MPA News
Financing spotlight: Blue Abadi, a $38-million trust fund to support MPAs in the Bird’s Head region of Indonesia
In September 2016, several institutions — Conservation International (CI), The Walton Family Foundation, the Global Environment Facility, The Nature Conservancy (TNC), and World Wildlife Fund (WWF) — announced a joint effort to support long-term protection of Indonesia’s Bird’s Head region, a highly diverse marine area in West Papua, Indonesia. The centerpiece of the effort is a new trust fund called Blue Abadi, for the Indonesian word for “forever”. Once fully capitalized with a target of US $38 million, the fund will be among the largest dedicated marine conservation funds in the world. Its goal is to provide self-sustained financing for…
Public comments still sought on marine national monuments in US
The public comment period remains open on the federal review that could result in major changes to five of the US’s largest MPAs: the 250,000-km2 Marianas Trench Marine National Monument; 12,720-km2 Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument; 490,000-km2 Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument; 1.5 million-km2 Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument; and 34,000-km2 Rose Atoll Marine National Monument. Upon completion of the review, the US Secretary of the Interior will recommend to President Donald Trump whether any changes should be made to each site — from boundary alterations, to reopening of commercial fishing, or even a full overturn of designations….
MPA Science Corner: Coral reef tourism – Public preferences for MPA size and restrictions – Reserve effects – Testing MPA boundaries
These recent articles on MPA-related science and policy are all open access. Article: “Mapping the global value and distribution of coral reef tourism”, Marine Policy 82, 104-113 (2017) Finding: This study calculates that the annual value of coral reef tourism worldwide is US $36 billion, equal to 9% of all coastal tourism value in the world’s coral reef countries. This figure may provide an incentive for sustainable reef management. Over 70 countries and territories have “million dollar reefs”, or reefs that generate approximately $1 million in tourism value per square kilometer. Article: “Using choice models to inform large marine protected…
Notes & news: MPA grants – IMPAC4 registration – Cocos Island – GLORES nominations – Canada – Stocking MPAs with fish – Poachers sentenced – Conservation award to MPA director – Chagos – Arctic – MPA News vault
Waitt Foundation offers funding to help MPA projects “get over the finish line” The Waitt Foundation is requesting proposals from MPA projects worldwide where an additional 6 to 12 months of funding would result in legally binding, successful MPAs. The primary goal of the grant program is to help MPAs “get over the finish line”, either as newly designated sites or newly expanded ones. Awards will range from US $50,000 to $150,000. No-take MPAs are strongly preferred. The submission deadline for proposals is 8 September 2017. For more information, click here. Registration for IMPAC4 is open Registration for the 4th…
MPA News poll: Amid a changing climate and ocean, what can MPA managers do?
Ten years ago, MPA News asked practitioners a question: In this era of changing climate, what can you do to ensure your sites remain relevant over time? We decided it was time to revisit that question. MPAs are generally designed to protect the habitats and biodiversity of today. Where there is a coral reef, for example, or where there is a particular species of interest, we design an MPA around it. But as the ocean warms, and as those habitats and species shift and are otherwise impacted, these changes will have significant effects on MPAs. It stands to reason that…
President Trump orders review processes that could lead to weakened protections for existing MPAs
In late April, US President Donald Trump issued two executive orders that carry potentially significant implications for several of the country’s MPAs, including its largest ones. Both orders could lead to weakened protection for sites. A review of Marine National Monuments One order, signed on 26 April, opens a formal review of sites designated since 1996 under the US Antiquities Act. That Act empowers US presidents to designate protected areas — terrestrial or marine — without having to secure congressional approval. The past three presidents (Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama) each exercised that power to designate multiple…
Perspective: When is fishing allowed in an MPA?
By Jon Day
Broad pronouncements are sometimes made (wrongly) that “fishing is not allowed in an MPA.” The reality is, as shown in the accompanying figure, there are various types of MPAs and some do allow fishing.
MPA Science Corner: Code of conduct – MPA network planning – Scaling – Automated detection techniques
These recent articles on MPA-related science and policy are all open access. Article: “An appeal for a code of conduct for marine conservation”, Marine Policy 81, 411-418 (2017) Finding: Poor governance and social issues can jeopardize the legitimacy and long-term effectiveness of marine conservation practices, including MPAs. This paper reviews key principles and identifies next steps in developing fair social standards and a related code of conduct for marine conservation. Article: “Integrating conservation and economic objectives in MPA network planning: A case study from New Zealand”, Biological Conservation 210, 136 – 144 (2017) Finding: New Zealand’s existing MPAs provide, on…
Notes & news: Nominations requested for Kenton Miller award – Blue Solutions – Aquaculture and MPAs – Child health and MPAs – MPA News Vault – Upcoming webinars
Nominees requested for Kenton Miller Award, recognizing innovation in MPA practice The IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA) is requesting nominations for this year’s Kenton Miller Award, which recognizes individuals who have demonstrated innovative approaches for effective protected areas. For this year’s award, WCPA is limiting nominees to those working in the MPA field specifically. It is the first time WCPA has focused the award on marine innovation. The winner will receive US$5000 and will be announced at IMPAC4 this September in Chile. The deadline for nominations is 26 May. Instructions and details are available here. Normally the Kenton…
New study finds MPA effectiveness is greatest where there is adequate staff and funding
A new study by a global team of researchers has determined that MPA effectiveness — as measured by higher fish biomass compared to non-MPA sites — is generally greatest in MPAs that have adequate staff and budget to carry out their management duties. For MPA managers reading this, that might not seem much of a surprise. After all, without adequate staff and funds, it becomes more difficult for MPA managers to do their work. Indeed, one might expect understaffed and underfunded sites to have poorer ecological results. But the finding varies from that of a landmark study on MPA effectiveness…