A marine protected area ( MPA ) is a protected area of the world's seas , oceans , estuaries or in the US, the Great Lakes . These marine areas can come in many forms ranging from wildlife refuges to research facilities. MPAs restrict human activity for a conservation purpose, typically to protect natural or cultural resources. Such marine resources are protected by local, state, territorial, native, regional, national, or international authorities and differ substantially among and between nations. This variation includes different limitations on development, fishing practices, fishing seasons and catch limits, moorings and bans on removing or disrupting marine life . MPAs can provide economic benefits by supporting the fishing industry through the revival of fish stocks, as well as job creation and other market benefits via ecotourism . The value of MPA to mobile species is unknown.
52-512: Australian marine parks (formerly Commonwealth marine reserves ) are marine protected areas located within Australian waters and are managed by the Australian government . These waters generally extend from three nautical miles off the coast to the outer limit of Australia’s Exclusive Economic Zone at 200 nautical miles while marine protected areas located closer in-shore are the responsibility of
104-614: A 'Marine Park' in October 2017. The original management plan for the Coral Sea Marine Park was suspended before it came into effect on 1 July 2014. The plans, which cover the zoning and protection measures of the marine park, were later subject to review as part of a wider review into the Commonwealth Marine Reserves announced in 2012 . On 1 July 2018 the management plan and protection measures came into effect for
156-747: A cetacean sanctuary in the Ligurian Sea named the Pelagos Sanctuary for Mediterranean Marine Mammals . This sanctuary includes both national and international waters. Both the CBD and IUCN recommended a variety of management systems for use in a protected area system. They advocated that MPAs be seen as one of many "nodes" in a network of protected areas. The following are the most common management systems: Seasonal and temporary management —Activities, most critically fishing, are restricted seasonally or temporarily, e.g., to protect spawning/nursing grounds or to let
208-465: A network of protected areas by 2010 within the jurisdiction of regional environmental protocols .It recommended establishing protected areas for 20 to 30% of the world's oceans by the goal date of 2012. The Convention on Biological Diversity considered these recommendations and recommended requiring countries to set up marine parks controlled by a central organization before merging them. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change agreed to
260-564: A preventive measure or to avoid direct disturbance to individual species. The degree to which environmental regulations affect shipping varies according to whether MPAs are located in territorial waters , exclusive economic zones , or the high seas . The law of the sea regulates these limits. Most MPAs have been located in territorial waters, where the appropriate government can enforce them. However, MPAs have been established in exclusive economic zones and in international waters . For example, Italy, France and Monaco in 1999 jointly established
312-403: A range of protection levels that are designed to meet objectives that a single reserve cannot achieve. At the 2004 Convention on Biological Diversity , the agency agreed to use " network " on a global level, while adopting system for national and regional levels. The network is a mechanism to establish regional and local systems, but carries no authority or mandate, leaving all activity within
364-566: A rapidly reducing species recover. Multiple-use MPAs —These are the most common and arguably the most effective. These areas employ two or more protections. The most important sections get the highest protection, such as a no take zone and are surrounded with areas of lesser protections. Multiple-use MPAs can make use of very diverse fisheries regulations to balance fisheries extraction with nature protection. Community involvement and related approaches —Community-managed MPAs empower local communities to operate partially or completely independent of
416-609: A small amount of the total area completely off-limits fishing. In the lead-up to the 2013 Australian federal election , the Liberal–National Coalition opposition led by Tony Abbott pledged to stop the expansion of marine protection parks announced during Labor 's tenure. Following the election of the Abbott government in September, the reserves announced in 2012 were re-proclaimed new Commonwealth marine reserves, invalidating
468-524: A zone with the purpose of protecting and conserving the "ecological, biodiversity and heritage values of the Cook Islands marine environment". Other large marine conservation areas include those around Antarctica, New Caledonia, Greenland, Alaska, Ascension Island, and Brazil. As areas of protected marine biodiversity expand, there has been an increase in ocean science funding, essential for preserving marine resources . In 2020, only around 7.5 to 8% of
520-648: Is a 100% no take zone. Related terms include; specially protected area (SPA), Special Area of Conservation (SAC), the United Kingdom's marine conservation zones (MCZs), or area of special conservation (ASC) etc. which each provide specific restrictions. Stressors that affect oceans include the impact of extractive industries , marine pollution , and changes to the ocean's chemistry ( ocean acidification ) resulting from elevated carbon dioxide levels, due to our greenhouse gas emissions (see also effects of climate change on oceans ). MPAs have been cited as
572-688: Is also found in Sustainable Development Goal 14 (which is part of the Convention on Biological Diversity ) and which sets this 10% goal to a later date (2020). In 2017, the UN held the United Nations Ocean Conference aiming to find ways and urge for the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14. In that 2017 conference, it was clear that just between 3.6 and 5.7% of the world's oceans were protected, meaning another 6.4 to 4.3% of
SECTION 10
#1732869429796624-719: Is assigned IUCN category IV. It is Australia 's largest single marine park and together with the French Natural Park of the Coral Sea ( French : Parc Naturel de la Mer de Corail ) form the largest protected area in the World . The Coral Sea Marine Park lies directly adjacent to and east of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park . The Coral Sea Commonwealth Marine Reserve was proclaimed in December 2013, and renamed as
676-595: Is no defined long-term goal for conservation and ecological recovery and extraction of marine resources occurs, a region is not a marine protected area. "Marine protected area (MPA)" is a term for protected areas that include marine environment and biodiversity . Other definitions by the IUCN include (2010): Any area of the intertidal or subtidal terrain, together with its overlying water and associated flora, fauna, historical and cultural features, which has been reserved by law or other effective means to protect part or all of
728-529: Is the largest of Australia's marine parks and is located off the coast of Queensland in the Coral Sea . The Heard Island and McDonald Islands are located in the southern Indian Ocean , approximately 4,100 kilometres south-west of Perth , Western Australia. The marine reserve covers an area of approximately 71,200 km (27,500 sq mi). The North Marine Parks Network contains 8 marine parks covering 157,480 km (60,800 sq mi), located off
780-652: The Australian government under Labor/Kevin Rudd revealed plans to create the world's largest marine reserve network, made up of five main zones in offshore waters surrounding every state and territory . The number of marine reserves off the Australian coast would increase from 27 to 60 and would cover 3,100,000 km (1,200,000 sq mi) of ocean including the entire Coral Sea . The plans were met with criticism by commercial and recreational fishers , for being too restrictive, and by environment groups for skirting areas of potential oil and gas prospectively , and that just
832-581: The Red Sea , Gulf of Aden and Mexico. To be truly representative of the ocean and its range of marine resources, marine conservation parks should encompass the great variety of ocean geological and geographical terrains, as these, in turn, influence the biosphere around them. As time progresses it would be strategically advantageous to develop parks that include oceanic features such as ocean ridges , ocean trenches , island arc systems, ocean seamounts , ocean plateaus , and abyssal plains , which occupy half
884-715: The Ross Sea . Other large MPAs are in the Indian , Pacific , and Atlantic Oceans , in certain exclusive economic zones of Australia and overseas territories of France , the United Kingdom and the United States , with major (990,000 square kilometres (380,000 sq mi) or larger) new or expanded MPAs by these nations since 2012—such as Natural Park of the Coral Sea , Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument , Coral Sea Commonwealth Marine Reserve and South Georgia and
936-735: The states or the Northern Territory . Under the Howard government the world’s first Oceans Policy was developed. It included the creation of the Great Australian Bight Marine Park in 1998, greatly increased protection of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park , and in 2007, established a series of large marine parks in Australia's south-east, now collectively known as the South-east Marine Parks Network. In 2012,
988-444: The " system ". No take zones (NTZs), are areas designated in a number of the world's MPAs, where all forms of exploitation are prohibited and severely limits human activities. These no take zones can cover an entire MPA, or specific portions. For example, the 1,150,000 square kilometres (440,000 sq mi) Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument , the world's largest MPA (and largest protected area of any type, land or sea),
1040-651: The 40 marine parks came into effect on 1 July 2018, bringing all marine parks under protection. During a period of 2017, feedback was sought for the draft management plans of the 2012 Commonwealth Marine Reserves Review. The consultation process included a proposal to rename Commonwealth marine reserves. On 11 October 2017, the 58 Commonwealth Marine Reserves managed by Parks Australia were renamed as "Marine Parks". Individual marine parks are assigned an IUCN category. However, each marine park may have one or multiple protection zones, each zone has an IUCN protected area category and related rules for managing activities to ensure
1092-581: The Antarctic Treaty and CCAMLR, make up part the broader system of international agreements called the Antarctic Treaty System. Since 1982, the CCAMLR meets annually to implement binding conservations measures like the creation of 'protected areas' at the suggestion of the convention's scientific committee. In 2009, the CCAMLR created the first 'high-seas' MPA entirely within international waters over
SECTION 20
#17328694297961144-551: The Convention and the 2010 target to significantly reduce the current late of biodiversity loss at the global, regional, national, and sub-national levels and contribute to poverty reduction and the pursuit of sustainable development ." The UN later endorsed another decision, Decision VII/15, in 2006: Effective conservation of 10% of each of the world's ecological regions by 2010. – United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Decision VII/15 The 10% conservation goal
1196-462: The Federated States of Micronesia, Marshall Islands, and Cook Islands who have individual EEZ areas of between 1.9 and 3.5 million km . The national EEZ's are the ones where governance is easier, and agreements to create marine parks are within national jurisdictions, such as is the case with Marae Moana and the Cook Islands. One alternative to imposing MPAs on an indigenous population is through
1248-524: The Great Lakes of North America. The form of marine protected areas trace the origins to the World Congress on National Parks in 1962. In 1976, a process was delivered to the excessive rights to every sovereign state to establish marine protected areas at over 200 nautical miles. Over the next two decades, a scientific body of evidence marked the utility in the designation of marine protected areas. In
1300-533: The Ross Sea after several years of failed negotiations. Establishment of the Ross Sea MPA required unanimity of the commission members and enforcement will begin in December 2017. However, due to a sunset provision inserted into the proposal, the new marine park will only be in force for 35 years. Many countries have established national targets, accompanied by action plans and implementations. The UN Council identified
1352-764: The South Sandwich Islands Marine Protected Area . When counted with MPAs of all sizes from many other countries, as of April 2023 there are more than 16,615 MPAs, encompassing 7.2% of the world's oceans (26,146,645 km ), with less than half of that area – encompassing 2.9% of the world's oceans – assessed to be fully or highly protected according to the MPA Guide Framework. Several types of compliant MPA can be distinguished: IUCN offered seven categories of protected area , based on management objectives and four broad governance types. Related protected area categories include
1404-606: The aftermath of the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro , an international target was established with the encompassment of ten percent of the world's marine protected areas. On 28 October 2016 in Hobart , Australia , the Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources agreed to establish the first Antarctic and largest marine protected area in the world encompassing 1.55 million km (600,000 sq mi) in
1456-582: The central Pacific Ocean, around Hawaii , occupying an area of 1.5 million square kilometers. The area is rich in wild life, including the green turtle and the Hawaiian monkfish, alongside 7,000 other species, and 14 million seabirds. In 2017 the Cook Islands passed the Marae Moana Act designating the whole of the country's marine exclusive economic zone , which has an area of 1.9 million square kilometers as
1508-516: The coast of the Northern Territory and Queensland . The North-west Marine Parks Network contains 13 marine parks covering 335,341 km (129,476 sq mi), located off the north-west coast of Western Australia . The Temperate East Marine Parks Network contains 8 marine parks covering 383,339 km (148,008 sq mi), located off the coast of New South Wales . The South-east Marine Parks Network contains 14 marine parks covering 388,464 km (149,987 sq mi), located off
1560-402: The coasts of Victoria , Tasmania and South Australia . The South-west Network contains 14 marine parks covering 508,371 km (196,283 sq mi), located off the coast of South Australia and Western Australia . Marine protected area There are a number of global examples of large marine conservation areas. The Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument , is situated in
1612-884: The earth's surface. Another factor that will influence the development of marine conservation areas is ownership. Who owns the world's oceans? Approximately 64% of the world's oceans are " international waters " and subject to regulations such as the Law of the Sea and the governance of UN bodies such as the International Seabed Authority . The remaining 36% of the ocean is under the governance of individual countries within their Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs). Some individual national EEZ's cover very large areas , such as France and USA (>11 million km ), and Australia, Russia, UK, and Indonesia (>6 million km ). Some states have very small land areas but extremely large EEZ's such as Kiribati,
Australian marine parks - Misplaced Pages Continue
1664-535: The enclosed environment. United States Executive Order 13158 in May 2000 established MPAs, defining them as: Any area of the marine environment that has been reserved by federal, state, tribal, territorial, or local laws or regulations to provide lasting protection for part or all of the natural and cultural resources therein. The Convention on Biological Diversity defined the broader term of marine and coastal protected area (MCPA): Any defined area within or adjacent to
1716-488: The fabric of nation states. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) defines a protected area as: A clearly defined geographical space, recognised, dedicated and managed, through legal or other effective means, to achieve the long-term conservation of nature with associated ecosystem services and cultural values. This definition is intended to make it more difficult to claim MPA status for regions where exploitation of marine resources occurs. If there
1768-443: The first time. Under the new management plan, 'no take' zones in the marine park were reduced in area by approximately 53% compared to the original proposed zoning. The Coral Sea Marine Park encompasses the former Coral Sea Conservation Zone, former Coringa-Herald National Nature Reserve and former Lihou Reef National Nature Reserve . The Coral Sea Marine Park has been assigned IUCN protected area category IV. However, within
1820-490: The following; While "area" refers to a single contiguous location, terms such as " network ", " system ", and " region " that group MPAs are not always consistently employed." System " is more often used to refer to an individual MPA, whereas " region " is defined by the World Conservation Monitoring Centre as: A collection of individual MPAs operating cooperatively, at various spatial scales and with
1872-652: The global ocean area falls under a conservation designation. This area is equivalent to 27 million square kilometres, equivalent to the land areas of Russia and Canada combined, although some argue that the effective conservation zones (ones with the strictest regulations) occupy only 5% of the ocean area (about equivalent to the land area of Russia alone). Marine conservation zones, as with their terrestrial equivalents, vary in terms of rules and regulations. Few zones rule out completely any sort of human activity within their area, as activities such as fishing, tourism, and transport of essential goods and services by ship, are part of
1924-505: The governmental jurisdictions they occupy. Empowering communities to manage resources can lower conflict levels and enlist the support of diverse groups that rely on the resource such as subsistence and commercial fishers, scientists, recreation, tourism businesses, youths and others. Mistrust between fishermen and regulating authorities is of central importance there, and needs to be addressed. Recent evidence from regions like Scandinavia, Spain, Portugal or Canada reveals success stories based on
1976-489: The management plans and exclusion zones before they came into effect the following year on 1 July 2014. As such, the suspension left the reserves as "paper parks" with no effective protection measures. A review into the 40 Commonwealth Marine Reserves that were announced in 2012 began in September 2014. This included the reserves of the South-west, North-west, North, Temperate East and Coral Sea marine regions. The results of
2028-418: The marine environment, together with its overlying water and associated flora, fauna, historical and cultural features, which has been reserved by legislation or other effective means, including custom, with the effect that its marine and/or coastal biodiversity enjoys a higher level of protection than its surroundings. An apparently unique extension of the meaning is used by NOAA to refer to protected areas on
2080-537: The need for countries to collaborate with each other to establish effective regional conservation plans. Some national targets are listed in the table below Coral Sea Marine Park The Coral Sea Marine Park (previously known as the Coral Sea Commonwealth Marine Reserve ) is an Australian marine park located in the Coral Sea off the coast of Queensland . The marine park covers an area of 989,836 km (382,178 sq mi) and
2132-543: The ocean's single greatest hope for increasing the resilience of the marine environment to such stressors. Well-designed and managed MPAs developed with input and support from interested stakeholders can conserve biodiversity and protect and restore fisheries . MPAs can help sustain local economies by supporting fisheries and tourism. For example, Apo Island in the Philippines made protected one quarter of their reef, allowing fish to recover, jump-starting their economy. This
Australian marine parks - Misplaced Pages Continue
2184-471: The perspective of resource users, intended to address both environmental and socio-economic needs, complementary ecological and social goals and designs need greater research and policy support". Filipino communities connect with one another to share information about MPAs, creating a larger network through the social communities' support. Emerging or established MPA networks can be found in Australia , Belize,
2236-600: The protection of marine habitats and species The following table is a summary of the zoning rules of Australian marine parks: The Australian marine parks are managed in groups of reserves called "networks", except for the Coral Sea Marine Park and the Heard Island and McDonald Islands Marine Reserve. New parks are in the process of being created around Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands . The Coral Sea Marine Park covers 989,836 km (382,178 sq mi), it
2288-547: The region while protecting ecosystem integrity south of the Antarctic Convergence and 60 S latitude . In so doing, it also established a commission of the original signatories and acceding parties called the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) to advance these aims through protection, scientific study, and rational use, such as harvesting, of those marine resources. Though separate,
2340-451: The review were released in September 2016, which recommended zoning changes to 26 of 40 reserves and reductions to the area available to mining, while reducing the impact on commercial fisheries. A later release of draft management plans showed further reductions in no-take zones, including six of the largest marine parks that had the area of their Marine National Park Zones (IUCN II) reduced by between 42% and 73%. The new management plans for
2392-613: The southern shelf of the South Orkney Islands . This area encompasses 94,000 square kilometres (36,000 sq mi) and all fishing activity including transshipment, and dumping or discharge of waste is prohibited with the exception of scientific research endeavors. On 28 October 2016, the CCAMLR, composed of 24 member countries and the European Union at the time, agreed to establish the world's largest marine park encompassing 1.55 million km (600,000 sq mi) in
2444-477: The spillover of the marine protected area. Typical MPAs restrict fishing , oil and gas mining and/or tourism . Other restrictions may limit the use of ultrasonic devices like sonar (which may confuse the guidance system of cetaceans ), development, construction and the like. Some fishing restrictions include "no-take" zones, which means that no fishing is allowed. Less than 1% of US MPAs are no-take. Ship transit can also be restricted or banned, either as
2496-403: The terms laid out by the convention, and in 2004, its member nations committed to the following targets; "The establishment by 2010 of terrestrial and by 2012 for marine areas of comprehensive, effectively managed, and ecologically representative national and regional systems of protected areas that collectively, inter alia through a global network, contribute to achieving the three objectives of
2548-448: The tested cooperation between marine scientists and fishermen in jointly managing coastal marine reserves. Marine Protected Area Networks or MPA networks have been defined as "A group of MPAs that interact with one another ecologically and/or socially form a network". These networks are intended to connect individuals and MPAs and promote education and cooperation among various administrations and user groups. "MPA networks are, from
2600-755: The use of Indigenous Protected Areas , such as those in Australia. The 17th International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) General Assembly in San Jose , California, the 19th IUCN assembly and the fourth World Parks Congress all proposed to centralise the establishment of protected areas. The World Summit on Sustainable Development in 2002 called for the establishment of marine protected areas consistent with international laws and based on scientific information, including representative networks by 2012. The Evian agreement, signed by G8 Nations in 2003, agreed to these terms. The Durban Action Plan, developed in 2003, called for regional action and targets to establish
2652-616: The world's oceans needed to be protected within 3 years. The 10% protection goal is described as a "baby step" as 30% is the real amount of ocean protection scientists agree on that should be implemented. On 7 April 1982, the Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CAMLR Convention) came into force after discussions began in 1975 between parties of the then-current Antarctic Treaty to limit large-scale exploitation of krill by commercial fisheries. The Convention bound contracting nations to abide by previously agreed upon Antarctic territorial claims and peaceful use of
SECTION 50
#17328694297962704-571: Was shown in the film, Resources at Risk: Philippine Coral Reef . A 2016 report by the Center for Development and Strategy found that programs like the United States National Marine Sanctuary system can develop considerable economic benefits for communities through Public–private partnerships . They can be self-financed through a surrounding "conservation finance area" in which a limited number licenses are granted to benefit from
#795204