In a paper published today in Frontiers in Marine Science, dozens of scientists evaluated the United States’ 50 largest marine protected areas (MPAs) and concluded that areas outside the central Pacific are “lightly or minimally protected against extractive or destructive human activities.” The paper cites an “urgent need” to improve MPA quality, quantity, and representativeness.
In order to achieve the Biden administration’s 30×30 goals and effective MPAs, the paper recommends actions including the following:
- Revising and updating the U.S. National Ocean Policy and Ocean Policy Committee for an integrated, whole-of-government approach to ocean planning and management;
- Establishment of new and more effective MPAs;
- Establishment of new highly and fully protected, networked MPAs with better representation of U.S. marine biodiversity, regions, and habitats;
- Improved attention and commitment to equity in new and existing MPAs;
- Tracking and reporting progress in a way that measures U.S. MPAs’ ability to deliver desired outcomes based on level of protection
- Ensuring durability of climate-ready MPAs;
- Encouraging and coordinating development of state-level MPAs;
- Reinstatement and empowerment of MPA Federal Advisory Committee; and
- Long-term funding for NOAA MPA Center
