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Capacity shortfalls hinder the performance of marine protected areas globally.
Abstract
Marine protected areas (MPAs) are increasingly being used globally to conserve marine
resources. However, whether many MPAs are being effectively and equitably managed,
and how MPA management influences substantive outcomes remain unknown. We developed
a global database of management and fish population data (433 and 218 MPAs, respectively)
to assess: MPA management processes; the effects of MPAs on fish populations; and
relationships between management processes and ecological effects. Here we report
that many MPAs failed to meet thresholds for effective and equitable management processes,
with widespread shortfalls in staff and financial resources. Although 71% of MPAs
positively influenced fish populations, these conservation impacts were highly variable.
Staff and budget capacity were the strongest predictors of conservation impact: MPAs
with adequate staff capacity had ecological effects 2.9 times greater than MPAs with
inadequate capacity. Thus, continued global expansion of MPAs without adequate investment
in human and financial capacity is likely to lead to sub-optimal conservation outcomes.
Type
Journal articleSubject
AnimalsFishes
Goals
Ecology
Conservation of Natural Resources
Biomass
Population Dynamics
Internationality
Aquatic Organisms
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https://hdl.handle.net/10161/18610Published Version (Please cite this version)
10.1038/nature21708Publication Info
Gill, David A; Mascia, Michael B; Ahmadia, Gabby N; Glew, Louise; Lester, Sarah E;
Barnes, Megan; ... Fox, Helen E (2017). Capacity shortfalls hinder the performance of marine protected areas globally. Nature, 543(7647). pp. 665-669. 10.1038/nature21708. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/10161/18610.This is constructed from limited available data and may be imprecise. To cite this
article, please review & use the official citation provided by the journal.
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Show full item recordScholars@Duke
Xavier Basurto
Truman and Nellie Semans/Alex Brown & Sons Associate Professor
I am interested in the fundamental question of how groups (human and non-human) can
find ways to self-organize, cooperate, and engage in successful collective action
for the benefit of the common good. To do this I strive to understand how the institutions
(formal and informal rules and norms) that govern social behavior, interplay with
biophysical variables to shape social-ecological systems. What kind of institutions
are better able to govern complex-adaptive systems? and how can societies (la
David Antonio Gill
Assistant Professor in the Division of Marine Science and Conservation
David’s research centers on marine coupled human-natural systems, focusing predominantly
on marine management and tropical coral reef systems. Overall, his research aims to
provide evidence-based insights into how marine management and conservation can lead
to equitable and sustainable outcomes. This work is by nature both interdisciplinary
and collaborative, drawing on key theories and analytical approaches from disciplines
such as economics, community ecology, and political science, a
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