by John Davis | Dec 24, 2013
In separate decision, Government approves major coal terminal along Great Barrier Reef
The new Coalition Government in Australia, elected by national vote in September, has scrapped management plans developed by the prior Labor Government for most of the nation's representative system of MPAs. The impacted MPAs are the 33 sites that were designated in 2012 by the Labor Government. The dropped management plans would have taken effect in July 2014.
by John Davis | Dec 24, 2013
To certify something means to confirm that it meets a particular set of criteria. In the field of marine conservation, the existing certification programs tend to focus on sustainability. The Marine Stewardship Council, for example, certifies that particular fisheries...
by John Davis | Dec 24, 2013
It is not often that an MPA proposal receives unanimous support from the nearby community, particularly when the proposal is for a large no-take area. But the unique circumstances surrounding the Pitcairn Islands – a remote UK territory in the South Pacific,...
by John Davis | Dec 24, 2013
Launch of Official MPA Map, a visual tally of global MPA coverage
A new map produced by the UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre (WCMC) and the World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA) illustrates global MPA coverage, now estimated to be at 2.8% of the world ocean. Taken together the coverage area is larger than continental Europe, but still falls far short of the World Convention on Biological Diversity target of 10% global coverage by 2020.
Launched at IMPAC3, the Official MPA Map can be viewed or downloaded at www.protectplanetocean.org/official_mpa_map. It is based on the World Database on Protected Areas, which is administered by the WCMC.
by John Davis | Dec 24, 2013
Jayson Horadam is the Senior Consultant at MPA Enforcement International, a firm that advises MPAs on enforcement programs, management, and leadership, particularly in the Caribbean region (mpaenforcement.com). Horadam has a quarter-century of experience in marine law...
