MPA Community Forum

You are invited to join the community of IMCC delegates who are working in, near, or around marine protected areas (MPAs) to discuss some of the most pressing issues facing global ocean protection. In light of international... [ view full abstract ]

You are invited to join the community of IMCC delegates who are working in, near, or around marine protected areas (MPAs) to discuss some of the most pressing issues facing global ocean protection. In light of international commitments to protect 10% of the ocean by 2020, the pace of marine protection appears to be rapidly increasing. Yet the effective establishment of MPAs remains a challenge. There is broad agreement that different types of MPAs serve different and important functions, but current global tracking of MPAs is not equipped to evaluate the range of expectations and outcomes. This MPA Community Forum, facilitated by Drs. Jane Lubchenco and Kirsten Grorud-Colvert, provides an opportunity to discuss actual progress toward international targets, ways to align stakeholder expectations for different types of MPAs with actual outcomes, more effective ways to track ocean protection, and productive paths forward to clarify and unify consideration of MPAs worldwide.