Analysis of progress towards a comprehensive system of Marine Protected Areas in Brazil

Magris, R.A., Mills, M., Fuentes, M.M.P.B., and Pressey, R.L. (2013) Analysis of progress towards a comprehensive system of Marine Protected Areas in Brazil. Natureza & Conservacao, 11 (1). pp. 81-87.

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Abstract

Brazilian marine ecosystems face great threats while retaining outstanding biological features. A gap analysis was conducted to evaluate how well marine protected areas (MPAs) in Brazil meet conservation objectives for representation, connectivity, and risk-spreading. The performance of the MPAs was evaluated by overlaying maps of ecosystem and management and calculating the size of no-take areas and the distances between them. All objectives were far from fully attained. Currently, the protection of the marine environment is poor, with less than 1.9% of Brazil's marine jurisdiction within MPAs and 0.14% within no-take areas. Also, only 23% of the ecosystems met the minimal number of replicates required by the risk-spreading objective. More positively, just over half (51%) of the no-take areas are a desirable distance apart. Our study highlights that a systematic expansion of MPAs in Brazil is urgently needed to move toward an ecologically representative and functioning MPA system.

Item ID: 28485
Item Type: Article (Research - C1)
ISSN: 1679-0073
Keywords: systematic conservation planning, biodiversity conservation, marine conservation, gap analysis, effectiveness
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Funders: CNPq - financial support , Australian Research Council Super Science Scheme, Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies.
Date Deposited: 09 Aug 2013 00:38
FoR Codes: 05 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES > 0502 Environmental Science and Management > 050202 Conservation and Biodiversity @ 70%
06 BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES > 0602 Ecology > 060205 Marine and Estuarine Ecology (incl Marine Ichthyology) @ 30%
SEO Codes: 96 ENVIRONMENT > 9605 Ecosystem Assessment and Management > 960507 Ecosystem Assessment and Management of Marine Environments @ 25%
96 ENVIRONMENT > 9607 Environmental Policy, Legislation and Standards > 960701 Coastal and Marine Management Policy @ 25%
96 ENVIRONMENT > 9613 Remnant Vegetation and Protected Conservation Areas > 961303 Protected Conservation Areas in Marine Environments @ 50%
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