. Theme sheets draw on case studies and experiences from within the South Asian region and internationally, to help illustrate each topic and exchange lessons learned in management.

This second edition of the Toolkit contains 81 theme sheets, 3 of which have been prepared to respond to gaps in the WIO Toolkit edition as identified by users. Although comprehensive, there are likely further gaps and emerging issues that have not been covered here, some of which were beyond the scope of this resource. The Toolkit is arranged in two parts: The Management Process and Conservation and Sustainable Use, and has been designed in a ring-binder format for easy access to theme sheets and to facilitate the incorporation of additional key resources under each topic by users.

It is now widely accepted that MCPAs in their various guises are an important tool for the protection of coastal and marine biodiversity. There is also a growing body of evidence that MCPAs can generate substantial income through tourism, and serve as a vital management tool for coastal fisheries, including facilitating recovery of over-exploited stocks. This is particularly relevant in regions such as South Asia, where coastal people still widely depend on marine resources for their subsistence and livelihoods. Effectively managed MCPAs have a key role in alleviating poverty. We hope this Toolkit can be pivotal in assisting MCPA managers in their important role as custodians of South Asia’s marine biodiversity.

Gaya Sriskanthan
Senior Programme Officer
IUCN ELG Nicola Barnard
Senior Programme Officer
ICRAN