To maximize food security benefits from Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), research suggests that protecting at least 30% of the ocean is crucial. This target aligns with global conservation goals and has been shown to enhance both marine biodiversity and fisheries productivity.
Key Findings on MPA Coverage for Food Security:
- Optimal Protection Level: Studies indicate that strategically protecting an additional 5% of the ocean, beyond current MPAs, could yield significant increases in fish catch—estimated at 20% more than without additional protection. This would translate to an additional 9 to 12 million metric tons of seafood annually, primarily through spillover effects from protected areas into adjacent fishing grounds [1].
- Comprehensive Conservation Goals: A broader approach advocating for the protection of 30% of the ocean has been proposed to safeguard marine biodiversity while maintaining access to fishing grounds that provide a substantial portion of global catch. This strategy aims to protect 89% of threatened species and ensure sustainable fishing practices [2][3].
- Sustainable Fisheries Management: Protecting significant portions of the ocean helps rebuild fish stocks, which directly supports food security by ensuring a stable supply of seafood for communities reliant on fishing. MPAs can help mitigate overfishing and promote healthier ecosystems, leading to long-term benefits for fisheries [5][6].
- Global Momentum: There is increasing international support for the goal of protecting 30% of the ocean by 2030 as part of broader environmental and sustainability initiatives. Achieving this target is seen as essential not only for ecological health but also for sustaining food systems that depend on marine resources [4].
In summary, while immediate benefits can be realized by protecting an additional 5% of the ocean, a more ambitious goal of 30% protection is recommended to ensure long-term food security, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable fisheries management.
Sources
[1] A global network of marine protected areas for food – PMC https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7668080/
[2] Safeguarding Seafood Security, Marine Biodiversity and Threatened … https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/marine-science/articles/10.3389/fmars.2022.826587/full
[3] Conserving 30 Percent of the Ocean by 2030 https://www.pgaction.org/hre/oceans/marine-protected-areas.html
[4] Protecting at least 30% of the ocean by 2030 (MPA 2030) https://oceandecade.org/actions/protecting-at-least-30-of-the-ocean-by-2030-mpa-2030/
[5] How better ocean management can promote food security https://www.wcel.org/blog/how-better-ocean-management-can-promote-food-security
[6] Sustainable-use marine protected areas to improve human nutrition https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-49830-9
[7] Marine protected areas safeguard more than ecology – they bring economic benefits to fisheries and tourism – Greenpeace Aotearoa https://www.greenpeace.org/aotearoa/story/marine-protected-areas-safeguard-more-than-ecology-they-bring-economic-benefits-to-fisheries-and-tourism/
[8] 5 Benefits of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) https://pacificwild.org/5-benefits-of-mpas/
