Capacity shortfalls hinder the performance of marine protected areas globally

David A. Gill (), Michael B. Mascia, Gabby N. Ahmadia, Louise Glew, Sarah E. Lester, Megan Barnes, Ian Craigie, Emily S. Darling, Christopher M. Free, Jonas Geldmann, Susie Holst, Olaf P. Jensen, Alan T. White, Xavier Basurto, Lauren Coad, Ruth D. Gates, Greg Guannel, Peter J. Mumby, Hannah Thomas, Sarah Whitmee, Stephen Woodley and Helen E. Fox
Additional contact information
David A. Gill: National Socio-Environmental Synthesis Center (SESYNC)
Michael B. Mascia: Moore Center for Science, Conservation International
Gabby N. Ahmadia: World Wildlife Fund US
Louise Glew: World Wildlife Fund US
Sarah E. Lester: Florida State University
Megan Barnes: Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, University of Queensland, St Lucia Campus
Ian Craigie: ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University
Emily S. Darling: Wildlife Conservation Society
Christopher M. Free: Rutgers University
Jonas Geldmann: Conservation Science Group, University of Cambridge
Susie Holst: NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program, Silver Spring
Olaf P. Jensen: Rutgers University
Alan T. White: The Nature Conservancy
Xavier Basurto: Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University
Lauren Coad: Environmental Change Institute, University of Oxford
Ruth D. Gates: Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawaii at Manoa
Greg Guannel: The Natural Capital Project, Stanford University
Peter J. Mumby: Marine Spatial Ecology Lab, School of Biological Sciences and ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, The University of Queensland, St Lucia Campus
Hannah Thomas: UNEP – World Conservation Monitoring Centre
Sarah Whitmee: CBER – University College London
Stephen Woodley: WCPA-SSC Joint Task Force on Biodiversity and Protected Areas, International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
Helen E. Fox: World Wildlife Fund US

Nature, 2017, vol. 543, issue 7647, 665-669

Abstract: 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.

Date: 2017
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DOI: 10.1038/nature21708

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