Grizzly bears roam through Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks without fear of hunters. Sequoias live to be 1,000 years old in Sequoia National Park, and bald cypress thrive in the Everglades. The fish, coral reefs and kelp forests of our oceans, however, receive almost none of the protections accorded these beloved national parks.
Within the waters of this ocean realm are some of the most extraordinary communities of plants and animals on earth. Because the United States stretches across latitudes from the arctic to the tropics, oceans contain a greater amount of diversity than almost any other nation. We have Alaskan bays filled with sea lions and salmon, delicate coral reefs that ring the Hawaiian Islands, and rocky New England tide pools teaming with shellfish.

Fish Tales

On average, marine reserves have twice as many fish overall and three times as many large fish as in exploited areas. The ability of reserves to shelter large fish is particularly critical to the ecosystem. As fish grow larger, their ability to produce eggs increases exponentially so that in terms of making new fish, one big fish can equal a hundred smaller fish. Particularly in very long-lived species such as Pacific rockfish, large individuals (over 20 years old) produce the majority of eggs for the entire population of fish.

Yet these same oceans form a massive highway that carries thousands of cargo ships each day. We mine them for gravel and sand, fish in them for food, drill them for oil, and dump our waste into them. We are only just beginning to protect wilderness below the high tide line, but our few existing marine reserves produce a tremendous amount of good news. Research shows that reserves harbor more fish, larger fish, and healthier habitat than are found outside of protected areas.

Just north of Seattle, for instance, sits Edmonds Underwater Park, which prohibits the taking of any marine life. Over 40,000 people visit the park each year to view colorful rockfish, Dungeness crabs, anemones, sponges, kelps, and sea cucumbers. In 1993 and 1994, scientists surveyed fish populations in Edmonds Park and another small refuge area, as well as in six other sites in Puget Sound where fishing was permitted. Not only were there more fish in the park -- in some cases almost 10 times as many as in the unprotected areas -- the fish were much larger. These large fish can produce 50 times more eggs than the smaller fish in the depleted areas.

A push to increase the number and size of marine reserves is gaining momentum. NRDC has identified the key elements that need to be considered during the design process:

• Involve local community members

• Articulate clear goals

• Place ecological values first

• Integrate reserves with other management programs

• Ensure that the reserve's boundaries are respected

With these strategies in place, we can help establish marine reserves, where -- like national parks -- humans are transient visitors and wildlife and ecosystems thrive.