When is a Marine Protected Area really a Marine Protected Area
08 September 2012 | International news release Jeju Island,
Republic of Korea, 8 September 2012 (IUCN) – As concern
increases on the state of natural resources and the degradation
of the world’s oceans, it is critical to be clear on how
countries are progressing with conservation actions for the
environment. New guidance issued today on Marine Protected Areas
(MPAs) by IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature)
will significantly improve ocean protection efforts. Guidelines
for Applying the IUCN Protected Area Management Categories to
Marine Protected Areas aims to make clear what is most
significant and of highest priority in MPAs and will help
countries more accurately detail their successes. The new
guidelines will define MPAs—preventing the trend of fisheries
advisory bodies claiming that area mechanisms that exploit fish
are MPAs. Also, pipeline areas and wind farms will not be
considered MPAs unless they are set up following speci