Marine Protected Areas

What are Marine Protected Areas?

A marine protected area is essentially a space in the ocean where human activities are more strictly regulated than the surrounding waters - similar to parks we have on land. There are many formal definitions of marine protected areas, but the most broadly used definition is the IUCN definition:

"A clearly defined geographical space, recognized, dedicated and managed, through legal or other effective means, to achieve the long-term conservation of nature with associated ecosystem services and cultural values".

There are many different types of MPAs. For further information, click here.