All conservation efforts require efficient legislation to control activities that might adversely affect the ecosystem. Several countries, notably in the ASEAN region, have established national mangrove committees (NATMANCOM) to provide the necessary input for adequate mangrove management. For example, the Malaysian NATMANCOM recommended that not more than 20 per cent of existing mangroves in a given district should be cleared for pond construction, and that there should be a 100-metre buffer zone along the coast between the pond site and the mean high-water level of the sea.
Other countries, such as some in Latin America, have developed special policies on coastal marine protected areas. |
