Management Of Marine Protected Areas Research Articles

Diversity and Functional Patterns of Benthic Amphipods in the Coralline Intertidal Zones of a Marine National Park, India

Coralline intertidal habitats of marine protected areas, are important model systems to investigate species diversity and ecological functioning of benthic communities. Spatial variability of amphipod species composition and functional traits were studied over a three year period during the summer season at five intertidal transects of the Gulf of Kachchh Marine Protected Area, India. A total of 22,706 individuals, comprising 71 species belonging to 40 genera and 23 families were identified. Aoridae, Dexaminidae, Eriopisidae, Lysianassidae and Maeridae were the best represented families (68.2% of total abundance). Distinct spatial patterns in the amphipod assemblage structure and functional traits were observed along the horizontal and vertical axes. The results demonstrated that the amphipod assemblage functioning was greatly influenced by the vertical gradient, with generally higher functional diversity in the lower intertidal zones suggesting increased diversity in resource use strategies, whereas the upper zones showed very little functional diversity possibly due to the prevalence of environmental filtering. As higher species and functional diversities promote better resource partitioning and resilience of the ecosystem, these results are important for the management of marine protected areas facing the dual challenges of global climate change and anthropogenic pressures.

Assessing the Effectiveness of Coastal Marine Protected Area Management: Four Learned Lessons for Science Uptake and Upscaling

For almost two decades, marine protected areas (MPAs) have been a central instrument of coastal conservation and management policies, but concerns about their abilities to meet conservation goals have grown as the number and sizes of MPAs have dramatically increased. This paper describes how a large (15 year) program of transdisciplinary research was used to successfully measure MPA management effectiveness (ME) - how well an MPA is managed, how well it is protecting values, and how well it is achieving the various goals and objectives for which it was created. This paper addresses the coproduction and uptake of monitoring-based evidence for assessing ME in coastal MPAs by synthesizing the experiences of this program conducted with MPA managers. I present the main outcomes of the program, many were novel, and discuss four ingredients (learned lessons) that underpinned the successful uptake of science during and after the research program: (i) early and inclusive co-design of the project with MPA partners and scientists from all disciplines; (ii) co-construction of common references transcending the boundaries of disciplines, and standardized methodologies and tools; (iii) focus on outcomes that are management-oriented and understandable by end-users; and (iv) ensuring that capacity building and dissemination activities occurred during and persisted beyond the program. Standardized monitoring protocols and data management procedures, a user-friendly interface for indicator analysis, and dashboards of indicators related to biodiversity, uses and governance, were the most valued practical outcomes. Seventy-five students were trained during the projects and most of the monitoring work was conducted with MPA rangers. Such outcomes were made possible by the extended timeline offered by the three successive projects. MPA managers’ and scientists a posteriori perceptions strongly supported the relevance of such collaboration. Local monitoring and assessment meets the needs of MPA managers and forms the basis for large-scale assessments through upscaling. A long-term synergistic transdisciplinary collaboration between coastal MPA managers and research into social-ecological systems (SESs) would simultaneously i) address the lack of long-term resources for coastal monitoring and SES-oriented research; ii) increase science uptake by coastal managers, and iii) benefit assessments at higher levels or at broader geographic scales.

Mapping habitat protection priority over a marine ecoregion under information gaps

AbstractAimHolistic marine biodiversity conservation refers to ecosystem‐based management through marine conservation planning (MCP), based on mapping habitat protection priority areas. In practice, MCP is frequently hindered by information gaps in biodiversity distributions, particularly on a marine ecoregion scale. Species distribution modelling (SDM) can help to resolve this gap and provide information essential for MCP scenarios. We constructed habitat configurations for three coastal marine megafauna animals using SDM, then based MCP scenarios on the projected habitat configurations and tested the use of marine megafauna animals as surrogates to protect major ecosystems.LocationGulf of Thailand, Southeast Asia.MethodsA MaxEnt model was used to project likely habitats for Indo‐Pacific humpback dolphins (Sousa chinensis), Irrawaddy dolphins (Orcaella brevirostris) and sea turtles in the Gulf of Thailand. MARXAN software was used to prioritize spatial configurations for habitat protection. The percentage of overlaps between MARXAN delineations and major biodiversity features in the Gulf of Thailand were calculated.ResultsHabitat configurations of humpback dolphins, Irrawaddy dolphins and sea turtles were projected throughout the coastal and estuarine waters along the Gulf of Thailand. MCP based on the habitat of three marine megafauna animals highlighted five critical habitats for the protection of major ecosystems in the Gulf of Thailand.Main conclusionsHolistic MCP starts with mapping critical habitats for marine protected area (MPA) networks, balances MPA networks with maritime livelihood activities and alleviates conflicts between MPA management and local livelihood needs. A combination of SDM and MARXAN methods provides a cost‐effective approach to delineate MPA networks. In this approach, surrogate selection and data preparation should consider niches representative of regional ecosystem features and avoid spatial sampling bias. In coastal and estuarine waters, marine megafauna such as coastal cetaceans and sea turtles may serve as efficient surrogates to protect major ecosystems.

Multiresolution Satellite-Derived Bathymetry in Shallow Coral Reefs: Improving Linear Algorithms with Geographical Analysis

da Silveira, C.B.L.; Strenzel, G.M.R.; Maida, M.; Araujo, T.C.M., and Ferreira, B.P., 2020. Multiresolution satellite-derived bathymetry in shallow coral reefs: Improving linear algorithms with geographical analysis. Journal of Coastal Research, 36(6), 1247–1265. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208.Bathymetric maps are one of the first steps for most hydrological and ecological studies of the seascape, as depth is a determinant factor in the distribution of organisms, patterns of wave exposure, and coastal circulation. The coral reefs of Tamandare-Brazil, located at Costa dos Corais marine protected area (MPA), encompass a mosaic of interconnected habitats of complex geomorphology, including coral reefs, algal, and seagrass beds. These coastal habitats are subjected to chronic impacts such as sedimentation, reef erosion, and increasing human use, leading to habitat loss. Despite their social and ecological importance and the conservation measures in place, bathymetric and habitat maps of this coast are lacking. Indeed, in situ surveys are not always feasible in shallow coral reef areas. The present study offers a detailed bathymetric mapping of the area using multiresolution satellite imagery. One Landsat-8 (December 2016) and one WorldView-03 (February 2017) imagery were used to derive medium (30-m) and high-resolution (2-m) bathymetry of the study area. Single-beam echo sounder surveys were performed to obtain field data to calibrate the depth-retrieving algorithms: linear model, ratio band model, principal component analyses of the transformed bands, and geographically weighted regressions (GWR). For both resolution datasets, results showed that the algorithms' RMS were significantly improved by the GWR technique (RMS > 0.9) because of adaptability to the bottom heterogeneity found in complex areas such as coral reefs. Specific geomorphological reef zones were recognizable in the resulting bathymetric maps, such as intrareef lagoon, reef crest, fore-reef, and reef flat. This research concluded that affordable methods such as single-beam data coupled with satellite imagery through GWR can provide the required inputs for mapping shallow areas with complex relief. Such results may be further used to habitat mapping, necessary to inform the multiple-use zonation foreseen in MPA management plans.

Site selection for biogenic reef restoration in offshore environments: The Natura 2000 area Borkum Reef Ground as a case study for native oyster restoration

Abstract According to the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive (2008/56/EC), marine protected areas (MPA) should contribute to a good environmental status of the Europeans seas. Measures maintaining or restoring a favourable conservation status of protected species and habitats are mandatory according to the EU Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC). Identification of suitable sites for ecological restoration measures within MPAs is a crucial step towards successful conservation and sustainable MPA management. In terms of species restoration, it is important to restore the respective species with the best possible environment for growth, survival, fitness, and successful recruitment. This study provides a comprehensive list of site‐selection criteria for ecological species restoration. Three general categories were chosen: (1) ecological history: evidence for the historical distribution; (2) feasibility of restoration: regulating framework and logistics; and (3) environmental conditions: quality of abiotic and biotic factors. A total of 16 site‐selection criteria were identified and applied to biogenic reef restoration, namely for reefs of the native European oyster Ostrea edulis, in the German Bight. The Natura 2000 area Borkum Reef Ground was identified as a suitable site for oyster restoration. It is one of three MPAs in the German Exclusive Economic Zone of the North Sea, which have been declared as Nature Conservation Areas according to national legislation. The conservation objectives include maintenance or, if necessary, restoration of the habitat type ‘reefs’. As a reef‐building species, the European oyster O. edulis is of particular importance for this habitat type in terms of nature conservation. The step by step approach for site selection presented here is applicable for biogenic reef restoration elsewhere. The selected Natura 2000 area showcases the potential role and future perspective of European MPAs with regards to active conservation measures.

Twelve Recommendations for Advancing Marine Conservation in European and Contiguous Seas

Like most ocean regions today, the European and contiguous seas experience cumulative impacts from local human activities and global pressures. They are largely in poor environmental condition with deteriorating trends. Despite several success stories, European policies for marine conservation fall short of being effective. Acknowledging the challenges for marine conservation, a 4-year multi-national network, MarCons, supported collaborative marine conservation efforts to bridge the gap between science, management and policy, aiming to contribute in reversing present negative trends. By consolidating a large network of more than 100 scientists from 26 countries, and conducting a series of workshops over 4 years (2016–2020), MarCons analyzed challenges, opportunities and obstacles for advancing marine conservation in the European and contiguous seas. Here, we synthesize the major issues that emerged from this analysis and make 12 key recommendations for policy makers, marine managers, and researchers. To increase the effectiveness of marine conservation planning, we recommend (1) designing coherent networks of marine protected areas (MPAs) in the framework of marine spatial planning (MSP) and applying systematic conservation planning principles, including re-evaluation of existing management zones, (2) designing MPA networks within a broader transboundary planning framework, and (3) implementing integrated land-freshwater-sea approaches. To address inadequate or poorly informed management, we recommend (4) developing and implementing adaptive management plans in all sites of the Natura 2000 European conservation network and revising the Natura 2000 framework, (5) embedding and implementing cumulative effects assessments into a risk management process and making them operational, and (6) promoting actions to reach ‘good environmental status’ in all European waters. To account for global change in conservation planning and management, we further recommend (7) developing conservation strategies to address the impacts of global change, for example identifying climate-change refugia as high priority conservation areas, and (8) incorporating biological invasions in conservation plans and prioritizing management actions to control invasive species. Finally, to improve current practices that may compromise the effectiveness of conservation actions, we recommend (9) reinforcing the collection of high-quality open-access data, (10) improving mechanisms for public participation in MPA planning and management, (11) prioritizing conservation goals in full collaboration with stakeholders, and (12) addressing gender inequality in marine sciences and conservation.

Evaluating whether MPA management measures meet ecological principles for effective biodiversity protection

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) have been implemented as a spatial management tool throughout the world in order to meet targets for marine biodiversity conservation. The success of MPAs in achieving biodiversity conservation objectives is strongly dependent on effective management. However, evaluation frameworks for MPA management measures are often procedurally or governance focused with limited consideration of biological criteria. Here we review guiding ecological principles of MPA network design and how they can be applied to the evaluation of MPA management measures for effective biodiversity conservation. We have developed a Qualitative Statement Framework that makes recommendations for applying ecological principles to MPA management measures, using the Scottish nature conservation MPA network as a case study. Our statements to guide MPA management measure evaluation relate to principles: representation, ecologically significant areas, rare, threatened or declining features replication, connectivity, adequacy/viability and resilience. We suggest that using the ecological principles for MPA design in management measure evaluation addresses a gap in current management evaluation tools. This approach would be particularly useful in situations where management measures are applied to MPAs post-designation and where MPAs are managed as zoned or multi-use sites. Future MPA management evaluations should incorporate criteria to demonstrate how management measures meet each of the ecological principles.

Revisiting UK Marine Protected Areas governance: A case study of a collaborative approach to managing an English MPA

Abstract Case studies of Marine Protected Area (MPA) upscaling were solicited from participants of a workshop at the International Marine Protected Areas Conference held in Autumn 2013 in Marseille. One such case study was Solandt, Jones, Duval‐Diop, Kleiven, and Frangoudes (2014; Governance challenges in scaling up from individual MPAs to MPA networks. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, 24, 145–152) which illustrated the role of science, non‐governmental organizations, government and local regulators in applying systemic management measures for local MPAs based on risk, highlighting the importance of balancing top‐down and bottom‐up drivers. Here we follow up on the UK example, illustrating the incentives and actors involved in developing centralized and subsequent fisheries management measures in UK waters. Forty local laws were created to protect features in 143 inshore MPAs between 2013 and 2019. We illustrate best practice in delivering management, focusing on multiple practitioner involvement in a single MPA and the monitoring put in place after trawling and dredging were banned. We reflect on how the governance mechanisms in place in English inshore waters can be used as a template to allow for progressive MPA management in other coastal states.

Identifying spatial conservation priorities using Traditional and Local Ecological Knowledge of iconic marine species and ecosystem threats

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) can be an effective spatial approach to conservation, especially when they involve genuine consultation that considers the diversity of stakeholders. Participatory mapping and semi-structured interviews were conducted with 52 stakeholders and 22 managers and scientists to identify ecological priorities and concerns across a large temperate MPA in Port Stephens-Great Lakes Marine Park, Australia. There were 19 iconic species of fish, dolphins, whales, and sea turtles that were the focus of ecological priorities and stakeholder interactions with the marine environment. Effectiveness of the current MPA management plan for addressing stakeholder priority and concerns, was assessed using GIS spatial modelling that created fuzzy-set species distribution models (SDMs) based on Traditional and Local Ecological Knowledge as well as scientific and citizen-science survey data. These spatial models for the iconic species across the MPA were then overlaid with ecological concerns of the stakeholders to create a spatial understanding of local threats, and priority areas for targeted management. Poor water quality from terrestrial primary sources was the main concern of stakeholders, more so than in-water threats such as poor fishing practices or impacts to iconic species. While local managers and scientists were relatively reluctant to answer interview questions, there was a general misalignment in approaches to iconic species management, especially for mobile and migratory species, and misunderstanding of stakeholder perceptions of threats. Participatory mapping of social-ecological values provides a method for stakeholders and decision-makers to better understand, discuss, and adapt marine spatial management approaches that support a diversity of conservation and management priorities.

Contextualizing ecological performance: Rethinking monitoring in marine protected areas

Abstract The global extent of marine protected areas (MPAs) has increased rapidly in the last decade, and monitoring and evaluation are now required for effective and adaptive management of these areas. We classify monitoring in MPAs into four categories and identify a critically important, but undervalued category: human pressure monitoring that targets human activities and their impacts. Human pressure monitoring is fundamental for interpreting the results of ecological performance monitoring and for evaluating MPA management effectiveness. The consequences of ecological performance monitoring that show unsuccessful MPA performance while falsely assuming successful mitigation of human pressures could jeopardize MPA performance analysis and adaptive management, and thus be worse than not monitoring at all. Human pressure monitoring enables using MPAs as reference areas where the effects of global or regional pressures (e.g. climate change) can be disentangled from the effects of local human activities, as well as to minimize the shifting baseline phenomenon in defining healthy stocks. These benefits cannot be realized without active human pressure monitoring integrated into an adaptive management cycle that ensures effective MPA protection. In the absence of human pressure monitoring, all ecological monitoring within MPAs falls in the ambient monitoring category: monitoring that is not intended to measure conservation outcomes. We discuss the implications for monitoring programme design and provide a structure for decision‐makers on how to prioritize monitoring activities within MPAs that place greater emphasis on improving MPAs as biodiversity conservation tools over proving MPA performance.

Optimal Siting, Sizing, and Enforcement of Marine Protected Areas

The design of protected areas, whether marine or terrestrial, rarely considers how people respond to the imposition of no-take sites with complete or incomplete enforcement. Consequently, these protected areas may fail to achieve their intended goal. We present and solve a spatial bio-economic model in which a manager chooses the optimal location, size, and enforcement level of a marine protected area (MPA). This manager acts as a Stackelberg leader, and her choices consider villagers’ best response to the MPA in a spatial Nash equilibrium of fishing site and effort decisions. Relevant to lower income country settings but general to other settings, we incorporate limited enforcement budgets, distance costs of traveling to fishing sites, and labor allocation to onshore wage opportunities. The optimal MPA varies markedly across alternative manager goals and budget sizes, but always induce changes in villagers’ decisions as a function of distance, dispersal, and wage. We consider MPA managers with ecological conservation goals and with economic goals, and identify the shortcomings of several common manager decision rules, including those focused on: (1) fishery outcomes rather than broader economic goals, (2) fish stocks at MPA sites rather than across the full marinescape, (3) absolute levels rather than additional values, and (4) costless enforcement. Our results demonstrate that such naïve or overly narrow decision rules can lead to inefficient MPA designs that miss economic and conservation opportunities.

Analysis of marine protected area management: The Marine Park of the Azores (Portugal)

A significant number of declared marine protected areas (MPAs) lack management plans, or they are not being applied appropriately, leading to poor management and, in the worst case scenario, so-called “paper parks”. Evaluating the management of an MPA helps detect strengths and weaknesses, make decisions and correct mistakes in the future. Unfortunately, few evaluations have been done. In recent decades, management has gone from a traditional governance system to a more inclusive and participatory one that seeks to understand and integrate the interests and needs of all parties. Social actors are participating more actively in decision-making, and their support is fundamental for the success of an MPA. This study analyses the management of the Marine Park of the Azores (Portugal), one of the most emblematic areas of the European Union (EU). For this purpose, a methodology has been developed to evaluate the management of MPAs. It is based on the analysis of four key aspects: managing body, planning, public participation and implementation. For each one, specific indicators have been designed, resulting in five possible scenarios being proposed where priority is given to one or other factors, where each one has consequences on the biophysical and socioeconomic systems of the MPA. These scenarios are defined as: proactive, consultative, centralized, by learning and formal management. The results demonstrate that the Marine Park of the Azores is currently under centralized management, with a sound management body, but yet should be consolidates the process of planning and public participation.

How Canada “hamburger manufactured” its way to marine protected area success and a more effective and equitable way forward for the post-2020 conservation agenda

In Canada, the establishment of various forms of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and the reclassification of fishery closures as “other effective area-based conservation measures” (OECMs) from 2017 to 2020 resulted in the largest and most rapid increase in declared protected “area” in the history of the country. In this paper, we critically assess Canada’s declared protected area from multiple perspectives and, in particular, in relation to the intent of the United Nations (UN) Convention on Biological Diversity’s (CBD) Aichi Biodiversity Targets. We reveal how a complex suite of exceptions implemented through management plans and unclear regulations, as well as redefining marine use classifications, has been used to increase the declared protected area estate and celebrate conservation success, with little to no meaningful gains in the effective, in situ conservation of biodiversity. We argue that Canada has potentially placed itself in a more difficult position to achieve the goals and objectives outlined in the Zero Draft of the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework, including achieving the call for at least 10% of protected areas and OECMs to be under “strict protection”, which Canada is currently nowhere near achieving. We propose several major transformations to MPA policy, planning, and management, including reducing regulatory complexity, modernizing legislation, legislating timeframes for the implementation of connected networks of protected areas, and more effectively enabling Indigenous Peoples to assume their rightful roles as leaders in marine conservation through the establishment of Indigenous Protected Areas, which if enacted will better position Canada to achieve the genuine intent of many aspects of the UN CBD.

Co-Management as a Successful Strategy for Marine Conservation

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are a primary tool for conserving marine biodiversity. The literature presents a scattered picture regarding the extent to which co-management can be considered valuable. In this study we examine, what conditions are for co-management to make a contribution to conserving marine ecosystems (e.g., stopping coral bleaching and safeguarding fish populations). By combining data on MPA management practices with a novel source of global biodata collected by citizens (ReefCheck), we demonstrate that if co-management is part of a formal governmental strategy, coral reefs show up to 86% fewer bleached colonies and up to 12.2 times larger fish populations than co-managed MPAs lacking formalized governmental support.

Household’s Willingness to Pay for the Expansion of Mataasna Bayan and Sinisian East Marine Protected Area in Lemery, Batangas, Philippines

The study was conducted primarily to 1) identify the socio-economic and the knowledge, attitude and perception (KAP) factors that affect the WTP of the households; 2) determine the socio-economic factors affecting the KAP of households; and 3) determine the mean willingness to pay (WTP) of households of four barangays of Lemery, Batangas: Mataasna Bayan and Sinisian East as on-site barangays and Balanga and Sinisian West as off-site barangays of the Marine Protected Area (MPA). A total of 316 respondents were surveyed following the contingent valuation method (CVM). Results showed that the mean WTP of the respondents amounts to PhP 46.47 per month. Among factors influencing their WTP are KAP variables such as knowledge on MPA, knowledge on MPA as fish habitat, perception on the need of MPA protection led by the Barangay, perception if there is anything to be changed in MPA management, and socio-economic variables like gender, income-expenses ratio and distance from the MPA. Using the mean WTP, the computed social benefit derived by the on-site and off-site MPA communities from coral reef conservation-based from their WTP amounted to PhP 999,215.734 per year.

United States Law, Marine Protected Areas, and Challenges to “Lasting Protection”

This contribution to this special edition focuses on United States practice in relation to marine protected areas (MPAs) particularly in relation to the protection of large marine ecosystems. The article describes how MPAs are designated under the National Marine Sanctuaries Act, the Antiquities Act, and the Magnuson-Stevens Fisheries Act. The article also identifies interactions between state and federal government in the management of MPAs as well as among nations. The article concludes with a discussion of the vulnerability of MPAs in the United States to resource development focused political forces.

KAWASAN PERLINDUNGAN MARIN DI MALAYSIA: KE ARAH PENERAPAN KONSEP PEMBANGUNAN MAMPAN

Nowadays, sustainable development brings a different kind of meaning especially among scholars who have their own purposes. This principle is not only limited to the preservation of the environment and its resources, but it also included human resources and financial management as well as physical development. The awareness towards sustainable development had been started in 1987 which was pioneered by the report of Brundtland (UNWCED), then it was recognized by Rio de Jeneiro Summit in 1992. Next, the concept of this agenda is also has been reinforced during the World Conference in 2002 on sustainable development in Johannesburg, South Africa by bringing the world's attention to the challenges and importance of sustainable development. In Malaysia, there are not all of the activities on Marine Protected Area (MPA) that are carried out in line with the concept of sustainable development, although there are various efforts and policies that have been introduced to preserve the natural environment and ecosystems for the sake of future generations. Therefore, this article highlights the key aspects that stakeholders should consider in order to introduce a philosophy of sustainable development in the Marine Protected Areas management sector. The initiative proposed in this article provides a strategic focus on maintaining harmony between those involved in the management of the Marine Park and the industry of maritime tourism. It also takes into account the legal framework and economic interests of stakeholders in this sector to focus on exploiting the national resources of the National Park and protecting the integrity of the Marine Park environment in line with the concept of sustainable development.

Status of coral reefs in Antigua & Barbuda: using data to inform management.

The nation of Antigua and Barbuda has experienced major degradation of its coral reef ecosystems over the past 40+ years. The primary drivers of this degradation are multiple and are highly linked to anthropogenic influences, including over-exploitation and poor management of marine resources. The effectiveness of management actions in marine protected areas (MPAs) has often been hampered by a lack of data to inform management recommendations. This was emphasized by The Nature Conservancy’s (TNC) Coral Reef Report Card which highlighted not only the lack of data collection in Antigua and Barbuda and other Caribbean nations, but also illustrated how spatially dispersed available datasets are. The government of Antigua and Barbuda recognized the need for a marine data collection program to better inform the designation and management of MPAs as a tool to improve the health of the marine ecosystems. The Atlantic Gulf Rapid Reef Assessment (AGRRA) protocol has been identified as a means to address planning and management for marine areas. Three AGRRA surveys have been conducted in the years following the TNC 2016 report, in previously established managed areas: North East Marine Management Area (NEMMA) in 2017 and Nelson Dockyard National Park (NDNP) in 2019 as well as areas outlined for future management (Redonda in 2018). Our surveys were conducted to provide updated datasets to inform management for the aforementioned areas. While the results of these surveys mirror the underlying poor coral reef-health conditions, which have been shown to exist within the Caribbean region, they also highlight intra-site variation that exists within each survey location. This knowledge can be crucial in guiding management decisions in these marine areas, through zoning and other management prescriptions. Additionally, the marine surveys conducted around Redonda established useful marine baselines to aid in monitoring the island’s recovery following removal of terrestrial invasive species. This article provides an overview of data collected using the AGRRA methodology in marine zones across Antigua and Barbuda which have current or future management prescriptions and provides recommendations to demonstrate the data’s future utilization for marine conservation and management.

Seafloor mapping to support conservation planning in an ecologically unique fjord in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada

As human impacts continue to threaten coastal habitats and ecosystems, marine benthic habitat and substrate mapping has become a key component of many conservation and management initiatives. Understanding the composition and extent of marine habitats can inform marine protected area (MPA) planning and monitoring, help identify vulnerable or rare habitats and support fisheries management. To support conservation planning in Eastern Canada, we mapped the seafloor of Newman Sound, identifying the benthoscape classes (i.e. discrete biophysical seafloor classes) of this ecologically diverse and unique fjord in Newfoundland and Labrador (NL). Mapping was achieved using multibeam echosounder (MBES) data collected using multiple platforms, seafloor videos and an unsupervised pixel-based classification method. Seven benthoscape classes were identified within the extent of the MBES coverages. Multivariate statistical analyses indicate that two benthoscape classes - mixed boulder and mud - support distinct epifaunal communities, and also capture the changes in benthic community composition between hard/shallow substrates and soft/deep substrates. Our results illustrate how benthoscape maps can inform marine spatial planning and conservation in the Newman Sound region, support monitoring and also calls for adaptive management of the adjacent Eastport MPA.

Improving marine protected area governance through collaboration and co-production

Marine protected areas (MPAs) socio-ecological effectiveness depends on a number of management and governance elements, among which stakeholder engagement and community support play key roles. Collaborative conservation initiatives that engage stakeholders in action research and knowledge co-production processes can enhance management and governance of MPAs. To design effective strategies aimed at reconciling biodiversity conservation and management of sustainable human uses, it is key to assess how local communities respond to such initiatives and identify the set of contextual factors, institutional, local and individual, potentially affecting these responses. This paper presents the approach and results of one such initiative, spanning 6 EU countries and 11 MPAs in the Mediterranean Sea, focusing on small-scale fishers as key MPA users. Through a collaborative project, managers and fishers agreed upon specific governance interventions (e.g. increasing stakeholder engagement, engaging fishers in monitoring activities, reducing fishing efforts) to be implemented in each MPA for one year. Structured surveys queried: MPA managers on the MPA context, governance structure, feasibility and effectiveness of the tested interventions; and small-scale fishers on their perceptions of the impact of the tested interventions on a set of 9 socio-ecological variables (e.g. amount of fish caught, level of participation in decision-making, support for the MPA). Results revealed that the interventions tested were relatively feasible, effective and cost-effective. Fishers reported positive perceptions of the interventions for the 9 variables considered, especially for level of support for the MPA and for those associated with aspects of governance. Proportional odds models highlighted perceived effects are maximized under certain institutional, local and individual circumstances (e.g. old MPAs, small fisher communities, and fishers with a high proportion of income from fisheries). Findings highlight that employing good governance processes involving stakeholders may rapidly generate improved local support for conservation and provide insights for potential leverage points upon which to act to maximize perceived effectiveness and enhance support toward MPAs.