Analyzing China’s Marine Park Management System Under the Reform of National Institutions

Abstract

Marine parks (MPs), a kind of multiple-use marine protected area (MPA), have been crucial in coordinating the relationship between marine ecosystem conservation and resource utilization, facilitating coastal sustainable development. However, an effective and sustainable approach to MP management in China is yet to be fully developed. In 2018, the Chinese government inaugurated the 2018 Reform to merge its MPAs and terrestrial protected areas into a new natural protected area (NPA) system under the unified management by the Ministry of Natural Resources. Therefore, it is an opportune moment to summarize management experience and propose new prospects for improving the management of MPs in China. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive review of China’s progress on its MPs and evaluated the management effectiveness, after which we identified the key issues hindering the effective conservation and management of China’s MPs. To address these challenges, we propose targeted strategic recommendations by examining new policy directives relating to the 2018 Reform. The results of this study have valuable theoretical and practical implications for China’s MP management. Furthermore, our findings may provide a potential empirical reference for related management research in other MPs, especially in developing countries.