Marine Ecological Function Zoning and Management Countermeasures: A Case Study of the Sea Area of Zhejiang Province

Abstract

The contradiction between the development of marine resources and ecological protection in Zhejiang is prominent, which restricts the high-quality and continuous supply of marine ecological products. As a result, the efficient maintenance of the ecological security pattern of inshore waters relies on the scientific division of marine ecological function zones and the management and maintenance of zoning areas. This paper constructs a technical framework for marine ecological function zoning from the aspects of marine ecosystem health, marine ecosystem diversity and economic and social development balance using GIS-based overlay analysis and the three-dimensional matrix discriminant model to divide marine ecological function zones in the managed waters of Zhejiang Province. The results indicate that the managed sea areas in Zhejiang Province are divided into ten marine ecological function areas, including three marine ecological supply areas (54%), four marine mariculture and resting areas (24%) and three marine ecological restoration areas (22%). As per the zoning results of the marine ecological function, this study further proposes protection and management strategies for different zoning units, in the hopes of providing technical support and practical reference for the division and management of marine ecological function areas in other sea areas.