- When marine sanctuaries benefit biodiversity
- > Marine protected areas (MPAs) are regarded as a key tool in combating overexploitation and species extinction in the oceans. Their purpose is to protect marine organisms and their habitats by prohibiting or regulating certain human activities. Their number has increased significantly in recent years, and yet in many places, success remains elusive, for all too often, the planned conservation measures are implemented and monitored half-heartedly or not at all.
Setting up marine protected areas: Doing it right
Marine protected areas: All too often ineffective
Marine protected areas (MPAs) are widely regarded as a key instrument in combating overexploitation of the oceans and associated species extinction. They are established in order to protect marine organisms and habitats from human impacts by prohibiting or regulating certain activities. Their number has increased significantly in recent years. However, MPAs’ conservation objectives and management strategies vary considerably. One protected area is not like another. This makes it difficult to say for sure what percentage of the ocean is indeed protected effectively.
Consistently protecting marine regions helps to preserve local species and habitats. However, the benefits of protected areas beyond their boundaries are not always scientifically proven, often due to a failure to implement planned conservation measures (paper parks). Migratory species benefit from protected zones mainly when there is large-scale connectivity between these areas and they are located in regions where marine organisms breed or rear their young. Meeting the needs of all the inhabitants of a protected area simultaneously is challenging due to the often diverse behavioural patterns of the various species.
Protected areas address some of the challenges facing the marine environment, such as the risks to and destruction of local biocoenoses by overfishing, over-extraction of resources, or mass tourism. However, they do not guard against large-scale pollution (e.g. microplastics) or climate change impacts. They are, therefore, just one of many tools available to combat the climate and biodiversity crisis facing the oceans. As more protected areas are designated, conflicts of interests increase – especially in areas with previously intensive human use, such as fishing. When planning a protected area, it is therefore absolutely vital that the interests of all user groups are genuinely considered. The prospects of success increase if protected areas are planned, implemented and monitored inclusively and transparently and user groups are offered alternative income sources. In order to assess a protected area’s trajectory and performance, scientific studies are required, which must be conducted regularly over extended periods. This research should aim to determine whether the original conservation objectives are being achieved, whether the granting of protected status has a positive effect on ecosystems, and which species benefit from the protected area. Methods that enable early identification and assessment of the benefits and disadvantages of protected status for people, the ocean and society should also be utilized more frequently. These forecasts can help encourage the diverse user groups to champion the area’s protected status.
When planning, implementing and evaluating protected areas, the impacts of climate change on marine life will need to be given more consideration. New, flexible protected areas that are closely monitored and can be adapted and shifted in tandem with climate-induced species migration are required. Flexible buffers, corridors and protected stepping stones are essential to enable marine organisms to migrate into climatically suitable zones.