Agenda Item 5 / MASH05/5/ -E
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OSPAR CONVENTION FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT OF THE NORTH-EAST ATLANTIC

MEETING OF THE WORKING GROUP ON MARINE PROTECTED AREAS SPECIES AND HABITATS (MASH)

BRISTOL (UNITED KINGDOM): 3-7 OCTOBER 2005

Evaluating the Management Effectiveness of Marine Protected Areas:

Using UK sites and the UK MPA programme to illustrate different approaches

Presented by WWF

  1. OSPAR Recommendation 2003/3 sets the purpose and scope for the OSPAR network of marine protected areas including the linkages to the EU‘s Natura 2000 network In § 4.4, the revised OSPAR Biodiversity Strategy describes the mechanism to develop and periodically review the status of an ecologically coherent network of well-managed MPAs in the North-East Atlantic, including concerted action by Contracting Parties where necessary. MASH 2004 will address the development of practical guidance for MPA management as well as criteria for management effectiveness.
  2. The establishment of a representative and coherent network of marine protected areas comes along with the challenge to create and implement effective management systems therein. At MASH 2003 and BDC 2004 WWF submitted, as information its report in collaboration with IUCN and others, How is your MPA doing? A guidebook of Natural and Social Indicators for Evaluating Marine Protected Area Management Effectiveness[1]. At MASH 2004 some further consideration was given to the concept of evaluating management effectiveness through paper MASH 04/5/5-E (L) presented by the UK.
  3. To further stimulate discussion and debate on the issues of MPA management effectiveness WWF present a report[2] commissioned by WWF-UK. The report at Annex 1reviews different approaches in the context of UK MPA situation.
  4. The report examines key issues in relation to the management effectiveness of two types of UK MPAs – Marine Nature Reserves and marine Special Areas of Conservation. It includes:

a)A consideration of potential criteria for evaluating management effectiveness;

b)Case studies to apply these criteria; and

c)A discussion of some of the constraints and barriers to the effectiveness of MPAs in the UK.

The methodology is based on the approach to evaluating the management effectiveness of MPAs set out in two document, the IUCN Guidebook and a World Bank Score Card.[3]

Action requested

  1. MASH is invited to take note of this report and make use of its findings, as appropriate, in the course of developing and assessing the OSPAR network of MPAs. In particular to:

a)Consider the relevant needs and information necessary for measuring management effectiveness such as information gathering, site monitoring and expectations of site evaluation;

b)Ensure all OSPAR sites have management plans as a starting point for evaluation;

c)Consider the different methodologies and their application to the OSPAR network of MPAs; and

d)To develop clear policy and procedures for evaluating management effectiveness.

Annex 1

Evaluating the Management Effectiveness of Marine Protected Areas:
Using UK sites and the UK MPA programme to illustrate different approaches.

A report for WWF-UK.
June 2005

By Susan Gubbay

1

OSPAR CommissionMASH05/5/ -E

[1] Pomeroy R. S., Parks J.E. and Watson, L.M. How is your MPA doing? A Guidebook of natural and Social Inidcators for Evaluating |Marine Protected Area Management Effectiveness. IUCN 2004

[2] Gubbay, S. Evaluating the Management Effectiveness of Marine Protected Areas: Using UK sites and the UK MPA programme to illustrate different approaches. A report for WWF-UK. June 2005. Annex 1

[3] World Bank (2004) Score Card to assess progress in achieving management effectiveness goals for Marine Protected Areas. The Work Bank. 30pp.