Filling the Data Gap – A Pressing Need for Advancing MPA Sustainable Finance

Abstract

Reaching protected area (PA) coverage goals is challenged by a lack of sufficient financial resources. This funding gap is particularly pervasive for marine protected areas (MPAs). It has been suggested that marine conservationists examine examples from terrestrial protected areas (TPAs) for potential solutions to better fund MPAs. However, the funding needs for MPAs and TPAs have not been directly compared, and there is risk of management failures if any such differences are not properly considered when designing MPA financial strategies. We perform an in-depth literature review to investigate differences in distribution of costs incurred by MPAs and TPAs across three primary categories; establishment, operational, and opportunity costs. We use our findings to conduct a snapshot quantitative comparison, which we complement with theoretical support to provide preliminary insight into differences between MPA and TPA costs, and how these may influence financial strategies most appropriate for each type of PA. Our research suggests that TPA costs, and thereby funding requirements, are greater for the time period leading up to and including the implementation phase, whereas MPAs have higher financial requirements for meeting long-term annual operational costs. This may be primarily due to the prevalence of private property rights for terrestrial regions, which are less frequently in place for ocean areas, as well as logistical requirements for enforcement and monitoring in a marine environment. To cement these suggestions in greater analytical certainty, we call for more thorough and standardized PA cost reporting at all stages, especially for MPAs and PAs in developing countries. The quantity and quality of such data presently limits research in PA sustainable finance, and will need to be remedied to advance the field in future years.

Distribution of cetacean species at a large scale ‐ Connecting continents with the Macaronesian archipelagos in the eastern North Atlantic

“…Use of OPOs could be complemented by tagging programmes, new technological approaches such as monitoring through automated vehicles and cheap non‐invasive techniques such as photo‐ID and environmental DNA (Bohorquez, Dvarskas, & Pikitch, 2019).…”

“…We have to recognize the gap between monitoring and mitigation, and specifically that we cannot solve or provide solutions for all the challenges of marine management and conservation in the high seas. Effective measures in offshore waters, and specifically in areas beyond national jurisdiction, are limited by logistic and political factors (Bohorquez et al, 2019). Nevertheless, the present work may be useful for the design of future dedicated campaigns, to efficiently construct a monitoring programme including both areas within the EEZs and in international waters and to support conservation and management efforts in the area.…”

China’s little-known efforts to protect its marine ecosystems safeguard some habitats but omit others

“…It can be logistically challenging and financially costly to protect ecosystems that are far from shore ( 36 ). As target areas for China’s industrial fishing activity ( 37 ), it could also be politically challenging.…”

Predicting Cetacean Distributions in the Eastern North Atlantic to Support Marine Management

“…Costeffective monitoring programmes, such as the CETUS Project, or programmes based on new technologies that allow remote monitoring (e.g., use of automated vehicles) may be the solution to guarantee the data collection. Ecological modelling approaches or other relatively cheap analysis (e.g., environmental DNA, photo-ID techniques) are potentially suitable methods to support long-term and efficient management and conservation of these remote areas (Bohorquez et al, 2019).…”