Marine Protected Areas
Conservation and Management of Ocean Territories
The concept of marine reserves or marine protected areas (MPAs) has long been discussed in academic and environmental circles. The concept had been loosely defined, and different interests have sought to apply it to various goals. A recent National Research Council study, for example, identified four possible protection goals for MPAs: conserve biological or habitat diversity; manage fisheries; provide ecosystem services; and protect cultural heritage. Many discussions of the concept look to comparable terrestrial efforts both to serve as models and to develop a better understanding of differences between terrestrial and marine locations in physical characteristics and processes and resources…
