Page 61 - Navy Journal 219
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Taking the Stake ...
Marine protected areas' boundaries always include some area of ocean; even it is
only a small fraction of the total area of the territory. MPA are the enclosed areas
where human activities kept under some restrictions for greater interest of
conserving natural environment, its associated waters, the inhabitant ecosystems,
biodiversity and any cultural or historical resources that would necessitate
preservation or management (IUCN, 2015).
Forms of MPA or Level of Protection in MPA
Traditionally, marine ecosystems and biodiversity are protected by local,
national, regional and international authorities and may differ substantially from
nation to nation. So, there are many forms of MPAs basing on the nature of
activities that are allowed within the boundaries of the protected areas. Different
levels of protection found within MPAs are listed below:
According to Use:
No Access: These are the very rare MPAs where any sort of access is prohibited.
These may only be used for research purposes.
No Impact: MPAs that allow access to the area but do not permit any extraction,
installations, disposal of pollutants and disruption to the environment. These
MPAs are also used for research purpose only.
No-Take: People can access into the MPA but cannot extract or destroy anything
in the area. These are also known as marine reserves. Papahanuamokuakea
Marine National Monument of USA near Hawaii is such an example. As on
October 2018, 2.25% MPAs of the world are ‘No Take’.
Multiple Use: The MPAs permit extractive uses (like fishing) with some
restrictions.
According to How Long:
Permanent: Protection continues unless terminated by legislation.
Conditional: May continue into the future, however, may only be terminated
upon achieving its objectives.
Temporary: Terminated after a predetermined time frame to achieve a
conservation goals.
According to the Period in a Year:
Year-Round: Protection remains throughout the year.
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