An Advocacy for Marine Protected Areas Initiative for Conservation of Ecological Resources and Survival of Coastal Communities in Nigeria

Abstract

The marine protected areas (MPAs) initiative is a globally recognized area-based environmental safety and resources conservation tool. It is mostly utilized for preserving marine biodiversity loss and ecosystem services. The instrument has been proven since introduction for mitigating against biodiversity loss by promoting the persistence, recovery and growth of marine populations around aquatic regions of the world. The Niger Delta has been a misery of adverse ecological and economic disorders for over sixty decades of ceaseless exploitation of oil and gas resources. Available records show that the Nigerian government is not oblivious to the environmental woes affecting various parts of the country, and also have not derailed to tackling them through various environmental safety and conservation initiatives. However, the vital MPAs’ initiative have not been considered by the Nigerian government in its efforts to tackling the environmental crisis related to the oil-rich Niger Delta. This advocacy is thus envisaged as a wake-up call for the Nigerian government and other international conservation agencies to look towards the coastal areas of the Niger Delta in order to realize the long-term goal of conserving the ecological resources and ensure the survival of the indigenous people of the region. Secondary data relating to marine protected areas across the globe used in the analyses.