T-PAGE

Conference on Marine Protected Areas

The conclusions from the T-PAGE dialogue on Marine Protected Areas were presented at a conference in Brussels on 15 - 16 May 2008. The conference brought together representatives of civil society organisations from the EU and US to exchange views and experiences relating to the establishment, management and monitoring of marine protected areas (MPAs) and to discuss outstanding issues and common strategies to build support for further implementation of MPAs.

Participants at the conference represented a range of environmental non-governmental organisations (NGOs), environmental advisory councils, academic and other research institutions as well as the fishing industry and independent experts working on different aspects of MPAs implementation. Some representatives of public authorities at the Federal and State level in the US and at the local, national and EU level in Europe also attended the conference and contributed to the debate as keynote speakers and experts.

Following two days of discussion and debate, participants agreed that despite legal obligations to implement MPAs, the actual degree of implementation remains an ongoing challenge. Regarding the issue of building support for the establishment of networks of MPAs, experiences on both sides of the Atlantic have shown that it is difficult to prescribe a single best approach as both top-down and bottom-up approaches have proven successful in different circumstances. Participants agreed that the lack of science was delaying further implementation of MPAs and advocated the use of the precautionary approach in decisions on MPA designation and implementation. Participants highlighted the importance of monitoring and evaluation and monitoring and enforcement. Regarding high seas MPAs, participants agreed there is a need for more comprehensive management of areas beyond national jurisdiction to protect high seas resources, vulnerable species and habitats.

For further details on the discussions at the conference please see the summary document

Download: Programme for the T-PAGE Conference on Marine Protected Areas

Presentations from the conference