eprintid: 1547305 rev_number: 34 eprint_status: archive userid: 608 dir: disk0/01/54/73/05 datestamp: 2017-04-03 01:30:05 lastmod: 2021-09-20 00:29:05 status_changed: 2017-07-03 14:07:01 type: article metadata_visibility: show creators_name: Gill, DA creators_name: Mascia, MB creators_name: Ahmadia, GN creators_name: Glew, L creators_name: Lester, SE creators_name: Barnes, M creators_name: Craigie, I creators_name: Darling, ES creators_name: Free, CM creators_name: Geldmann, J creators_name: Holst, S creators_name: Jensen, OP creators_name: White, AT creators_name: Basurto, X creators_name: Coad, L creators_name: Gates, RD creators_name: Guannel, G creators_name: Mumby, PJ creators_name: Thomas, H creators_name: Whitmee, S creators_name: Woodley, S creators_name: Fox, HE title: Capacity shortfalls hinder the performance of marine protected areas globally ispublished: pub divisions: UCL divisions: B02 divisions: C08 keywords: Science & Technology, Multidisciplinary Sciences, Science & Technology - Other Topics, Social-Ecological Systems, Reserves, Management, Science note: This version is the author accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher’s terms and conditions. abstract: 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. date: 2017-03-30 date_type: published publisher: NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP official_url: http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nature21708 oa_status: green full_text_type: other language: eng primo: open primo_central: open_green article_type_text: Article verified: verified_manual elements_id: 1280427 doi: 10.1038/nature21708 lyricists_name: Whitmee, Sarah lyricists_id: SWHIT42 full_text_status: public publication: Nature volume: 543 number: 7647 pagerange: 665-669 pages: 16 issn: 1476-4687 citation: Gill, DA; Mascia, MB; Ahmadia, GN; Glew, L; Lester, SE; Barnes, M; Craigie, I; ... Fox, HE; + view all <#> Gill, DA; Mascia, MB; Ahmadia, GN; Glew, L; Lester, SE; Barnes, M; Craigie, I; Darling, ES; Free, CM; Geldmann, J; Holst, S; Jensen, OP; White, AT; Basurto, X; Coad, L; Gates, RD; Guannel, G; Mumby, PJ; Thomas, H; Whitmee, S; Woodley, S; Fox, HE; - view fewer <#> (2017) Capacity shortfalls hinder the performance of marine protected areas globally. Nature , 543 (7647) pp. 665-669. 10.1038/nature21708 <https://doi.org/10.1038/nature21708>. Green open access document_url: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/1547305/7/Whitmee_Gill%20et%20al%20MPAglobalanalysis%20Nature%20manuscript%2014Jan17.pdf document_url: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/1547305/1/Whitmee_Gill%20et%20al%20MPAglobalanalysis%20Nautre%20supplemental%2014Jan17.pdf