A New Year’s Wish for Marine Protection in Tobago
Anjani Ganase considers “no take” regulations for our marine protected areas, and makes a wish for a more eco-prosperous marine Tobago in 2025 This is a story about two marine areas, Buccoo Reef Marine Park, Tobago, and CROP Marine Reserve, New Zealand. Buccoo Reef Marine Park is seven square kilometres off southwest Tobago composed of coral reefs, seagrasses, mangroves. The Cape Rodney to Okakari Point (CROP) Marine Reserve is in New Zealand, a five km stretch of coast with four square kilometres of marine space north of Auckland. Both areas were designated marine protected areas in the 1970s: CROP Marine Reserve in 1971 and Buccoo in 1973. Both areas are regularly visited for sun, sea, swim and snorkel activity. However, the marine reserve in New Zealand was declared a “no take” zone and protected from all forms of fishing. Fifty years later each area tells very different stories. Buccoo lagoon corals before they died from the 2024 mass bleachin...