TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE PAGE-       –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –                   i

CERTIFICATION –        –         –         –         –         –         –         –                   ii

DEDICATION –    –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –                   iii

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS –       –         –         –         –         –         –                   iv

TABLE OF CONTENTS-         –         –         –         –         –         –                   v

 CHAPTER  ONE

1.0 INTRODUCTION     –         –         –         –         –         –         –                   1-2

CHAPTER TWO

2.0 TERMINOLOGY      –         –         –         –         –         –         –                   3

2.1 Economies       –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –                   4

2.1.1 Management –         –         –         –         –         –         –                   4

2.1.2 Stressor         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –                   5

2.2 Goals of aquatic protected areas-   –         –         –         –         –                   5-6

2.3 Levels of protection-  –         –         –         –         –         –         –                   6

2.4 Advantages of large aquatic protected areas-     –         –         –                   6-7

2.5 Disadvantages of large Aquatic protected Areas-         –         –                   7-8

CHAPTER THREE

3.0 USEFULNESS OF AQUATIC PROTECTED

AREAS AND BENEFITS         –         –         –         –         –                   9

3.1. USEFULNESS OF AQUATIC PROTECTED AREAS-      –         –          9

3.1.1 Education-    –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –                   10

3.1.2 Training –      –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –                   10-11

3.1.3 Culture, History and Heritage-    –         –         –         –         –                   11

3.2 Benefits of Aquatic Protected Areas-       –         –         –         –                   12

3.2.1 Beneficial to Fisheries-     –         –         –         –         –         –                   13

3.2.2 Beneficial to Tourism-      –         –         –         –         –         –                   13-14

3.2.3 Beneficial to Marine Habitat –    –         –         –         –         –                   14

3.2.4 Beneficial to Ecosystem-  –         –         –         –         –         –                   15

3.2.5 Beneficial to Humans-      –         –         –         –         –         –                   15-16

CHAPTER FOUR

4.0 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

4.1 Summary-        –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –                   17-18

4.2 Conclusion-     –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –                   18-19

References

CHAPTER ONE

1.0 INTRODUCTION

An aquatic ecosystem is an ecosystem in a body of water which consists of communities of organism that are dependent on each other and on their environment the two main types of aquatic ecosystem are the marine and fresh water ecosystem (Alexander, 1999).

Marine ecosystem the largest of all ecosystems cover approximately 71% of the earth surfaces and contain approximately 97% of the planet’s water. They are distinguished from freshwater ecosystem by the present of dissolved compounds especially salts, in the water. A marine protected area (MPA) is an area of sea specially dedicated to the protection and maintenance of biodiversity, and of natural and associated cultural resources that is managed through legal or other effective means (Oceans service. Nona, Gov, 2019). These marine areas can come in many forms ranging from wildlife refuges to research facilities. MPAs restrict human activity for a conservation purpose, typically to protect natural or cultural resource (National ocean service, 2016).

A marine protected area is a section of the ocean where the government has placed limits on human activities. MPAs have been established because the ocean and the things that live in it face many dangers. Threats to the oceans include overfishing, litter, water pollution and global climate change. These threats have caused a decline in the population of many fish mammals other sea creatures.

Fresh water ecosystem covers 0.78% of the earth surfaces and habit 0.0009% of its total water. They generate nearly 3% of its net primary production. Fresh water ecosystems contain 41% of the world known fish species (Daily, 1997).

Freshwater habitat can be classified as, lentic which is a show moving water that include pools, ponds and lakes. Lotic; a fast moving turbulent water containing greater concentrations of dissolved oxygen, which supports biodiversity than the slow moving water of pools. Examples of lotic include streams and lakes. Wetlands; are dominated by vascular plants that have adapted to saturated soil (Keddy, 2010). Wetlands are the most productive natural ecosystems in the world because of the proximity of water and soil, hence they support large number of plants and animals species.  The four main types of wetlands include swamp, marsh, fen and bog.