Turning the tide on protection illusions: The underprotected MPAs of the 'OSPAR Regional Sea Convention'

• Published in: Marine Policy
• Main Authors: Roessger, Julia, Horta E Costa, Barbara, Claudet, Joachim
• Other Authors: Universidade do Algarve (UAlg), Centre de recherches insulaires et observatoire de l'environnement (CRIOBE), Université de Perpignan Via Domitia (UPVD)-École Pratique des Hautes Études (EPHE), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2022
• Subjects: Protection levels; conservation; OSPAR Marine Protected Area network; North-East Atlantic; Regulation-based classification system; [SDE.ES]Environmental Sciences/Environment and Society; [SDU.STU.OC]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Earth Sciences/Oceanography; North East Atlantic
• Online Access: https://hal.science/hal-03691146; https://hal.science/hal-03691146/document; https://hal.science/hal-03691146/file/Turning%20the%20tide%20on%20protection%20illusions_FINAL.pdf; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2022.105109

International audience Contracting Parties of the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic (the ‘OSPAR Convention’) have agreed to establish an effective network of marine protected areas (MPAs). While the network is currently covering approximately 7% of the North-East Atlantic, the extent to which existing MPAs appropriately harbour protection remains unknown. Using the regulation-based classification system, we assessed the levels of protection of 946 zones belonging to 476 strictly marine OSPAR MPAs. We show that only 0.03% of the OSPAR MPA network is covered with full or high protection levels, which are the protection levels exhibiting significant conservation benefits. According to this study, more than 60% of MPAs are unprotected, leading to uncertainties about their potential to deliver positive conservation outcomes. MPA coverage alone should not be used as an indicator for MPA performance, but when presented with the actual protection levels, a light can be shed on MPA quality. To be able to reach the 2030 ocean targets agreed under the European Biodiversity Strategy, to which most OSPAR Contracting Parties are committed, substantial efforts are required not only to strategically enlarge the MPA network coverage to 30% but mostly to reach the EU sub-target of 10% of strict protection. Enhancing effective protection by increasing the coverage of fully and highly protected areas to safeguard marine ecosystems is urgently needed to sustainably support human well-being