Scientists call out Canada for undermining it's own ocean protection mandate and putting marine species at risk.

Marine protected areas for dolphins need to focus on their critical habitat if they are to do a good job

“Current levels of protection inside Canada’s MPAs [marine protected areas] are inadequate to provide the long-term conservation of marine biodiversity. For the most part, there is little difference between what is allowed inside our MPAs and what occurs outside their boundaries”. Little difference… that’s a pretty damning statement from the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS).

If people keep fishing inside the no-take zone, it doesn’t really meet the criteria of being no-take. Inevitably a fished zone will fail to meet expected successes of a no-take.

Vanua Levu's Nagigi community want to create an aqoliqoli  - a short-term no take marine protected area - to ensure a sustainable future.  

Australia’s protected areas are inadequate for protecting one of the world’s most threatened marine fishes – the sawfish

Fishermen leave behind clues that tell us about their illegal activity inside marine protected areas

What are the factors that can contribute towards marine protected areas that have both positive ecological AND socio-economic outcomes?

Nathan Bennett has been actively researching the links between the environment and human societies for many years.