Science should not be left behind during the design of a marine protected area: meeting conservation priorities while integrating stakeholder interests
Marine protected areas (MPAs) design is a complex process that typically involves diverse stakeholders, requiring compromise between diverging priorities. Such compromises, when not carefully understood, can threaten the ecological effectiveness of MPAs. Using the example of the Canadian Laurentian...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Canadian Science Publishing
2019-09-01
|
| Series: | FACETS |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.facetsjournal.com/doi/10.1139/facets-2018-0033 |
| _version_ | 1818285817586515968 |
|---|---|
| author | Manuel Muntoni Rodolphe Devillers Mariano Koen-Alonso |
| author_facet | Manuel Muntoni Rodolphe Devillers Mariano Koen-Alonso |
| author_sort | Manuel Muntoni |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Marine protected areas (MPAs) design is a complex process that typically involves diverse stakeholders, requiring compromise between diverging priorities. Such compromises, when not carefully understood, can threaten the ecological effectiveness of MPAs. Using the example of the Canadian Laurentian Channel MPA, we studied a planning process from initial scientific advice to the final MPA. We analysed the impacts of successive boundary modifications to the draft MPA, often made to accommodate extractive industries, on the protection of seven species initially identified as potential conservation priorities. We also quantified the potential economic impacts of changes in boundary modifications on the fisheries industry. Results show that reducing the proposed MPA size by 33.4% helped reduce the potential economic impact on the fishing industry by 65.5%, but it resulted in up to 43% decrease in protection of species of conservation priority. Changes in MPA boundary delineation during the design were not subjected to formal scientific reviews, raising questions on the potential effectiveness of this MPA. Better integration of science in MPA design is required to help assess the impacts that trade-offs made during stakeholder consultations can have on the MPA ecological effectiveness. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T01:14:44Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-10e2d209fc944a25805b4762e5137250 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2371-1671 2371-1671 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T01:14:44Z |
| publishDate | 2019-09-01 |
| publisher | Canadian Science Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | FACETS |
| spelling | doaj.art-10e2d209fc944a25805b4762e51372502022-12-22T00:04:23ZengCanadian Science PublishingFACETS2371-16712371-16712019-09-014147249210.1139/facets-2018-0033Science should not be left behind during the design of a marine protected area: meeting conservation priorities while integrating stakeholder interestsManuel Muntoni0Rodolphe Devillers1Mariano Koen-Alonso 2Department of Geography, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St John’s, NL A1B 3X9, CanadaDepartment of Geography, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St John’s, NL A1B 3X9, Canada; CRIOBE, USR 3278 CNRS-EPHE-UPVD, PSL Research University, Perpignan, 66860, FranceFisheries and Oceans Canada, St John’s, NL A1C 5X1, CanadaMarine protected areas (MPAs) design is a complex process that typically involves diverse stakeholders, requiring compromise between diverging priorities. Such compromises, when not carefully understood, can threaten the ecological effectiveness of MPAs. Using the example of the Canadian Laurentian Channel MPA, we studied a planning process from initial scientific advice to the final MPA. We analysed the impacts of successive boundary modifications to the draft MPA, often made to accommodate extractive industries, on the protection of seven species initially identified as potential conservation priorities. We also quantified the potential economic impacts of changes in boundary modifications on the fisheries industry. Results show that reducing the proposed MPA size by 33.4% helped reduce the potential economic impact on the fishing industry by 65.5%, but it resulted in up to 43% decrease in protection of species of conservation priority. Changes in MPA boundary delineation during the design were not subjected to formal scientific reviews, raising questions on the potential effectiveness of this MPA. Better integration of science in MPA design is required to help assess the impacts that trade-offs made during stakeholder consultations can have on the MPA ecological effectiveness.https://www.facetsjournal.com/doi/10.1139/facets-2018-0033conservation planningMPA effectivenessscience-policy interfacestakeholder consultationtrade-offs |
| spellingShingle | Manuel Muntoni Rodolphe Devillers Mariano Koen-Alonso Science should not be left behind during the design of a marine protected area: meeting conservation priorities while integrating stakeholder interests FACETS conservation planning MPA effectiveness science-policy interface stakeholder consultation trade-offs |
| title | Science should not be left behind during the design of a marine protected area: meeting conservation priorities while integrating stakeholder interests |
| title_full | Science should not be left behind during the design of a marine protected area: meeting conservation priorities while integrating stakeholder interests |
| title_fullStr | Science should not be left behind during the design of a marine protected area: meeting conservation priorities while integrating stakeholder interests |
| title_full_unstemmed | Science should not be left behind during the design of a marine protected area: meeting conservation priorities while integrating stakeholder interests |
| title_short | Science should not be left behind during the design of a marine protected area: meeting conservation priorities while integrating stakeholder interests |
| title_sort | science should not be left behind during the design of a marine protected area meeting conservation priorities while integrating stakeholder interests |
| topic | conservation planning MPA effectiveness science-policy interface stakeholder consultation trade-offs |
| url | https://www.facetsjournal.com/doi/10.1139/facets-2018-0033 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT manuelmuntoni scienceshouldnotbeleftbehindduringthedesignofamarineprotectedareameetingconservationprioritieswhileintegratingstakeholderinterests AT rodolphedevillers scienceshouldnotbeleftbehindduringthedesignofamarineprotectedareameetingconservationprioritieswhileintegratingstakeholderinterests AT marianokoenalonso scienceshouldnotbeleftbehindduringthedesignofamarineprotectedareameetingconservationprioritieswhileintegratingstakeholderinterests |