Marine Protected Area Design to Increase Benefits to Coastal Communities

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) have been identified as globally useful tools to fulfill multiple objectives. The benefits of MPAs are well established in the management of fisheries and biodiversity which rely on well preserved... [ view full abstract ]

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) have been identified as globally useful tools to fulfill multiple objectives. The benefits of MPAs are well established in the management of fisheries and biodiversity which rely on well preserved natural features. A common perception of the current MPA network in South Africa is that coastal communities derive few if any benefits from them. South Africa is currently in a process of declaring a new representative Marine Protected Area network that increases mainland marine territory protection from 0.42% towards 10% with a 5% expansion focused offshore. Further MPA expansion requires an innovative approach which focuses on delivering benefits to its coastal communities while meeting conservation targets. To support this, thirty-five case studies, 22 from developing and 13 cases from developed countries were assessed to identify categories of non-consumptive benefits. The study identified five categories of benefits of MPAs: a) Economic b) Biodiversity d) Fisheries Sustainability e) Social and f) Climate Change Resilience. More than 30 new spatial data layers, associated with the categories of benefits have been developed and collated to be included in MPA design optimisation tools. Examples include tourism assets and infrastructure (economic), priority estuaries and ecosystem condition (biodiversity), spawning and nursery areas, culturally important sites and ecosystem condition. Furthermore, data layers such as the poverty index along coastal areas have been developed and included to identify a representative network of MPAs which meet conservation targets and detect areas delivering benefits with the least costs to coastal communities.