When is a Marine Protected Area really a Marine Protected Area

08 September 2012
International news release

Jeju Island, Republic of Korea, 8 September 2012 (IUCN) – As concern increases on the state of natural resources and the degradation of the world’s oceans, it is critical to be clear on how countries are progressing with conservation actions for the environment. New guidance issued today on Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) by IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) will significantly improve ocean protection efforts.

Guidelines for Applying the IUCN Protected Area Management Categories to Marine Protected Areas aims to make clear what is most significant and of highest priority in MPAs and will help countries more accurately detail their successes. The new guidelines will define MPAs—preventing the trend of fisheries advisory bodies claiming that area mechanisms that exploit fish are MPAs. Also, pipeline areas and wind farms will not be considered MPAs unless they are set up following specific guidelines, with clear long-term objectives for nature conservation.

"It is time to stop pretending more of the ocean is protected than it actually is. Understanding what is protected in the ocean and how it is protected is of paramount importance in driving global conservation efforts forward,” says Dan Laffoley, Marine Vice-Chair of IUCN's World Commission on Protected Areas....

Source: When is a Marine Protected Area really a Marine Protected Area
Author: IUCN - photo Ich und Du / pixelio.de

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