Astola Island Marine Protected Area: An Overview of Present Biodiversity, Challenges, and Strategic Management Planning

Astola Island, also known as Jezira Haft Talar, is Pakistan's first Marine Protected Area (MPA), designated to conserve its unique terrestrial, intertidal, and marine ecosystems. Located 18.6 nautical miles southeast of Pasni in Balochistan, Astola Island MPA covers a core marine zone of 225.83 km² and an outer buffer zone of 175.64 km². The island features a rugged topography with steep rocky cliffs on the southern side, sandy beaches on the northern side, and diverse habitats including coral patches, sandy shores, and rocky crevices that support a wide array of flora and fauna. Astola Island hosts 30 plant species, eight species of reptiles including the endemic Saw-scaled viper (Echis carinatus astolae), and 61 avian species, among which are significant populations of migratory birds. The island is a crucial nesting site for green turtles (Chelonia mydas) and there have been offshore sightings of hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata). The surrounding waters are rich in marine biodiversity, with more than seventy-five recorded fish species, 25 coral species (hard and soft coral colonies), and recorded sightings of threatened marine mammals like the Indo-Pacific finless porpoise (Neophocaena phocaenoides) and the Arabian Sea humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae). The socio-economic importance of the island is tied to its rich fishing grounds, which support around 800 households, primarily from Pasni and other nearby fishing towns. Astola Island also holds cultural significance as a historic shipwreck site and a religious site for both Hindu and Muslim communities. Despite its ecological, economic and cultural significance, Astola Island faces multiple threats, including invasive species like black rats and mesquite (Prosopis juliflora), Illegal unregulated and unreported fishing activities, pollution from discarded waste, as well as impacts from climate change such as coral bleaching and coastal erosion. To address these challenges, IUCN Pakistan in consultation with the MPA custodian authority Balochistan Forest and Wildlife Department and Pakistan’s National Coordinating Body on MPAs developed the Astola Island MPA Management Plan with the aim of conserving the island's biological, ecological, cultural, and socio-economic values. Key priorities include establishing a mainland MPA information center at Pasni and a field station on Astola Island, enforcing environmental laws, and controlling visitor numbers to prevent habitat degradation. Research conducted over the past year aimed to assess the existing status of biodiversity, identify key challenges, and recommend management strategies through a recognised MPA management plan to ensure that Astola Island remains a vital conservation area, balancing ecological protection with sustainable resource use for the long-term benefit of Pakistan. The management strategy focuses on habitat conservation, waste management, invasive species control, sustainable fisheries, and ecotourism management. Additional programs are designed to support community engagement, alternative livelihoods, education, scientific research, and monitoring and evaluation using SMART indicators.