List of marine protected areas

Marine protected areas of the world

A marine protected area (MPA) is a protected area that includes primarily marine environment and biodiversity.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) defines a protected area as:

"A clearly defined geographical space, recognised, dedicated and managed, through legal or other effective means, to achieve the long-term conservation of nature with associated ecosystem services and cultural values."[1][2]

This definition is intended to make it more difficult to claim MPA status for regions where exploitation of marine resources occurs. If there is no defined long-term goal for conservation and ecological recovery and extraction of marine resources occurs, a region is not a marine protected area.[2]

As of June 2019 there are 14,830 marine protected areas with a total area of 27,495,595 km2 (10,616,109 sq mi) representing 7.59% of the ocean.[3]

Africa

Mozambique

  • Bazaruto National Park – Marine and terrestrial protected area in the Bazaruto Archipelago in MozambiquePages displaying short descriptions of redirect targets, 1971, 1,600 km2 (620 sq mi)[4]

South Africa

The listed MPAs were individually proclaimed. Some were later consolidated with adjacent MPAs and may not still be generally referred to by the original name.

Antarctica

  • Ross Sea Region Marine Protected Area, 2,060,058 km2 (795,393 sq mi)[7]

Asia

Thailand

Australia

  • Coral Sea Marine Park – Marine protected areas managed by the Australian government, (2012), 995,251 km2 (384,269 sq mi)[7]
  • Great Barrier Reef Marine Park – protected area of Queensland, AustraliaPages displaying wikidata descriptions as a fallback
  • Heard Island and McDonald Islands Marine Reserve – Marine protected areas managed by the Australian government, 71,200 km2 (27,500 sq mi)
  • North Network – Marine protected areas managed by the Australian government
  • North-west Network – Marine protected areas managed by the Australian government
    • Argo-Rowley Terrace Marine Park – Australian marine park north-west of Broome, Western Australia, (2018), 146,003 km2 (56,372 sq mi), IUCN category VI
    • Ashmore Reef Marine Park – Protected marine park in Australia, (1983), 146,003 km2 (56,372 sq mi), IUCN category Ia.
    • Carnarvon Marine Park – Australian marine park in the North-West Network, Western Australia
    • Cartier Island Marine Park – Protected marine park in Australia (2000) 172 km2 (66 sq mi), IUCN category Ia
    • Dampier Marine Park – Australian marine park north-east of Karratha, Western Australia, (2018), 1,252 m2 (13,480 sq ft), IUCN category VI
    • Eighty Mile Beach Marine Park – Australian marine park in the North-west Marine Parks network
    • Gascoyne Marine Park – Australian marine park west of the Cape Range Peninsula, Western Australia, (2018), 81,766 km2 (31,570 sq mi), IUCN category IV
    • Kimberley Marine Park – Australian marine park offshore of Western Australia, near the Kimberley region, (2018), 74,469 km2 (28,753 sq mi), IUCN category VI
    • Mermaid Reef Marine Park – Australian marine park in the Rowley Shoals north-west of Broome, Western Australia, (1991), 540 km2 (210 sq mi), IUCN category II
    • Montebello Marine Park – Australian marine park in the North-west Marine Parks network
    • Ningaloo Marine Park (Commonwealth waters) – Australian marine park west of the Ningaloo Coast of Western Australia, (1987), 2,435 km2 (940 sq mi), IUCN category IV
    • Roebuck Marine Park – Australian marine park in the North-west Marine Parks network
    • Shark Bay Marine Park – Marine protected area in Western Australia
  • Temperate East Network – Marine protected areas managed by the Australian government
    • Central Eastern Marine Park – Australian marine park offshore from the edge of the continental shelf off New South Wales, (2018), 70,054 km2 (27,048 sq mi), IUCN category IV
    • Cod Grounds Marine Park – Australian marine park off Laurieton, New South Wales, (2007), 4 km2 (1.5 sq mi), UCN category II
    • Gifford Marine Park – Australian marine protection areaPages displaying wikidata descriptions as a fallback
    • Hunter Marine Park – Australian marine park in the Temperate East Marine Parks network
    • Jervis Marine Park – Australian marine park in the Temperate East Marine Parks network
    • Lord Howe Marine Park – Australian marine park offshore of New South Wales, near Lord Howe Island, (2018), 110,126 km2 (42,520 sq mi),IUCN category IV
    • Norfolk Marine Park – Australian marine park offshore of Norfolk Island, (2018), 188,444 km2 (72,759 sq mi), IUCN category IV
    • Solitary Islands Marine Park – Marine protected area in New South Wales, Australia
  • South-east Network – Marine protected areas managed by the Australian government
  • South-west Network – Marine protected areas managed by the Australian government
    • Abrolhos Marine Park – Australian marine park in the South-west Marine Parks network
    • Bremer Marine Park – Marine protected area off Western Australia, (2013), 4,472 km2 (1,727 sq mi), IUCN category VI
    • Eastern Recherche Marine Park – Marine protected area off Western Australia
    • Geographe Marine Park – Australian marine park in the South-west Marine Parks network
    • Great Australian Bight Marine Park – Marine protected area in the Great Australian Bight off South Australia, (2012), 45,926 km2 (17,732 sq mi), IUCN category VI
    • Jurien Marine Park – Australian marine park in the South-west Marine Parks network
    • Murat Marine Park – protected area in AustraliaPages displaying wikidata descriptions as a fallback, (2012), 937.77 km2 (362.08 sq mi), IUCN category II
    • Perth Canyon Marine Park – Australian marine park in the South-west Marine Parks network
    • South-west Corner Marine Park – Marine protected area off Western Australia, (2013), 271,833 km2 (104,955 sq mi), IUCN category VI
    • Southern Kangaroo Island Marine Park – Marine protected area south of Kangaroo Island in South Australia, (2012), 629.93 km2 (243.22 sq mi), IUCN category VI
    • Twilight Marine Park – Australian marine park in the South-west Marine Parks network
    • Two Rocks Marine Park – Australian marine park in the South-west Marine Parks network
    • Western Eyre Marine Park – Marine protected area in the Great Australian Bight, off South Australia, (2012), 57,946 km2 (22,373 sq mi), IUCN category VI
    • Western Kangaroo Island Marine Park – Marine protected area south-west of Kangaroo Island in Australia, (2012), 2,335.31 km2 (901.67 sq mi), IUCN category VI

Europe

Finland

  • Metsäkuohu, (2018), 0.08 km2 (0.031 sq mi)[21]
  • Tervapesä, (2018), 0.07 km2 (0.027 sq mi)[21]

Sweden

  • Småbodarna, (2018), 0.11 km2 (0.042 sq mi)[21]
  • Långstrandberget, (2018), 0.74 km2 (0.29 sq mi)[21]
  • Björkbergsbacken, (2018), 0.14 km2 (0.054 sq mi)[21]
  • Höksberget, (2018), 0.56 km2 (0.22 sq mi)[21]

United Kingdom

  • Port Erin Bay MNR, Isle of Man, (2018), 4.34 km2 (1.68 sq mi)[21]

UK Overseas Territories[22]

North America

Canada

United States

Oceania

Cook Islands

  • Marae Moana – Marine protected area in the Cook Islands, (2017), 1,981,965 km2 (765,241 sq mi),[7] IUCN Category VI.[25]

New Zealand

  • Poor Knights Islands – Group of islands and marine reserve off the east coast of New Zealand's North Island, 1981, 19.22 km2 (7.42 sq mi), IUCN Category Ia.[26]
  • Cape Rodney-Okakari Point, 1975, 5.56 km2 (2.15 sq mi), IUCN Category Ia.[27]
  • Moutere Hauriri / Bounty Islands, 2014, 1,046.33 km2 (403.99 sq mi), IUCN Category Ia.[28]
  • Moutere Mahue / Antipodes Island, 2014, 2,173.1 km2 (839.0 sq mi), IUCN Category Ia.[29]
  • Tawharanui – peninsula and wildlife refuge in New ZealandPages displaying wikidata descriptions as a fallback, 2011, 3.94 km2 (1.52 sq mi), IUCN Category Ia.[30]
  • Tuhua (Mayor Island), 1992, 10.55 km2 (4.07 sq mi), IUCN Category Ia.[31]

South America

Chile

  • Islas Diego Ramírez y Paso Drake, (2019), 1,443.91 km2 (557.50 sq mi)[21]
  • Humedales Costeros de la Bahía Tongoy, (2018), 2.59 km2 (1.00 sq mi)[21]

Ecuador

  • Galápagos Islands – Ecuadorean archipelago and protected area, 1998, 126,972.09 km2 (49,024.20 sq mi)[32]

Grenada

  • Grande Anse, (2018), 17.83 km2 (6.88 sq mi)[21]

Areas beyond national jurisdiction

  • Charlie-Gibbs North High Seas MPA, 2012, 178,651.0 km2 (68,977.5 sq mi)[33]
  • MAR North of the Azores High Seas MPA, 2010, 93,572.46 km2 (36,128.53 sq mi)[34]

To be integrated

  • Réserve Naturelle Nationale des Terres australes françaises, (2017) 1,654,999 km2 (638,999 sq mi)[7]
  • Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument – Protected region of ocean and islands, (2006), 1,516,557 km2 (585,546 sq mi)[7]
  • Parc Naturel de la Mer de Corail, (2014), 1,291,643 km2 (498,706 sq mi)[7]
  • Pacific Remote Islands, (2009) 1,277,784 km2 (493,355 sq mi)[7]
  • South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands Marine Protected Area, (2012), 1,069,872 km2 (413,080 sq mi)[7]
  • Pitcairn Islands Marine Reserve, (2016), 839,568 km2 (324,159 sq mi)[7]

References

  1. ^ "Towards Networks of Marine Protected Areas - The MPA Plan of Action for IUCN's World Commission on Protected Areas" (PDF). IUCN. 2008-11-04. Archived from the original on 2012-10-08. Retrieved 2012-06-07.
  2. ^ a b "When is a Marine Protected Area really a Marine Protected Area". International Union for Conservation of Nature. 8 September 2012. Retrieved 29 May 2019.
  3. ^ "Protected areas coverage in 2019". www.protectedplanet.net. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  4. ^ "Bazaruto in Mozambique". www.protectedplanet.net. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t "Meet South Africa's new Marine Protected Areas". www.marineprotectedareas.org.za. Retrieved 18 January 2019.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x "Declarations". Pretoria: Government Printer. Retrieved 18 January 2019 – via Centre for Environmental rights.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Size distribution of marine protected areas". www.protectedplanet.net. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
  8. ^ "Ao Phanganga in Thailand". www.protectedplanet.net. Retrieved 6 June 2019.
  9. ^ "Had Chao Mai in Thailand". www.protectedplanet.net. Retrieved 6 June 2019.
  10. ^ "Had Noparatthara - Mu Koh Phi Phi in Thailand". www.protectedplanet.net. Retrieved 6 June 2019.
  11. ^ "Khao Laem Ya - Mu Koh Samed in Thailand". www.protectedplanet.net. Retrieved 6 June 2019.
  12. ^ "Khao Sam Roi Yot in Thailand". www.protectedplanet.net. Retrieved 6 June 2019.
  13. ^ "Lam Son in Thailand". www.protectedplanet.net. Retrieved 6 June 2019.
  14. ^ "Mu Ko Ang Thong in Thailand". www.protectedplanet.net. Retrieved 6 June 2019.
  15. ^ "Mu Ko Chang in Thailand". www.protectedplanet.net. Retrieved 6 June 2019.
  16. ^ "Mu Ko Lanta in Thailand". www.protectedplanet.net. Retrieved 6 June 2019.
  17. ^ "Mu Ko Preta in Thailand". www.protectedplanet.net. Retrieved 6 June 2019.
  18. ^ "Ao Phangnga - Mu Koh Surin - Mu Koh Similan in Thailand". www.protectedplanet.net. Retrieved 6 June 2019.
  19. ^ "Mu Ko Surin in Thailand". www.protectedplanet.net. Retrieved 6 June 2019.
  20. ^ "Tarutao in Thailand". www.protectedplanet.net. Retrieved 6 June 2019.
  21. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Most recent designations". www.protectedplanet.net. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
  22. ^ "The Blue Belt programme". GOV.UK. Retrieved 2020-11-25.
  23. ^ Grundy, Richard. "Tristan's Marine Protection Zone Announced". www.tristandc.com. Retrieved 2020-11-25.
  24. ^ "Pacific Remote Islands in United States Minor Outlying Islands". www.protectedplanet.net. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  25. ^ "Cook Islands Marine Park in Cook Islands". www.protectedplanet.net. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  26. ^ "Poor Knights Islands in New Zealand". www.protectedplanet.net. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  27. ^ "Cape Rodney-Okakari Point in New Zealand". www.protectedplanet.net. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  28. ^ "Moutere Hauriri / Bounty Islands in New Zealand". www.protectedplanet.net. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  29. ^ "Moutere Mahue / Antipodes Island in New Zealand". www.protectedplanet.net. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  30. ^ "Tawharanui in New Zealand". www.protectedplanet.net. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  31. ^ "Tuhua (Mayor Island) in New Zealand". www.protectedplanet.net. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  32. ^ "Galápagos in Ecuador". www.protectedplanet.net. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  33. ^ "Charlie-Gibbs North High Seas MPA in Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction". www.protectedplanet.net. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  34. ^ "MAR North of the Azores High Seas MPA in Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction". www.protectedplanet.net. Retrieved 4 June 2019.