Designing marine protected area networks to achieve fisheries, biodiversity and climate change objectives in tropical ecosystems - a Practitioner's Guide

It also gives a succinct, graphic and user-friendly synthesis of the best available scientific information for practitioners who may not have access to, or the time to review, the increasing amount of research literature regarding this issue.
 

While it has been developed in the context of the Coral Triangle countries, the 15 principles presented are general and can be applied to tropical marine ecosystems at any scale worldwide. 
 

MPAs are defined as any clearly-delineated, marine managed area that contributes to protection of natural resources in some manner. They include, but are not limited to, areas with a variety of regulations, including marine reserves (areas of ocean that are protected from extractive and destructive activities) and areas with fisheries restrictions upon gear, species, size and access. 
 

MPAs are most likely to achieve their objectives if they are applied as part of an ecosystem-based approach to management which considers the entire ecosystem (including humans) and aims to maintain healthy, productive and resilient ecosystems so they can provide the ecosystem services humans require.