Marine partially protected areas: drivers of ecological effectiveness

Journal Article · 02 August 2018 · Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/fee.1934 · OSTI ID:1463173

Zupan, Mirta ^[1]; Fragkopoulou, Eliza ^[2]; Claudet, Joachim ^[3]; Erzini, Karim ^[4]; Horta e Costa, Bárbara ^[5]; Gonçalves, Emanuel J. ^[1]

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1. MARE Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre ISPA – Instituto Universitário Lisbon Portugal
2. MARE Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre ISPA – Instituto Universitário Lisbon Portugal, Centre of Marine Sciences, CCMAR University of Algarve Campus de Gambelas Faro Portugal
3. National Center for Scientific Research, PSL Université Paris, CRIOBE, USR 3278 CNRS‐EPHE‐UPVD Maison des Océans Paris France, Laboratoire d'Excellence CORAIL Moorea French Polynesia
4. Centre of Marine Sciences, CCMAR University of Algarve Campus de Gambelas Faro Portugal
5. MARE Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre ISPA – Instituto Universitário Lisbon Portugal, Centre of Marine Sciences, CCMAR University of Algarve Campus de Gambelas Faro Portugal, National Center for Scientific Research, PSL Université Paris, CRIOBE, USR 3278 CNRS‐EPHE‐UPVD Maison des Océans Paris France, Laboratoire d'Excellence CORAIL Moorea French Polynesia

The number of marine protected areas ( MPA s) has grown exponentially worldwide over the past decade in order to meet international targets. Most of these protected areas allow extraction of resources and are therefore designated as “partially protected areas” ( PPA s). However, the effectiveness of PPA s remains unclear due to the high variability of use types permitted. Here, we carried out what we believe to be the first global meta‐analysis of PPA s using a regulation‐based classification system for MPA s to assess their ecological effectiveness. This novel classification allows for unambiguous differentiation between areas according to allowed use, which is the key feature determining PPA performance. Highly and moderately regulated areas exhibited higher biomass and abundance of commercial fish species, whereas fish abundance and biomass in weakly regulated areas differed little from unprotected areas. Notably, the effectiveness of moderately regulated areas can be enhanced by the presence of an adjacent fully protected area. We concluded that limited and well‐regulated uses in PPA s and the presence of an adjacent fully protected area confer ecological benefits, from which socioeconomic advantages are derived.

• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• OSTI ID: 1463173
• Journal Information: Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, Journal Name: Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment Journal Issue: 7 Vol. 16; ISSN 1540-9295
• Publisher: Wiley Blackwell (John Wiley & Sons)Copyright Statement
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English