What is a Marine Protected Areas Indicator?

What are Marine Protected Areas? The Marine Protected Areas indicator measures the percentage of a country's exclusive economic zone (EEZ) that is under protection. A marine protected area is essentially a space in the ocean where human activities are more strictly regulated than the surounding waters - similar to parks we have on land, for the protection of historical and natural resources. Certain human activities are strictly regulated For the sake of protecting & Littering Fishing Swimming Historical Resources Natural Resources Marine Reserves, Marine Protected Areas & Exclusive Economic Zone where extraction of any resource is prohibited (no-take) where partial protection is afforded (by seasonal closure, catch limits, etc.) and is open for fishing, diving, boating, and other recreational and commercial uses. Although the majority of marine protected areas lie within territorial waters (0-12 nautical miles from land), it is important to include EEZS (12-200 nautical miles) in this measure because several types of valuable marine habitats exist only in EEZS, including deep-sea trenches, submarine canyons, and seamounts. Managing MPAS through Prohibitions and Limitations 2 Categories Yes/No? Absolute prohibition of access to a prescribed area is the simplest form of regulation. Prohibition Prohibition of certain activities within a prescribed area is another prohibitive technique. Marine protected areas around the world often allow some level of human activity, especially if it involves recreation, nature appreciation, Limitation education, or research. Limitation includes Zonal Management Temporal Control Equipment Restriction Permits Quotas How do we know? The Marine Protected Areas indicator measures the percentage of country's exclusive economic zone (EEZ) that is under protection. Targets Set by Convention for 10% Biological Diversity The EPI's measurement of Marine Protected Areas stems from targets set by Convention for Biological Diversity, which establishes a conservation goal of 10 percent of marine and coastal areas by 2020. How is the world doing? 9.7% 9.5% 10% 6.8% 7.5% 4.6% 5% 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 Environmental References Performance Index • "Protect Planet Ocean Is About Marine Conservation", Protect Planet Ocean: http://www.protectplanetocean.org/introduction/introbox/mpas/introduction-item.html Percentage of Area Protected Exclusive Economic Zone Marine Protected Areas Exclusive Economic Zone Marine Protected Areas Marine Reserves