Well designed and managed marine protected areas (MPA) could conserve biodiversity and improve nutritional security, benefitting the health and livelihoods of communities dependent on marine resources, a study published in One Earth said.
Researchers led by Daniel F Viana, World Wildlife Fund, quantitatively analysed the contribution of sustainable-use MPAs to global catch, revenue and nutrient supply. It was estimated that sustainable-use MPAs contributed an average of 13.6 per cent of global catch, 14 per cent of fisheries revenue and 13.7 per cent of nutrient supply.
Catches from sustainable-use MPAs represent an average of 7 per cent of total global catches within exclusive economic zones.
The relative contribution of sustainable-use MPAs to national catches is variable, with a median of 2.5 per cent and an average of 13.6 per cent. “For island countries such as Bonaire, Palau and Cook Island, catch from sustainable-use MPAs can represent more than 95 per cent of national catches,” the study said.
Sustainable-use MPAs typically impact nutrition through three primary channels: Alterations in fishery catches, shifts in tourism activities, and modifications in supplementary programs. Considering the serious global nutritional challenges, the study emphasized that the potential effects of MPAs on diets should be a crucial factor in discussions about MPA expansion.
The researchers performed a literature review to identify the major pathways through which sustainable-use MPAs, those that allow for fishing activities within their borders, affect human nutrition and health.
In 2022, the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework set the target to conserve 30 per cent of land, waters and seas, especially areas of particular importance for biodiversity and ecosystem functions and services.
There are about 18,888 MPAs worldwide, covering about 8.33 per cent of the ocean (30 million square kilometres).
Given the present global objectives for MPA expansion, it is crucial to recognise the possible impacts of MPA creation on the health and nutrition of coastal populations. Elements like MPA design, placement and management might either enhance or reduce seafood availability, thereby influencing the income and dietary habits of coastal communities.
Establishing MPAs in nutritionally vulnerable coastal communities could be an important move to improve human health and nutrition. By strategically situating sustainable-use MPAs in coastal communities that are nutritionally at risk, reliant on aquatic foods and significantly threatened by overfishing, their positive impact can be maximised through proper design and management.
Managers and policymakers, however, need to ensure that economic incentives and public policies are in place to mitigate potential health risks related to short-term reductions in nutrient supply that can occur with MPA implementation, the study cautioned.
An analysis published in the journal Conservation Letters May 2024 revealed that although the 100 largest MPAs include almost 90 per cent of the global MPA coverage, a quarter of that area is actually unimplemented, and a third of that area is incompatible with the conservation of nature due to the occurrence of highly destructive activities.