10 - INDICATORS – Constructing and validating indicators of the effectiveness of marine protected areas

Summary

Introduction

Marine protected area (MPA) effectiveness is also termed MPA management effectiveness to emphasize that it relates to how well the protected area is being managed, and primarily the extent to which it is protecting values and achieving the various goals and objectives for which it was created (IUCN--WCPA Guidelines: Hockings et al., 2006). Values include ecosystem services and functions, biodiversity, landscape and geomorphological features, as well as cultural, socio-economic, and research- and education-related aspects. Assessing MPA effectiveness has become a crucial issue as many MPAs are designed all over the world in response to international commitments regarding biodiversity conservation and resource management. Such strong commitments cannot be achieved through ineffective MPAs, either because they are poorly enforced (“paper parks”) or poorly designed. Pressure to evaluate management effectiveness is also increasing in a world where accountability and performance evaluation is more and more compelling.

While several previous chapters have focused on the assessment of MPA effects, I here consider the issues of assessment in the light of decision support for MPA management. Rather than assessing MPA effects, the focus is thus on assessing MPA effectiveness with respect to intended management objectives.