On being effective, and the other 90%

Marine protected areas (MPAs) must prioritize clear, precise management objectives to achieve effectiveness. The Phoenix Islands Protected Area (PIPA) in Kiribati exemplifies this by expanding its protection goals from 3.1% to 99.4% fully protected zones after recognizing initial omissions, such as tuna conservation. Effectiveness hinges on defining boundaries and objectives accurately, avoiding false premises that undermine management. The shift toward marine spatial planning, rather than isolated MPAs, is crucial for holistic ocean management. Locally managed marine areas (LMMAs) in East Africa also demonstrate progress, though their effectiveness remains uncertain. Empowering local communities and integrating Indigenous perspectives are key to sustainable marine management. The 10% 'effectively managed' target is insufficient; 100% of marine space should be managed to balance stakeholder needs and ecosystem sustainability.

Obura, D. O. (2017). On being effective, and the other 90%. ICES Journal of Marine Science, 75(3), 1198–1199. https://doi.org/10.1093/icesjms/fsx096