Marine Protected Area planning in Aotearoa New Zealand: reflections on participation and process

Marine protected areas (MPAs) are a critical element of local, national, and international fisheries management and biodiversity conservation. However, MPA planning is a complex undertaking that requires careful consideration... [ view full abstract ]

Marine protected areas (MPAs) are a critical element of local, national,
and international fisheries management and biodiversity conservation.
However, MPA planning is a complex undertaking that requires careful
consideration and analysis of ecological and other knowledge, including
indigenous knowledge, and the balancing of social, cultural, and
economic interests. Including stakeholders and indigenous partners in
MPA planning, establishment, and management has consistently been
identified as key to successful MPA implementation. This paper
interrogates MPA planning in Aotearoa New Zealand, with a focus on the
role of participation and collaboration in the development and
implementation of MPAs. MPA planning processes were evaluated against
best practice principles drawn from international MPA and other
participatory process literature. We assess several factors hypothesized
to be associated with improvements in the involvement of participants
in MPA decision making, including changes in policy and practice. The
introduction of the New Zealand Marine Protected Areas Policy and
Implementation Plan (MPA Policy) in 2005 and the associated
implementation guidelines in 2008 are a key feature of our assessment.
More than a decade after the introduction of this policy, this paper
explores how closely the implementation of the MPA Policy has aligned
with international best practices and principles. Areas for possible
improvement in future evolutions of MPA planning also emerged from this
research; these center primarily on the need to consider the role of
MPAs within a holistic social-ecological systems framework that includes
indigenous knowledge, rather than just as a biodiversity protection
tool.