Marine Protected Areas, Coastal and Marine Management

Abstract

Sustainable Development Goal 14 of the United Nations aims to ‘conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development’. To achieve this goal, we must rebuild the marine life-support systems that provide society with the many advantages of a healthy ocean. Therefore, countries worldwide have been using Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) to restore, create, or protect habitats and ecosystems. Palau was one of the first countries to use MPAs as a tool to develop biodiversity within its exclusive economic zone. On 22 October 2015, Palau placed approximately 80% of its maritime territory in a network of locally monitored MPAs, which has now shown a population increase in stationary and migratory fish species. This movement towards a MPA was intentional and because of increased pressure from tourism and the increasing incursion of foreign fishing vessels in Palauan territorial waters. Since countries worldwide are using and looking towards MPAs, secondary protection projects are becoming more and more popular. This chapter highlights the practical implementations and results in Palau, how to theoretically apply this within the Greater North Sea in combination with Windmill Farms, and how the Marine Strategy Framework Directive stimulates these practices.

Citation

de Blok, C. and Page, R. (2024), "Marine Protected Areas, Coastal and Marine Management", Davies, S.J. and van der Heijden, P.R. (Ed.) Higher Education and SDG14: Life Below Water (Higher Education and the Sustainable Development Goals), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 113-132. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-83549-250-520241007