1. NOAA-NOS International Programs Office
Measuring MPA Effectiveness
Challenges & Approaches
CHARLES EHLER
WCPA-Marine &
NOAA-NOS International Programs Office

2. Global Recommendation
2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD)
“…establish MPAs consistent with international law and based on scientific information, including representative networks, by 2012”

3. Challenge for the MPA Community
Managing MPAs Effectively over time
Incorporating evaluation into diverse MPAs
Balancing needs at the site, national, regional and global levels
The challenge of establishing a representative system of
marine protected areas

4. Diversity of MPAs Protecting marine species and habitats
Conserving marine biodiversity
Restoring fisheries stocks
Managing tourism activities
Minimizing conflicts among diverse
resource users

5. Measuring MPA Effectiveness
Outputs
Inputs
Outcomes

6. What can we do?
Develop the mechanisms to evaluate MPA performance in achieving goals and objectives
Use the evaluation results to ensure adaptive management

7. Adaptive management for MPAs
Define specific and measurable objectives
Develop well-defined management plans
Identify indicators specific to MPAs and the marine environment
Monitor impact of management actions
Feed results back into the planning process to revise objectives and for adaptive management

8. An MPA Evaluation System must:
Promote and enable an adaptive approach to management where managers learn from their own and other’s successes and failures
Keep track of the consequent changes in management objectives and practices so that people can understand how and why management is being undertaken in this way