Biologists Kai Wulf and Satie Airame manage two marine reserves; Kai in St Lucia, Satie in the Channel Islands.

The establishment of marine management areas that include no-take zones as well as closely regulated fishing and recreational grounds are providing promise for the world's oceans. The Caribbean Soufriere Marine Management area, located in St. Lucia and managed by Kai Wulf, is one of these inspiring places. Biologist Satie Airame is also involved in a similar reserve system off the California coast in the Channel Islands.

According to a 2003 Pew Ocean Commissions report, the best-known tool for managing and safeguarding marine ecosystems are the establishment of networks of fully protected marine reserves. Over the last 15 years, research on more than 100 reserves show that reserves usually increase both the population numbers and the individual size of overexploited species.

The establishment of marine management areas that include no-take zones as well as closely regulated fishing and recreational grounds are providing promise for the world's oceans.

Just how do these reserves work? They provide protection in three ways: they protect individual commercially or recreationally important species from harvest; reduce habitat damage caused by destructive fishing practices; and protect the removal of designated pivotal species whose removal would significantly alter the ecosystem's diversity and productivity. The success of these reserves is providing a baseline from which further management plans can be made.

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