National and Regional Progress Towards Establishing Marine Protected Areas

National Overviews of Marine Protected Areas
Many countries around the world have established marine protected areas.

Regional Progress
The Marine Protected Area network is still in its infancy. As of October 2010, the data gathered by the WDPA indicated there were approximately 6,800 MPAs around the world, which embodies 1.17% of global ocean area. The same data also assessed Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) – edge of territorial seas to 200 nautical miles out - and found 2.86% of these zones to be protected. Territorial seas – out to 12 nautical miles from a state’s coast – are more highly protected, with 6.3% of these protected. Marine protected areas is often perceived as a relative term. Most pointedly the term protected, what the area is protected against is oftentimes not specified. Many of the marine protected areas prohibit the use of harmful fishing techniques yet only 0.01% of the ocean's area is designated as a "No Take Zone". This statistic is deemed as unacceptable with the projected goal lying at 20%-30% of the world's marine environment being designated as a no take area. Several institutions at the local, community, federal, and national levels have taken steps in the implementation of no take area policy in hopes that the 20-30% goal can be reached. The following data gives a regional representation of international status on Marine Protected Areas.

Greater Caribbean
The Caribbean region; the UNEP–defined region also includes the Gulf of Mexico. This region is encompassed by the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System proposal, and the Caribbean challenge]] The Greater Caribbean subdivision encompasses an area of about 5700000 km2 of ocean and 38 very diverse nations. The area includes island countries like the Bahamas and Cuba, and the majority of Central America. The Convention for Protection and Development of the Marine Environment of the Wider Caribbean Region (better known as the Cartagena Convention) was established in 1983, and protocols involving protected areas were ratified in 1990. As of 2008, there are about 500 MPAs in the region. Coral reefs are the best represented.

Two networks are under development, the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System (a long barrier reef that borders the coast of much of Central America), and the "Islands in the Stream" program (covering the Gulf of Mexico).

Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia is a global epicenter for marine diversity but 12% of coral reefs are in MPAs whereas the rest or at risk of disappearing. The Philippines and Indonesia are two of the major places within Southeast Asia that have Marine Protected Areas. The Philippines have some the world’s best coral reefs and they need them for tourism which is why some of the country is a MPA. Most of the Philippines’ MPAs are established to secure protection for the coral reefs and the sea grass systems. Indonesia has MPAs that are used for tourism as well, since the country is highly reliant on tourism as a main source of income.

The Philippines
The Philippines boast one of the most biodiversity regions on the entire planet with 464 reef-building coral species but due to overfishing, destructive fishing techniques, and rapid coastal development in recent years, these reefs have suffered a heavy decline in health. As a response, many MPAs have been springing up over the last twenty years with current estimates at about 600 MPAs. However, the majority of these MPAs are poorly (people in the regions either ignore their restrictions or don’t even know of their existence) and as a result are highly ineffective. On the other hand, there are several MPAs in the Philippines that are well known for having an impact on the health of their reefs by enhancing fish biomass, decreasing coral bleaching, and increasing yields in adjacent fisheries. One notable example is the MPA surrounding Apo Island.

Latin America
Latin America in particular considers itself one large MPA system. As of 2008, 0.5% of the Latin American marine environment is protected, mostly through the use of small, multiple-use MPAs.

South Pacific
The South Pacific network ranges from Belize to Chile. Governments in the region adopted the Lima Convention and Action Plan for protected areas for the South Pacific region in 1981; an MPA-specific protocol was ratified in 1989. The Permanent Commission on the Exploitation and Conservation on the Marine Resources of the South Pacific promotes the exchange of studies and information among participants.

The region is currently running one comprehensive cross-national program, the Tropical Eastern Pacific Marine Corridor Network, signed in April 2004. The network covers about 211000000 km2.

North Pacific
The North Pacific network covers the western coasts of Mexico, Canada, and the U.S. The "Antigua Convention" and an action plan for the north Pacific region were adapted in 2002. There, is however, no protocol; participant nations manage their own national systems. In 2010-2011, the State of California is completing a series of hearings and actions via the state Department of Fish and Game to establish new MPA's. Although highly controversial among fishing circles, the MPA's are going forward with decisions still pending as to where and how large.

Europe
The Natura 2000 ecological network of protected areas in the territory of the European Union including a wide range of MPA in the North Atlantic, the Mediterranean Sea and the Baltic Sea. The member states have to define NATURA 2000 areas at sea in their Exclusive Economic Zone.

Two assessments, conducted thirty years apart, of three Mediterranean MPAs demonstrate that proper protection allows commercially valuable and slow-growing red coral (Corallium rubrum) to produce large colonies in shallow water of less than 50 m. Shallow-water colonies outside these decades-old MPAs are typically very small. The MPAs are Banyuls, Carry-le-Rouet and Scandola, off the island of Corsica.