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Ten Principles For Guiding The Development Of Marine Protected Areas In California Waters
By Pietro Parravano

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) occur along the coast of California and many other coastal areas of the nation. The sizes, purposes and regulations on use of these areas vary greatly as do the terms to describe them. Some, for example, have few restrictions, while others may be completely closed areas. MPAs have garnered much attention recently among researchers and marine advocacy groups as a potential tool for fishery management, protecting marine habitats or preserving unique marine ecosystems. While MPAs may offer promise to the conservation and management of marine fisheries and their habitats, much is unknown about what benefit, if any, has been derived from existing MPAs for the conservation and management of marine fish and their habitats (other than in small, localized areas) or what benefit may be derived from the establishment of new MPAs. To date, there has been a great deal of hype, but precious little science.

Although MPAs may offer potential benefits for marine fish resources and their habitats, they may pose a real danger, too, if strict adherence to good science is not maintained regarding their purposes and siting. MPAs, particularly those imposing no-take zones for fishermen, could result in vast areas of prime fishing grounds being "locked-up," which could needlessly impact fish production. Moreover, no-take MPAs may result in heavier fishing or other activities outside of their boundaries, exacerbating rather than resolving fish resource problems. MPAs, by themselves, may also create a false sense of security about fishery resources -- neither fish, nor currents respect artificial boundaries.

To initiate a rational and science-based discussion on MPAs, always mindful of the need to conserve and manage fish resources on a sustainable basis, and to protect marine habitats and ecosystems and the fisheries that depend on these fish resources, the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Associations (PCFFA) has established the following ten principles to guide MPA decisions:
  1. The review of the effectiveness of existing MPAs, as well as the siting and establishment of any new MPAs must include fishing men and women from both the commercial and sport sector. This is necessary not only because MPAs affect or could affect fishing areas, but more importantly because fishermen have an intimate and working knowledge of the marine environment, including that of many areas of the ocean where there has been no research.
  2. A thorough and science-based review needs to take place of all existing marine protected areas and the myriad of no-fishing zones along the California coast and elsewhere to determine their effectiveness for either: a) providing baseline research information; b) protecting critical marine habitats; or c) protecting specific marine fish or organisms. This review should be undertaken by a panel, including marine scientists, appropriate fishery agency representatives, knowledgeable commercial and sport fishermen, and knowledgeable marine conservation representatives. This review should include a report with recommendations for each existing MPA and no-fishing zone as to their effectiveness and whether there should be any changes in regulations and boundaries, and whether each should be maintained, reduced, expanded or eliminated.
  3. A thorough and objective review must be conducted of the types and effectiveness of MPAs in use in other parts of the world to provide the state, scientists and the fishing industry guidance on whether new MPAs should be established offshore California and other states and, if so, what their objectives should be, their appropriate size and types of regulations on use.
  4. If, after thorough review, there is a decision to proceed with revising current MPAs or establishing new ones, the objectives of each MPA must be stated clearly; i.e., whether it is to provide baseline research, protect habitat, or protect specific species, or some combination thereof.
  5. The regulation of the types of use to be permitted in each MPA can and should vary depending on the objectives of the MPA, with MPAs established as any one of three or more types, including those to protect habitats, those to protect specific species of marine fish or organisms, and those where take is prohibited.
  6. Where no-take MPAs may be established, not only must all types of fishing be prohibited, but so too must any un-permitted scientific collection or any other form of removal from within the boundary of the MPA. No dumping or introduction of pollutants shall be permitted in any no-take MPA and human access shall be greatly restricted in order to maintain the pristine condition of the MPA and its value for baseline research.
  7. In the siting of any new MPAs, factors to be considered shall include the uniqueness of the area, its biological productivity/diversity or special habitats, the human impacts on that area (including fishing, other types of aquatic harvesting or collection, pollution, and structural changes such as dumping, artificial reefs, oil rigs). Siting shall be based solely on the evidence regarding the site itself and without regard to proximity of existing parks, marine sanctuaries, or research institutions.
  8. In the establishment of any new MPAs, careful consideration shall be given to what, if any, impacts the establishment may have on fishing, or the use of certain types of fishing gear, what impacts an MPA may have on fishing effort outside of an MPA boundary and what steps can be taken to mitigate any impacts on fishing from the establishment of an MPA. In the selection of any MPAs, every effort shall be made to protect existing fisheries, consistent with the science-based selection of unique or productive areas deserving of some level of protection under an MPA status.
  9. MPAs are not a substitute for other forms of fishery management, including seasons, quotas, or gear restrictions, nor shall MPAs be a substitute for prohibitions on pollution, dumping or the introduction of exotic species.
  10. Recognizing a changing ocean environment and the continuing increase of human knowledge of the marine environment, MPAs shall be subject to adaptive management, with regular reviews conducted of their performance while recognizing that regulatory or protective measures may not have immediate results. Under an adaptive management program, utilizing experts from the fishery agencies, marine researchers, the fishing and conservation community, MPAs should be subject to periodic review of their regulations, boundaries and whether some existing ones should be eliminated and/or new ones established.
If these criteria are met, and if MPAs have good science behind them as a conservation tool, then they would be something fishermen could not only support but would benefit from in the long run. For more information on marine protected areas generally and on the views of PCFFA on this issue, go to our MPA information web site at http://www.pond.net/~pcffa/MPA.htm.

Pietro Parravano is owner/operator of the F/V Anne B and fishes commercially for salmon, Dungeness crab and rockfish. He is President of the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Associations (PCFFA), President of the Institute for Fisheries Resources, and serves on the board of the Marine Fish Conservation Network. PCFFA's Home Page is at http://www.pond.net/~pcffa.
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