TY  - JOUR
TI  - Capacity shortfalls hinder the performance of marine protected areas globally
EP  - 669
AV  - public
Y1  - 2017/03/30/
KW  - Science & Technology
KW  -  Multidisciplinary Sciences
KW  -  Science & Technology - Other Topics
KW  -  Social-Ecological Systems
KW  -  Reserves
KW  -  Management
KW  -  Science
ID  - discovery1547305
N2  - Marine protected areas (MPAs) are increasingly being used globally to conserve marine resources. However, whether many MPAs are being effectively and equitably managed, and how MPA management influences substantive outcomes remain unknown. We developed a global database of management and fish population data (433 and 218 MPAs, respectively) to assess: MPA management processes; the effects of MPAs on fish populations; and relationships between management processes and ecological effects. Here we report that many MPAs failed to meet thresholds for effective and equitable management processes, with widespread shortfalls in staff and financial resources. Although 71% of MPAs positively influenced fish populations, these conservation impacts were highly variable. Staff and budget capacity were the strongest predictors of conservation impact: MPAs with adequate staff capacity had ecological effects 2.9 times greater than MPAs with inadequate capacity. Thus, continued global expansion of MPAs without adequate investment in human and financial capacity is likely to lead to sub-optimal conservation outcomes.
PB  - NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP
N1  - This version is the author accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher?s terms and conditions.
IS  - 7647
VL  - 543
SP  - 665
JF  - Nature
A1  - Gill, DA
A1  - Mascia, MB
A1  - Ahmadia, GN
A1  - Glew, L
A1  - Lester, SE
A1  - Barnes, M
A1  - Craigie, I
A1  - Darling, ES
A1  - Free, CM
A1  - Geldmann, J
A1  - Holst, S
A1  - Jensen, OP
A1  - White, AT
A1  - Basurto, X
A1  - Coad, L
A1  - Gates, RD
A1  - Guannel, G
A1  - Mumby, PJ
A1  - Thomas, H
A1  - Whitmee, S
A1  - Woodley, S
A1  - Fox, HE
SN  - 1476-4687
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nature21708
ER  -