Cetacean integration measures in MPA management plans in America

Abstract

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are key strategies for marine conservation that strive to protect biological diversity and ensure the sustainable use of marine resources. Due to their wide distribution and mobility, cetaceans are exposed to numerous threats. Well-managed MPAs are one of the most effective tools in managing these threats to conserve cetaceans. This study aimed to analyze and compare the existing management approaches toward cetaceans from selected MPAs in the American continent. The purpose was to assess their primary failures and advances. To achieve this, ten MPAs that include at least one cetacean species as a focal conservation target were selected from 10 different countries: five in the Atlantic Ocean and five in the Pacific Ocean. The Marine Mammals Management Self-Assessment Toolkit was used to evaluate the integration of cetaceans in MPA management plans. This toolkit assigns scores to several subjects that are categorized into four themes: 1) Management Frameworks, 2) Addressing Activities and Threats, 3) Research and Monitoring, 4) Outreach and Engagement. Thereafter, a final percentage was obtained for each MPA. The Marine Mammal Sanctuary Bancos de la Plata y la Navidad in the Dominican Republic achieved the highest score. This MPA presented a specific plan to conserve marine mammals that includes zoning of environmentally sensitive areas and considers the threats and activities affecting marine mammals. The five MPAs with the lowest scores were from South America, with Cabo Polonio National Park (Uruguay) being the lowest, as its management plan does not include measures focused on cetaceans. In addition, a lack of monitoring in MPAs results in an absence of information on their impact on marine mammals. Addressing this shortcoming is of utmost importance for informing future MPA planning strategies. To conclude, this study highlights the importance of incorporating mitigation measures targeting priority species and underscores governance structures to regulate anthropogenic threats through robust legal frameworks and enforcement mechanisms.