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The selection and design of marine protected areas: Australia as a case study

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Recently there has been increased interest in the use of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) as tools for the conservation of marine habitats and species. This has resulted in the declaration of many MPAs around the world. Despite this activity there have been few tests of hypotheses about the design criteria for selection and management of these areas, resulting in a haphazard and ad hoc selection of protected areas, with conflicting and inconsistent terminology and objectives. The application of appropriately tested scientific information to the design of MPAs will increase the likelihood of success in the future.

To 1st January 1992, 267 MPAs had been declared in Australia, covering a total area of ca 400 019 km2. The history of their declaration has been sporadic and uneven. Conflicts over State and Federal legislation and, within states, conflicts over jurisdiction among agencies caused by overlapping responsibilities, have at times slowed the declaration of MPAs. In this paper, the history of MPAs in Australia is used as a case study to discuss the problems, both biological and administrative, of declaring MPAs.

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  1. Graduate School of the Environment, Macquarie University, 2109, NSW, Australia

    S. E. McNeill

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McNeill, S.E. The selection and design of marine protected areas: Australia as a case study. Biodivers Conserv 3, 586–605 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00114203

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