Evidence of economic benefits from marine protected areas
Marine protected areas (MPAs) have been used for biodiversity conservation for decades. However, critics argue that evidence of their economic benefits is weak, particularly with regard to fisheries. This continued opposition to MPAs for fisheries slows progress towards conservation targets and und...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas
2024-03-01
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| Series: | Scientia Marina |
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| Online Access: | https://scientiamarina.revistas.csic.es/index.php/scientiamarina/article/view/5526 |
| _version_ | 1827307713069056000 |
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| author | Mark John Costello |
| author_facet | Mark John Costello |
| author_sort | Mark John Costello |
| collection | DOAJ |
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Marine protected areas (MPAs) have been used for biodiversity conservation for decades. However, critics argue that evidence of their economic benefits is weak, particularly with regard to fisheries. This continued opposition to MPAs for fisheries slows progress towards conservation targets and undermines the economic and ecological sustainability of the oceans. This paper provides 48 examples of fishery-related and 31 of tourism-related economic benefits in 25 and 24 countries, respectively. There was no evidence of net costs of MPAs to fisheries anywhere. Fishery benefits included increased fish stocks, catch volumes, catch per unit effort, fecundity and larval export, and larger fish and lobsters. Well-designed and enforced MPAs provide sustainable benefits for fishing communities and even sub-optimally designed MPAs can provide economic advantages. MPAs represent one of the best strategies for maintaining the sustainable exploitation of marine resources.
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| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T18:44:16Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-78826039efd74485953209a4b6064790 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0214-8358 1886-8134 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T18:44:16Z |
| publishDate | 2024-03-01 |
| publisher | Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientia Marina |
| spelling | doaj.art-78826039efd74485953209a4b60647902024-03-27T07:27:06ZengConsejo Superior de Investigaciones CientíficasScientia Marina0214-83581886-81342024-03-0188110.3989/scimar.05417.080Evidence of economic benefits from marine protected areasMark John Costello0Faculty of Biosciences and Aquaculture, Nord Universite - College of Life Science, Ocean University of China Marine protected areas (MPAs) have been used for biodiversity conservation for decades. However, critics argue that evidence of their economic benefits is weak, particularly with regard to fisheries. This continued opposition to MPAs for fisheries slows progress towards conservation targets and undermines the economic and ecological sustainability of the oceans. This paper provides 48 examples of fishery-related and 31 of tourism-related economic benefits in 25 and 24 countries, respectively. There was no evidence of net costs of MPAs to fisheries anywhere. Fishery benefits included increased fish stocks, catch volumes, catch per unit effort, fecundity and larval export, and larger fish and lobsters. Well-designed and enforced MPAs provide sustainable benefits for fishing communities and even sub-optimally designed MPAs can provide economic advantages. MPAs represent one of the best strategies for maintaining the sustainable exploitation of marine resources. https://scientiamarina.revistas.csic.es/index.php/scientiamarina/article/view/5526marineconservationfisheriesreservebiodiversitytourism |
| spellingShingle | Mark John Costello Evidence of economic benefits from marine protected areas Scientia Marina marine conservation fisheries reserve biodiversity tourism |
| title | Evidence of economic benefits from marine protected areas |
| title_full | Evidence of economic benefits from marine protected areas |
| title_fullStr | Evidence of economic benefits from marine protected areas |
| title_full_unstemmed | Evidence of economic benefits from marine protected areas |
| title_short | Evidence of economic benefits from marine protected areas |
| title_sort | evidence of economic benefits from marine protected areas |
| topic | marine conservation fisheries reserve biodiversity tourism |
| url | https://scientiamarina.revistas.csic.es/index.php/scientiamarina/article/view/5526 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT markjohncostello evidenceofeconomicbenefitsfrommarineprotectedareas |