Priorities for Marine Protected Areas

The first teleconference on MPAs

The first of two teleconferences on MPAs under T-PAGE was held on 13 June 2007. This meeting brought together a core group of representatives from environmental civil society.

Participants at the teleconference discussed different approaches to MPAs including differences in institutional arrangements and public support in the US and EU. Participants identified challenges faced on both sides of the Atlantic, namely problems with the lack of political support for MPAs; confusion over terminology; resistance by various stakeholders for designation of MPAs especially for fisheries; and governance issues relating to MPAs (ie. who should be involved in the establishment, management etc of MPAs).

Participants at the teleconference identified certain areas for further research and discussion during the project, these included:

• High Seas MPAs - including current political support for them and what is required for their establishment
• MPAs and their role in the implementation of the ecosystem-based approach to fisheries management
• Development of an MPA community strategy - to identify successes (and mistakes) and how these could be duplicated or transferred in other countries. This would enable the establishment of regional and international networks
• How to communicate and market successes for different audiences - to ensure long term cooperation and bring MPAs more into the pub

Download the full summary of conclusions: Scoping Priorities on Marine Protected Areas - Outcomes of First Teleconference on MPAs

The second teleconference on MPAs

The second teleconference on MPAs under T-PAGE was held on 22 January 2008. This meeting brought together a core group of representatives from EU and US environmental civil society.

Participants at this teleconference reviewed a series of European and US case studies which explored the design, management and enforcement of specific MPAs and networks on both sides of the Atlantic. This discussion allowed participants to share their practical knowledge, and improve their understanding of the reasons for success or failure in MPA designation and management in the EU and US, how they compare and contrast and where there is potential for learning from each other.

The case studies reviewed during discussions were:

• The designation of marine protected areas in Belgium: From government to governance?
• Establishing large-scale trans-boundaries MPA networks: the OSPAR example in North-East Atlantic
• MedPAN - The network of managers of marine protected areas in the Mediterranean Sea
• California's Channel Islands - Establishing Marine Protected Areas Networks
• Florida Keys - Establishing Marine Protected Areas

Participants also discussed the upcoming high level conference on MPAs which will be held in Brussels on 15 to 16 May 2008: view more information about the conference.

Download the full summary of discussions at the meeting: Marine Protected Areas: EU and US Experiences - Outcomes of Second Teleconference on MPAs.