A National Perspective on the Role of Marine Protected Areas in Sustaining Fisheries

The U.S. has over 1,600 MPAs, most of which focus primarily on the natural heritage conservation (70%), with 24% focusing on sustainable fisheries.  This presentation will:  (1) present data from the MPA Inventory to provide a national perspective on the use of MPAs as a tool for fisheries management, protecting habitat, and conserving ecosystem function; (2) highlight geospatial tools that have been created to view MPAs and patterns of human uses of the ocean, including commercial and recreational fishing; and (3) discuss the role of the National System of MPAs in sustaining fisheries.

The National Marine Protected Areas Center’s MPA Inventory includes MPAs managed by federal, state and territorial agencies, and includes information on MPA conservation focus, managing agencies, authority, scope, level of protection, ecoregion, and GIS shapefiles.  The Center is currently expanding the Inventory to add information on natural and cultural resources located within MPAs, such as habitat types.  These data will contribute to regional and national analyses of MPA objectives, functions and gaps.  The Center has also developed mapping tools to make spatial information from the Inventory readily available to non-GIS users. 

In addition to MPA information, the Center is gathering and analyzing information related to human uses of the ocean.  The distribution of human uses is essential information for ecosystem approach to management, but comprehensive, consistent information on a wide range of human uses is often unavailable.  The Center is working with partners using a participatory GIS process to gather human uses data from the shoreline to the EEZ, including recreational and commercial fishing, as well as non-consumptive, military and industrial uses.  Ocean use mapping projects have been completed for the California coast, Southern Maine and New England, and parts of Hawaii, and the process is being expanded to other regions.  This information has many applications, including MPA planning and Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning.  

The National System of MPAs is a partnership to enhance conservation of the nation’s natural and cultural marine heritage and represent its diverse ecosystems and resources. Although MPAs in the system are managed by their individual federal, state and territorial programs, they work together at the regional and national levels to achieve common conservation goals.  Focal areas include fostering connectivity and MPA networks; capacity building; and information sharing.  Currently, there are 258 MPAs in the national system, including four federal fisheries sites managed by NMFS and the Mid Atlantic Fishery Management Council.