During the past 20 years, management efforts have increased to protect the ocean and to sustain its living marine resources, recreational opportunities, and cultural and historical resources. Now that many MMAs have been in place for several years, it is essential to assess their progress toward management objectives and conservation outcomes: Are MMAs working? How do we achieve successful MMAs?

RESEARCH


SCIENCE-TO-ACTION

  • Belize
    In February 2010, 35 stakeholders and scientists met to discuss key messages from the 8 MMAS studies conducted in Belize to date. As next steps, the participants are developing a paper to Cabinet urging them to approve enhanced mangrove regulations, and they are engaging with the Belize Tourism Board to develop codes of conduct for tourists to prevent damage to coral reefs and fish spawning sites.
  • Brazil
    Our scientists discovered extensive areas of coral reefs with tremendous biodiversity offshore at Abrolhos Bank, and demonstrated key ecological connections between these areas and coastal habitats. Scientific discoveries such as this contributed to the Ministry of Environment accelerating the creation of Cassurubá Extractive Reserve (100,000 ha), protecting mangroves as nursery sites for many fish species.
  • Eastern Tropical Pacific Seascape (ETPS)
    Based in part on MMAS-supported research in Coiba National Park, a partnership of scientists, fishermen, conservation organizations, and park managers agreed to pursue new fisheries regulations to ensure long-term sustainable use of targeted economically valuable species.
  • Global
    We released the first global compilation of the economic values of reefs, mangroves, and seagrasses, and the first global assessment of socioeconomic conditions of the tropical coasts. These publications have already been used by World Bank staff, Asian Development Bank staff, and a U.S. Congresswoman to demonstrate the importance of increasing conservation efforts for coral reefs.