Abstract
The notion of creating marine protected areas (MPAs) in the high seas has been hailed as “an idea whose time has come”, and advocates are calling for them to be part of a global representative system to be established by 2012. It is argued in this paper that embedding the high seas MPA concept in the macro-goal of a global representative system subsumes more pragmatic and politically acceptable “micro-actions”. Development of politically contentious policy proposals such as high seas MPAs may have a better chance of success if they proceed by increments and are negotiated outside the limelight of a full scale, temporally defined global project. The following paper critically analyses the salience of international environmental agreements in the context of high seas MPAs and suggests a prototype MPA established by means of a negotiated agreement between a small number of countries which share political will and technological capacity to make a difference. Modelled on the recently implemented Titanic Accord, the prototypical high seas MPA would allow parties to develop a collaborative, rules-based regime which could be used to manage the actions of citizens involved in activities that may have a negative impact on the specified area.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Agardy, T., Bridgewater, R., Crosby, M.P., Day, J., Dayton, P.K., Kenchington, R., Laffoley, D., McConney, P., Murray, P.A., Parks, J.E., and Peau, L.: 2003, ‘Dangerous Targets? Unresolved Issues and Ideological Clashes Around Marine Protected Areas,’ Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems 13, 353–367.
Baker, C.M., Bett, B.J., Billett, D.S.M., and Rogers, A.D.: 2001, ‘An Environmental Perspective,’ in IUCN/WWF (eds), The Status of Resources on the High Seas, WWF/IUCN, Gland, Switzerland, pp. 1–68.
Butler, A.J., Koslow, J.A., Snelgrove, P.V.R., and Juniper, S.K.: 2001. A Review of the Biodiversity of the Deep Sea, Environment Australia, Canberra, pp. 1–52.
Brunner, R.D. and Clark, T.W.: 1997, ‘A Practice-Based Approach to Ecosystem Management,’ Conservation Biology 11, 48–95.
Cicin-Sain, B., Bernal, P.A., Vandeweerd, V., Balgos, M.C., and Barbière, J.: 2004, ‘Mobilising for Implementation of the Commitments made at the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development on Oceans, Coasts, and Small Island Developing States’. Co-Chairs Report of 2003 Global Conference on Oceans, Coasts and Islands, UNESCO, Paris, and Subsequent Developments.
Corliss, J.B., Dymong, J., Gordon, L.I., Edmond, J.M., von Herzen, R.P., Ballard, R.P., Green, K., Williams, D., Bainbridge, A., Crane, K., and Andel, T.H.: 1979, ‘Submarine Thermal Springs on the Galapagos Ridge,’ Science 238, 1073–1083.
Convention on Biological Diversity: ‘Ad Hoc Open-ended Working Group on Protected Areas: 2005, Options for Cooperation for the Establishment of Marine Protected Areas in Marine Areas Beyond the Limits of National Jurisdiction.’ Provisional agenda. UNEP/CBD/WG-PA/1/2, pp. 1–26.
Gjerde, K.M. and Breide, C.: 2003, Towards a Strategy for High Seas Marine Protected Areas: Proceedings of the IUCN, WCPA and WWF Experts Workshop on High Seas Marine Protected Areas, Malaga, Spain. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland.
Haas, P.: 1989, ‘Do Regimes Matter? Epistemic Communities and Mediterranean Pollution Control,’ International Organization 43, 377–403.
Hinds, L.: 2003, ‘Oceans Governance and the Implementation Gap,’ Marine Policy 27, 349–356.
IUCN: 2003a, ‘Recommendation 22: Building a Global System of Marine and Coastal ProtectedArea Networks.’ World Parks Congress, Durban, South Africa, Available online: <http://www.iucn.org/themes/wcpa/wpc2003/pdfs/outputs/recommendations/approved/english/html/r22.htm> Date of access: 23 June 2005.
IUCN: 2003b, Resolutions and Recommendations, World Conservation Congress, Bangkok 17–25 Nov. 2004. Available online: <www.iucn.org/congress/member.WCC_Res_Recs_ENGLISH.pdf> Date of access: 17 June 2005.
Johnston, D.M. and VanderZwaag, D.L.: 2000, ‘The Ocean and Environmental Law: Swimming, Sinking, and Treading Water at the Millennium,’ Ocean and Coastal Management 43, 141–161.
Johnston, D.M.: 2002, The Challenge of International Ocean Governance: Institutional, Ethical and Conceptual Dilemmas, Australia Canada Ocean Resource Network (ACORN) II, Canberra.
Johnston, D.M.: 2003a, ‘The Future of the Arctic Ocean: Competing Domains of International Public Policy,’ Ocean Yearbook 17, 596–624.
Johnston, D.M.: 2003b, ‘RUNCLOS: The Case for and against Revision of the Law of the Sea Convention,’ Hogaku Shimpo (The Chou Law Review) 59, 135–159.
Johnston, C.M.: 2004, ‘Scoping Study: Protection of Vulnerable High Seas and Deep Oceans Biodiversity and Associated Oceans Governance.’ Joint Nature Conservation Committee, Peterborough, UK, pp. 1–56.
Lasswell, H.D. and Kaplan, A.:1950, Power and Society: A Framework for Social and Political Inquiry Yale University Press, New Haven, in Brunner, R.D. and Clark, T.W., 1997, ‘A Practice-Based Approach to Ecosystem Management,’ Conservation Biology 11, 48–95.
Lasswell, H.D.: 1963, The Future of Political Science, Atherton Press, New York, pp. 95–123, in Brunner, R.D. and Clark, T.W.: 1997, ‘A Practice-Based Approach to Ecosystem Management,’ Conservation Biology 11, 48–95.
Roff, J.C. and Evans, S.M.J.: 2002, ‘Frameworks for Marine Conservation—Non-Hierarchical Approaches and Distinctive Habitats,’ Marine Policy 12, 635–648.
Thiel, H. and Koslow, J.A.: 2001, ‘Managing Risks to Biodiversity and the Environment on the High Sea, Including Tools Such as Marine Protected Areas—Scientific Requirements and Legal Aspects,’ in Proceedings of the Expert Workshop held at the International Academy for Nature Conservation, Isle of Vilm, Germany, pp. 1–211.
US Department of State: 2004, ‘Agreement Concerning the Shipwrecked Vessel RMS Titanic.’ Washington DC. Available online: <http://www.state.gov/g/oes/rls/or/2004/33709pf.htm> Date of access: 27 October 2004.
Wapner, P.: 2003, ‘World Summit on Sustainable Development: Toward a Post-Jo’burg Environmentalism,’ Global Environmental Politics 3, 1–10.
WWF: 2005, ‘Proforma for Compiling the Characteristics of a Potential MPA.’ Available online: <www.ngo.grida.no/wwfneap/Publications/Submissions/OSPAR2005/Rainbow_Proposal_WWF_4May05.pdf> Date of access: 20 May 2005.
WWF, IUCN, and WCPA: 2005, ‘High Seas: Ocean Territory Under Threat.’ Available online: http://www.panda.org/downloads/marine/bro2005b.pdf Date of access: 19 June 2005.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Hislop, C. High seas marine protected area policy development: Macro-goals or micro-actions?. Environmentalist 27, 119–129 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10669-007-9016-9
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10669-007-9016-9