THE MPA GUIDE
by the Marine Conservation Institute
Guidelines for the design and implementation of protected areas
The MPA guide was put together by a team of experts, scientists, and institutions to serve as a framework that will help define marine protections and it’s benefits to society and the marine environment. It also determines how much of the ocean is actually protected, a question that hasn’t been easy to answer. There are many different definitions of what standards an MPA needs to meet and what level of regulations qualify as full or partial protection. MPAs can range from full protection to mixed-use and some also allow commercial extraction of resources. Monitoring and enforcement also vary greatly. The MPA guide attempts to bring structure and order into this very important topic.