MMAs Ecological, Socioeconomic and Governance Effectiveness - Global meta-data analysis
1. WHY
1.1 Objective(s)
Despite the recent increase in the use of Marine Management Areas (MMAs) for marine resource management, we still know little about how different types of MMAs (e.g., fully protected vs. various levels of partial protection) perform under different circumstances, nor do we have a comprehensive understanding of how ecological, socioeconomic and governance factors interact to influence MMA performance. The present study addresses this critical information need.
The main objectives of this study are to:
1. determine the socioeconomic, governance and ecological effects (outcomes and outputs) of MMAs;
2. determine the critical factors (ecological, socioeconomic and governance) affecting MMA outcomes and outputs, as well as the impact of the timing of those factors on the outcomes and outputs of the MMA;
3. provide management tools for predicting MMA outcomes based on ecological, socioeconomic and governance variables.
This study will be unique in its assessment of how ecological, socioeconomic and governance factors interact during the MMA planning and design process, as well as during MMA implementation, to affect MMA performance. Specifically, this project will enhance the understanding of the relationship between:
(a) the context of MMAs (the purpose for establishment: status, threats, opportunities);
(b) the planning of the MMAs (goals and objectives) and the process of implementation (activities/actions involved in implementation and, critically, the timing of such activities); and
(c) the outputs (results of management actions) and outcomes (impacts and achievement of objectives) of the MMAs.
